English Original
There was once a poor boy named MaLiang who longed for a brush to draw. One day, he saw a painter working for an officer and asked for a brush, but was laughed at and driven away.
Undaunted, MaLiang practiced drawing diligently using sticks and roots. His skills grew, but he still had no brush. One night, an old man appeared in his dream and gave him a magical brush, instructing him to draw for the poor. Whatever MaLiang drew with it came to life. He helped the villagers by drawing useful things like farm cattle.
The greedy officer heard of this magic and had MaLiang captured. He demanded gold, but MaLiang refused and was imprisoned. Using his brush, MaLiang drew a door on the cell wall to escape, then a horse to outrun the guards.
Later, the officer captured him again and ordered a drawing of a gold mountain. MaLiang drew a sea with a distant gold mountain. When the officer demanded a ship to reach it, MaLiang drew one. As the officer and his guards sailed, MaLiang drew wind. The officer, wanting to go faster, urged for more wind until a great storm capsized the ship, drowning them all.
MaLiang returned to his village and continued using his magical brush to help the poor.
中文翻译
从前有个贫穷的男孩叫马良，他非常渴望有一支画笔。一天，他看见一个画家在为官员作画，便上前讨要一支笔，却被嘲笑并赶走了。
马良没有气馁。他用树枝和草根刻苦练习画画，技艺日益精进，但仍然没有真正的画笔。一天夜里，一位老人在梦中赠予他一支神笔，嘱咐他为穷人画画。马良用这支笔画什么，什么就能变成真的。他为村民们画了耕牛等有用的东西来帮助他们。
贪婪的官员听说了神笔的事，派人抓走了马良，命令他画金子。马良拒绝了，因此被关进监狱。半夜，马良用神笔在墙上画了一扇门，成功逃出，又画了一匹马骑上，甩掉了追兵。
后来，官员再次抓住了马良，命令他画一座金山。马良画了一片大海，海中有一座遥远的金山。官员命令他画一艘大船前去运金。船启航后，官员嫌慢，不断催促马良画风。风越刮越大，最终掀起巨浪，将船掀翻，官员和他的手下全都淹死在海里。
马良回到村庄，继续用他的神笔为穷人画画。