Mulan (2 page)

A
tiny dragon named Mushu soon raced after her. He wanted to regain his position as a Guardian of the Fa family. “I’ll make Mulan a hero! That’ll show the Ancestors!” he said.

A cricket named Cri-Kee hopped along beside him. “I know I can help,” he chirped. “I’m a lucky cricket.”

Mulan wasn’t sure what to think when Mushu and Cri-Kee first showed up. But she knew she needed all the help she could get.

W
hen Mulan reached the army camp, she reported to Captain Shang. Shang was the son of General Li, leader of the Emperor’s army. It was Shang’s job to train the new recruits to be good soldiers.

“What’s your name?” Shang asked.

Mulan made up a boy’s name. “Ping” she stuttered. “My name is Ping.”

T
he recruits had trouble with all of the training exercises.

The most difficult test was retrieving an arrow from the top of a tall pole. No recruit had been able to do it. Finally, Mulan cleverly figured out how to use strength and discipline to get the arrow.

E
veryone cheered. They would all learn to be good soldiers.

But one evening, Mushu and Cri-Kee overheard Chi Fu, the Emperor’s aide, talking to Shang. “I will report to your father that your men are not fit to be soldiers,” he said.

“W
e can’t let him do that,” said Mushu. “How will I make Mulan a hero if she never goes to battle?”

So Cri-Kee ‘typed!’ out a note and they delivered it to Chi Fu.

‘Captain Li Shang: You and your men are needed at the front at once!’ the note said.

S
hang set out immediately with his troops. Soon they came across a burned-out village that had been attacked by the Huns.

S
hang was handed a helmet. It was his father’s. His heart was heavy with sadness, but he had to face his responsibilities.

“W
e must go to the Imperial City,” he said. “We are the Emperor’s only hope.”

The men trudged on.

Suddenly, hundreds of flaming arrows flew down at them. Then, out of nowhere, Shan-Yu’s Hun army charged at Shang and his men.

“F
ire the cannons!” yelled Shang. Soon only one cannon was left.

Mulan looked up at the snowy mountain peak and got an idea. She grabbed the last cannon and fired. It slammed into the mountain and shook the snow loose. An avalanche thundered down and swept the enemy away!

M
ulan leapt on Khan and raced him across the snow to Shang, who lay unconscious. Quickly, she lifted him onto the horse’s strong back. Khan skidded dangerously on the steep slope, but the other soldiers helped pull them to safety.

W
hen Shang came to, he noticed that Mulan had been wounded. She was taken to the medic’s tent.

Later, the army medic reported startling news: “This soldier isn’t a man—she’s a woman!” It was a crime punishable by death.

“You deceived me,” Shang angrily told Mulan. “I will spare your life because you saved mine.”

T
he troops marched off, leaving Mulan behind with Khan, Mushu and Cri-Kee.