0:00:09 > 0:00:12Here they come, like two intrepid explorers.
0:00:12 > 0:00:15Charlotte and Elliot.
0:00:15 > 0:00:18I'm their Great-Aunt Lizzie, you see.
0:00:18 > 0:00:22And I wonder which one is coming to see me today.
0:00:22 > 0:00:25Ah, so it's Elliot's turn.
0:00:25 > 0:00:30Here he comes. Racing to hear another tale from an epic adventure.
0:00:30 > 0:00:33TAP! TAP! TAP!
0:00:43 > 0:00:47And what wonderful adventures they were.
0:00:47 > 0:00:51So long ago and so far away.
0:00:53 > 0:00:57I collected a few souvenirs along the way.
0:01:00 > 0:01:05But my most precious possession of all is my extraordinary
0:01:05 > 0:01:08collection of teacups.
0:01:24 > 0:01:26You've still got your coat on, Elliot.
0:01:26 > 0:01:30Come on, no time to count the clouds! We've got stories to tell.
0:01:33 > 0:01:35Now, let's have a lovely cup of tea.
0:01:38 > 0:01:40But first we need...
0:01:40 > 0:01:43The teacup!
0:01:45 > 0:01:49But which one?
0:01:59 > 0:02:02- That one!- Ooh!
0:02:05 > 0:02:07The Chinese Moon Fan.
0:02:07 > 0:02:13What a choice, Elliot. I do love that story.
0:02:18 > 0:02:21This will be just perfect to drink now.
0:02:26 > 0:02:31- So... Are you ready?- Ready!
0:02:31 > 0:02:36Then let me tell you the story of Great Aunt Lizzie
0:02:36 > 0:02:39And The Adventure Of The Chinese Moon Fan.
0:02:39 > 0:02:41CLEARS THROAT
0:02:41 > 0:02:43Oh, yes, of course.
0:02:43 > 0:02:45Let me tell you the story of Elliot
0:02:45 > 0:02:48And The Adventure Of The Chinese Moon Fan.
0:02:49 > 0:02:55It all started long, long ago in the magnificent empire of China
0:02:55 > 0:02:58with its towering Himalayan mountains,
0:02:58 > 0:03:02lush, scented fields, and thick green forests.
0:03:19 > 0:03:23Between the mountaintops, among the rice fields, little towns
0:03:23 > 0:03:27drew traders from the countryside in hope of selling their wares.
0:03:27 > 0:03:31It was on the road to one such town,
0:03:31 > 0:03:35with the scented jasmine blowing softly on the breeze,
0:03:35 > 0:03:40that Elliot came across Mrs Bao making silk fans outside her home.
0:03:40 > 0:03:41There we go now.
0:03:43 > 0:03:44Best be off.
0:03:44 > 0:03:48A young man approached. He'd travelled far and was thirsty.
0:03:48 > 0:03:52- Excuse me. May I trouble you for a drink of water?- Of course.
0:03:52 > 0:03:55Help yourself.
0:03:55 > 0:03:57Such kindness.
0:03:57 > 0:04:00- Thank you. Your moon fans are beautiful.- Thank you.
0:04:00 > 0:04:04But nobody wants them these days.
0:04:04 > 0:04:09They want fancy feathery things to flap as they strut
0:04:09 > 0:04:12around the city like a lot of the Emperor's pampered friends.
0:04:15 > 0:04:18Oh, my. Master, I apologise.
0:04:18 > 0:04:21I didn't know it was you.
0:04:22 > 0:04:24Please, there is no need.
0:04:24 > 0:04:27But I insulted the Emperor's friend -
0:04:27 > 0:04:31his favourite artist drinks from my cup.
0:04:31 > 0:04:35- Those people are fools, if you ask me.- Such an honour.
0:04:35 > 0:04:37Madam, the honour is all mine.
0:04:37 > 0:04:40If ever I can repay you for your kindness, I will.
0:04:40 > 0:04:43Now, I must be on my way.
0:04:43 > 0:04:44Thank you for the water.
0:04:49 > 0:04:52Yan Jiang Jing by my house.
0:04:52 > 0:04:54What an honour!
0:04:54 > 0:04:58Oh... I'm late. Best be off.
