Our story begins with a young girl in ancient Chaina. Her name is Hua Mulan. She lived with her parents, her older sister, and her younger brother in a litter village. One morning, Mulan is working in her room. She is making cloth to sell at the market. Suddenly, she hears a noise. She goes to the window and looks out. A lot of people are running down the street. Mulan sees her friend, Sun Ying. 'What's a matter?' asks Mulan 'Quick! come and see,' says Sun Ying. Mulan follows Sun Ying through the village. ‘Wait for me!’ shouts Mulan. They soon see a big crowd of people in front of them. Everybody is looking at a long list on a tree. ‘Move! I can’t see!’ says an old women at the back. ‘Stop that!’ shouts a man at the front angrily. ‘What’s on the list?’ Mulan asks Sun Ying. ‘The enemy are now here in our country’ says Sun Ying, ‘and we must fight them. The Emperor needs a very big army. ‘One man from every family must join the army tomorrow,’ says Sun Ying. ‘The names of all men in village are on the list.’ Mulan go to the front of the crowd. She quickly reads the list. ‘Oh no!’ cries Mulan. ‘Look! My father name’s is the first on the list.’ ‘My father can’t fight,’ says Mulan. ‘He’s old and ill. And my brother Xiong, is a young child. He can’t join the army.’ ‘What can I do?’ cries Mulan. ‘You must think of a plan’ says Sun Ying.