Disney Mulan Read Along Storybook | The Dragon Boat Race

Mulan. The Dragon Boat Race. The Duanhua festival was quickly approaching. The celebration took place in China every spring, on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month. Mulan's favorite part was the dragon boat race. Each spring, Mulan watched the boats from other villages race down the river. This year, however, Mulan wanted to do more than watch. Our village should enter the race. Mulan told her family. Her father agreed this would bring honor to their village. But her mother was worried. The village had never taken part before. Would they know what to do? Grandma Fei reminded them that Mulan had once never traveled beyond their village. There's a first time for everything, she said. Mulan announced her The villagers were hesitant, but excited to try something new. Mulan explained that they would learn, just like the teams from other villages had to learn. There's a first time for everything, she said. Outside the Temple of the Ancestors, Mulan asked Mushu to help choose what colors to paint the boat. It should look like me, of course, Mushu said. Together, Mulan and her teammates painted the to match Mushu's fiery red scales and orange belly. Mushu admired their handiwork. It does sort of look like me, Mushu said. If not quite as handsome. Training began the next day. Mushu volunteered to be the drummer. I've had a lot of practice, from banging a gong all these years. Mushu drummed a jazzy beat. Paddles clashed. The boat rocked. And one villager fell into the water. After they fished their teammate out of the water, Mulan showed Mushu how to keep a steady rhythm for the team to follow. She clapped her hands. One, two, three. Bam, bam, bam. Mushu thumped his drum. The villagers arced their paddles through the air to the beat. Soon they were paddling in unison. Mulan joined the team. As the sweep, it was her job to steer with a long oar. They pushed out into the water. At first the boat zigged and zagged. But then the villagers heard Mushu's steady wham, wham, wham. They followed the beat and glided through the water. Finally, it was the day of the race. Mulan and her team lined up their boat with the others, excited and eager for the race to begin. To wake up each dragon, red dots were painted onto their eyes. The race began and the dragon boats zoomed off from shore. Each drummer pounded out a different rhythm. As the other boats whizzed past, Mulan's team struggled to hear Mushu's steady beat. Mulan tried to steer as the waves from the other teams slapped against the sides of their boat. She clutched her oar as the boat tipped this way and that. The drum bounced out of Mushu's He reached out to grab it. Splash! Mulan helped her teammates fish Mushu out of the river. He raced back to his spot. But the team didn't notice their boat heading for the reeds. Crash! The villagers slumped in their seats. How could they finish the race now? We can't give up, Mulan told her team. She knew quitting would not bring honor to their village. They'd lost their drum, but they still had their paddles, their boat, and their team. It's true we've never paddled without a drum, Mulan said. But there's a first time for everything. And there's one thing we can do that isn't a first. Work together. Mulan reminded the villagers that together they'd built and painted a dragon boat. Together they'd trained for the race. Together we can get to the finish line. And I can still give you a steady beat. Mushu said. He banged his hands together. Clap, clap, clap. The villagers smiled and lined up their paddles, ready to row. Together, Mulan and her teammates steered the boat back onto the river. The villagers pushed their paddles through the water to Mushu's beat, again and again, until they reached the finish line. The crowd on shore greeted Mulan's team with cheers. Although they were the last dragon boat to arrive, they were the first to complete the race without a drum. That night, Mulan, her teammates, and the rest of the village found another thing they could do together. Celebrate.