That night, Jane quarreled with her mother, then stormed out of the house. While out, she remembered that she did not have any money in her pocket. She did not even have enough coins to make a phone call home.

At the same time, she went through a noodle shop. Picking up a sweet smell, she suddenly felt very hungry. She wished for a bowl of noodles, but she had no money!

The seller saw her standing before the counter and asked, “Hey little girl, you want to eat a bowl?” “But I do not take any money,” she shyly replied. “Okay, I’ll treat you,” the seller said. “Come in, I will cook you a bowl.”

A few minutes later the seller brought her a steaming bowl of noodles. They smelt delicious. Jane cried when eating the noodles.

“What is it?” the seller asked when he saw the tears rolling down Jane’s face. “Nothing. I am just touched by your kindness! Even a stranger on the street gives me a bowl of noodles, and my mother, after a quarrel, chased me out of the house. She is cruel!” Jane said as she wiped her tears.

The seller sighed, “Girl, why did you think so? Think again. I only gave you a bowl of noodles and you felt that way. Your mother has raised you since you were little. She looked after you carefully and cared about you so much. Why are you not grateful to your mom? Maybe she is waiting for you eagerly at home.”

Jane really felt ashamed after hearing that.

Jane can not control herself any longer and cried in her mom’s arms.

There was once a kind woman who wanted an apple dumpling for supper. She had plenty of flour, butter, sugar, and spice ( 调味品), but she had no apples. She had a huge plum (李子) tree full of round, red plums, but you can’t make an apple dumpling out of plums.

The more the old woman thought about eating an apple dumpling, the more she wanted one. “Maybe I can trade my plums for some apples,” she said to herself.

As the woman walked up the road, she came to a garden. The sweet smell of lilies and roses filled the air. In the garden stood a couple, who looked angry.

“Can I help?” she asked the couple.

“My husband has eaten all of the berries. I have nothing to make jam out of,” replied the wife. “I have some tasty plums for your jam,” said the woman. “I will trade them for some apples. I want to make a dumpling for my supper.”

“We have no apples,” replied the wife. “But we can give you a beautiful bunch of flowers.”

And so the woman went on her way, sniffing (嗅) the colorful flowers she carried. Soon she came upon a handsome young man, followed by a little dog. The man looked very worried.

“What’s wrong?” asked the woman.

“I’m on my way to see my lady, but I have no gift to give her,” the young man said.

“Here, take her these pretty flowers,” the woman told him.

“You are very kind,” said the young man. “These will make her very happy. Will you take this little dog in return for the flowers? He’s been following me. I think he’s lost.”

The woman could hardly say no. So on she went with the little dog in her basket. As she walked along, she chuckled (咯咯笑) to herself, “A bunch of flowers for a basket of plums; a little dog for a bunch of flowers. This is a funny world of give-and-take. I might just get my apple dumpling yet.”

Sure enough, she had not gone far when she saw a tree full of big red apples.

Just then, the little dog jumped out of the basket.

Opportunities favour the prepared mind