0:04:58 > 0:05:01Oh!
0:05:01 > 0:05:03More haste less speed.
0:05:03 > 0:05:06Elliot wondered if he could help.
0:05:06 > 0:05:09- Excuse me?- Oh, it's all go today.
0:05:09 > 0:05:12If it's water you want, just help yourself.
0:05:12 > 0:05:14I really need to go. I'm late.
0:05:14 > 0:05:18- Maybe I could help you. - Oh! Help?
0:05:18 > 0:05:21That's just wonderful.
0:05:21 > 0:05:24Everything takes so long these days.
0:05:24 > 0:05:26What are you late for?
0:05:26 > 0:05:29Well, selling these fans. Oh!
0:05:29 > 0:05:31It's market day today
0:05:31 > 0:05:35and my granddaughter is waiting for me at the city gates.
0:05:35 > 0:05:36I could take them for you.
0:05:38 > 0:05:41It really is my lucky day.
0:05:41 > 0:05:45First, great Yan Jiang Jing comes to visit my house.
0:05:45 > 0:05:49And then you appear and help me out of a muddle.
0:05:49 > 0:05:53It's just down the road at the bottom of the hill.
0:05:53 > 0:05:58But my old bones make it feel like 100 miles.
0:05:59 > 0:06:01I'll be as quick as I can.
0:06:01 > 0:06:05Elliot set off and before long he came to a bridge
0:06:05 > 0:06:08where the old lady's granddaughter had run into a spot of trouble
0:06:08 > 0:06:10with a town guard.
0:06:10 > 0:06:12I'm not supposed to let people hang around the bridge.
0:06:12 > 0:06:15But my grandmother will be here soon with moon fans.
0:06:15 > 0:06:17We need to come in to sell them.
0:06:17 > 0:06:18Here they are.
0:06:18 > 0:06:20That's great. Thanks.
0:06:20 > 0:06:25There. See? I told you I had moon fans to sell.
0:06:25 > 0:06:27Yes, you did.
0:06:28 > 0:06:31You also said they were good quality.
0:06:31 > 0:06:33- These are rubbish. - No, they're not!
0:06:33 > 0:06:35They're beautiful. And they're...
0:06:35 > 0:06:37What would the Emperor think if I let you in to sell dull,
0:06:37 > 0:06:39boring fans like these?
0:06:39 > 0:06:42Maybe we could brighten them up with a small splash of ink.
0:06:42 > 0:06:45That's a nice idea, but we don't have any ink.
0:06:45 > 0:06:49Now, Elliot thought getting ink would be easy peasy lemon squeezy.
0:06:49 > 0:06:53But of course it was never going to be as easy as that.
0:06:53 > 0:06:55You need the ink makers.
0:06:55 > 0:06:57Aren't they in the city?
0:06:57 > 0:06:58I'm afraid not.
0:06:58 > 0:07:00See the smoke in the hills?
0:07:00 > 0:07:02You'll find them there.
0:07:02 > 0:07:06How had Elliot ended up in this pickle?
0:07:06 > 0:07:10He'd helped Ms Bao pick up the moon fans she'd dropped...
0:07:10 > 0:07:12That's just wonderful.
0:07:12 > 0:07:15- He delivered them to Mrs Bao's granddaughter...- That's great.
0:07:15 > 0:07:18He'd suggested painting the fans to make them brighter,
0:07:18 > 0:07:20but they didn't have anything to paint with.
0:07:20 > 0:07:24And he thought getting the ink would be a doddle.
0:07:24 > 0:07:28He couldn't allow Mrs Bao's fans to be left unsold, could he?
0:07:30 > 0:07:32There was nothing else for it
0:07:32 > 0:07:36but to set off up the mountain to the ink makers in the woods.
0:07:41 > 0:07:45So, off went Elliot in his old, battered boots.
0:07:45 > 0:07:48He scrambled up the misty mountain paths until...
0:07:50 > 0:07:52..when we was almost out of breath...
0:07:53 > 0:07:55..the path ran out!
0:07:59 > 0:08:02There was only one way to get to the other side.
0:08:04 > 0:08:08Elliot took a deep breath.
0:08:29 > 0:08:33Safely across, Elliot set off once more.
