The next morning Lo-Sun and Fan were both very hungry, but they had nothing to eat. ‘Come, Fan,’ said the boy, ‘ we must go back to the city to beg for food. And they set off together down the dusty road. Suddenly a hen ran across the road, squawking loudly, and Fan ran after it. She caught it and killed it and brought it back to her master.
Lo-Sun was very pleased. Here was a piece of good luck indeed! He would sell the hen in the market, and the money would buy enough food to keep him and Fan from hunger for several days. He hid the dead hen under his coat, and told Fan to lead him to the market. They soon found a man who agreed to buy the hen, and he took the dead bird and gave Lo-Sun the money for it. But when Lo-Sun took the coins in his hand, a dark cloud came over his eyes and he was blinder than he had been before.
‘ This is my punishment because I have done something wrong/ he thought sadly. ‘That hen was not mine to sell. I have stolen it.’
Although he was very hungry, he went back to the place where Fan caught the hen. Here he asked a man if anyone had lost a hen that morning. ‘Yes,’ the man answered. ‘ My brother has lost one of his hens. He is very sad, because he is a poor man, and the hen gave him an egg each day.’
‘ I am very sorry,’ said Lo-Sun. ‘ My dog killed the hen this morning. I’ve come to pay for it. Please will you’ give this money to your brother?’
He gave the money to the man, and suddenly there was a flash of light before his eyes. The world seemed brighter again, and Lo-Sun smiled with happiness.
For a number of weeks Lo-Sun continued in his new way of life. He was kind and good, and helped many people who were even poorer and more unhappy than himself. After a month had passed, he found he was able to tell night from day. He could even see the dark shadows of trees and houses, and Fan did not need to guide him when they walked down the street.
One day he and Fan were sitting by the river. There had been a lot of rain in the night, and the sky was cloudy. The river was very full, and was flowing fast. Suddenly Lo-Sun heard a cry. A man’s voice shouted, ‘ Help me, help me! I am drowning.’ The man must have fallen into the river, and now he was being carried away by the strong stream.
Lo-Sun did not know what to do. How could a blind boy save a man from drowning? And then he thought of Fan. Fan could swim, and she was strong and clever. She might be able to save the man. ‘ But what will happen if my dear Fan is drowned, too?’ thought Lo-Sun. ‘ She is my only friend. What could I do without her?’
And then the man cried for help again. Lo-Sun said, ‘ Go, Fan, go to save him.’ And he pushed the little dog into the water.
The man saw the dog swimming towards him, and he called, ‘Thank you, thank you!’
Lo-Sun listened to the noise of the river, and as he listened he prayed that Fan and the man would both be saved.
At last he heard the man climb out of the water and throw himself down on the bank. Lo-Sun ran to him and asked, ‘Are you all right ? Where is my dog?’
The man could hardly speak, but at last he said slowly, ‘Oh, child, the dog has gone. I am so sorry. I tried to pull her out of the river with me, but we were both too tired. Look! She is over there in the water. She saved my life, but I am afraid she is drowned.’
Lo-Sun gave a great cry and threw himself down on the grass. ‘ Oh, Fan, Fan!’ he cried, in great unhappiness. ‘ What shall I do without you? You were my only friend.’ He buried his face in his hands and began to cry bitterly.
The man sat up and put his arm round the unhappy boy. ‘ Don’t cry!’ he said. Go home and tell your father. I am sure he will buy you another dog’
I have no home,’ said Lo-Sun. ‘ I’m a blind boy and my father sent me away from home when I was five years old. Fan was my only friend.’
The man gave a cry. ‘ Let me see your face, child,’ he said. Lo-Sun lifted his head and looked at the man. Yes, he looked at him, and he found that he could see! His last great act of kindness had cured his blindness. He had lost his dog, but he had found his eyesight.
The man said in a low voice, ‘ Is your name Lo-Sun?’
‘ Yes, it is,’ answered the boy. ‘ But how do you know?’
‘ Lo-Sun, my son, forgive me!’ the man said. ‘ I am your father. I was cruel and wicked to send you away. Come home with me now and I will never be cruel to you again. I will buy you another dog, and I will do everything to help you in your blindness.’
For a moment Lo-Sun was angry. This was his cruel father, the cause of all his unhappiness! And then he said softly, ‘ Father, I forgive you, and I shall be glad to come home with you. But look! I can see now. I am no longer blind.’
His father cried out in wonder, and as they walked slowly homewards, Lo-Sun told him about his dream and the fairy’s promise.
Lo-Sun has another dog now, called Min. But although Lo-Sun is happy and loves his home, he will never forget his faithful Fan.