The Magic Brocade
Enjoy the tale of the old woman's magic brocade. What did her sons do when it blew away? Classic Tales is a richly illustrated full-colour English graded readers series that offers classic tales retold for primary language learners. Each story in this new edition is accompanied by e-Books, audio, and Activity Books.
Story Summary
A Mother's Dream
In a small village, a hardworking woman lived with her three sons. She was a talented weaver who made beautiful brocades to sell at the market. One day, she saw a picture of a magnificent white and gold house with a magical garden. Even though she had little money, she bought the picture with her last coins. Inspired by the image, she decided to weave it into the most beautiful brocade she had ever made. She worked tirelessly, day and night, pouring all her love and effort into her creation.
The Brocade Disappears
When the brocade was finally finished, it was stunning. But then, a magical wind blew through the window and carried it away into the sky. The woman was heartbroken and fell ill. Her youngest son cared for her as best he could. When she finally spoke, all she said was, “Go to the mountains. Find my brocade and bring it back.” The three sons each set out to retrieve the brocade, one by one.
A Journey of Courage
The two older brothers met an old woman in the mountains who told them the brocade had been taken by the fairies of Sun Mountain. She offered each of them a magic test: knock out their two front teeth, feed them to a stone horse, and ride it through fire and ice. Afraid, they refused and took her gift of coins instead. But they never returned home—instead, they spent the money selfishly. Finally, the youngest son took the journey. Though scared, he trusted the old woman, passed the difficult test, and arrived at the crystal palace where fairies were copying his mother’s brocade.
A Difficult Choice
The youngest son met the fairies, who were kind and gentle. They told him he could take the brocade after they finished copying it. A kind fairy in a red dress, touched by the boy's devotion, added her own image into the brocade so she could remain part of it forever. The next morning, the youngest son took the completed brocade and left to return to his mother, although part of him wished to stay with the beautiful fairy.
A Magical Return and Reunion
When he brought the brocade home, something magical happened—it became real. The white and gold house, the garden, and even the fairy in the red dress appeared before them. The youngest son married the fairy, and the mother lived happily with them in the beautiful new home, surrounded by flowers. Later, the two older brothers returned, poor and sorry. The family welcomed them back with kindness. In the end, the woman’s dream had come true, not only because of her work—but because of her son’s love and courage.
Story Vocabulary Quiz
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Story Quiz
Sue Arengo
A Storyteller for Young Learners of English
Sue Arengo is a British author who writes wonderful stories for children learning English. She has worked with Oxford University Press for over 20 years, creating books that are fun and easy to read. Many of her books are part of graded reader series like Classic Tales, Dominoes, and Oxford Bookworms.
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