The Story#
A long, long time ago, a great flood came to the land!
“Splash! Splash!” The big water covered villages and fields. People had to hide on high mountains.
There was a man named Yu who decided to tame the flood.
Yu’s father Gun had also tried to control the water. He used the method of blocking, building high dams by the river. But the water was too strong, and the dams were washed away.
Yu thought: “Blocking won’t work. We need to let the water flow away!”
So Yu led everyone to dig river channels, guiding the water to the sea.
Yu worked very hard. He went out early and came back late every day. The hair on his legs was worn away from all the walking.
Once, he passed by his own home and heard a baby crying inside. His wife had just given birth to a baby.
But Yu didn’t go inside. He continued digging channels. He thought: “After I tame the flood, I’ll go home and be with my family properly.”
Like this, Yu worked for thirteen whole years! He passed his home three times without going in.
Finally, the channels were dug, and the floodwater flowed into the sea through the channels.
The land became peaceful again. People could go home to farm and live their lives.
Everyone thanked Yu and honored him as “Da Yu,” which means “Yu the Great.”
What the Story Teaches Us#
Yu didn’t go home for thirteen years to tame the flood. He teaches us that for everyone’s happiness, sometimes we need to sacrifice our own family time. This spirit is very noble.