0:08:33 > 0:08:38And suddenly amongst the clouds was a clump of gnarled,
0:08:38 > 0:08:40twisted trees.
0:08:42 > 0:08:46But there was no time to stop and admire the view.
0:08:46 > 0:08:48Elliot had to get that ink!
0:08:49 > 0:08:52But when he got there the clearing was deserted.
0:08:52 > 0:08:56The ink makers are all gone. If that's who you're looking for.
0:08:56 > 0:08:58It was Yan Jiang Jing
0:08:58 > 0:09:01The young man who'd quenched his thirst at Mrs Bao's house.
0:09:01 > 0:09:04- Gone where? - They're always on the move.
0:09:06 > 0:09:08Oh, no.
0:09:08 > 0:09:11I promised my friend that I'd get some ink for her grandma.
0:09:11 > 0:09:13Kind old lady? The fan maker?
0:09:13 > 0:09:16We tried to sell them in town, but the guard wouldn't let us in.
0:09:16 > 0:09:19- He said they were too plain. - Show me.
0:09:28 > 0:09:30All good things begin with kindness.
0:09:30 > 0:09:33I think I can do better than give you ink.
0:09:35 > 0:09:37The young poet was happy to help.
0:09:37 > 0:09:41His brush pen, dipped in a small pool of ink,
0:09:41 > 0:09:44swam across the face of the moon fans.
0:09:44 > 0:09:48Chinese script covering them all in what felt like a moment.
0:09:48 > 0:09:51For your friend.
0:09:51 > 0:09:54It is a beautiful old poem about the mountains
0:09:54 > 0:09:57and a bridge that waits for someone to cross it.
0:09:57 > 0:10:00Do you think they will be fancy enough for the guards?
0:10:00 > 0:10:03He worries a lot about what the Emperor will think.
0:10:03 > 0:10:05Give the old lady this.
0:10:05 > 0:10:07It's my gift for her.
0:10:07 > 0:10:09When the guard sees it he'll let her in.
0:10:09 > 0:10:13It was the most beautiful fan Elliot had ever seen.
0:10:13 > 0:10:16Is that a picture of the poem?
0:10:16 > 0:10:18It's amazing.
0:10:18 > 0:10:22Elliot packed the precious fan with the others in his bag.
0:10:24 > 0:10:26- Thank you. Bye.- Bye.
0:10:28 > 0:10:32Back went Elliot in his old, battered boots.
0:10:32 > 0:10:35Over the open fields and down the mountainside.
0:10:37 > 0:10:40And back to the town where the grumpy soldier
0:10:40 > 0:10:42still stood guard by the bridge.
0:10:42 > 0:10:45You should be ashamed, treating my grandmother like that.
0:10:45 > 0:10:48We have rules. And her fan's not good enough.
0:10:48 > 0:10:51There. They must be good enough now.
0:10:51 > 0:10:54Your friend has decorated them.
0:10:54 > 0:10:57Black and white? Not very fancy.
0:10:57 > 0:11:00Yan Jiang Jing wrote poetry on my grandmother's fans?
0:11:00 > 0:11:03Yan Jiang Jing?!
0:11:03 > 0:11:05The Emperor's favourite?
0:11:05 > 0:11:06He painted these?
0:11:06 > 0:11:11And he gave me this to give to you as a present to repay your kindness.
0:11:11 > 0:11:14The painted fan shone in the evening sunlight.
0:11:14 > 0:11:16Mrs Bao beamed
0:11:16 > 0:11:20and the grumpy guard's mouth fell open in astonishment.
0:11:20 > 0:11:22It's true.
0:11:22 > 0:11:23It can't be.
0:11:23 > 0:11:26He spoke to you and painted all the moon fans?
0:11:26 > 0:11:31The famous poem about the mountains and the bridge that no-one crossed.
0:11:31 > 0:11:34So, does this mean Mrs Bao
0:11:34 > 0:11:36and her granddaughter can cross into the town
0:11:36 > 0:11:39- to sell their fans? - Of course.
0:11:39 > 0:11:42In fact, you must come in.
0:11:42 > 0:11:46People will be queueing around this city to buy your fans.
0:11:46 > 0:11:48Well, that's marvellous.
0:11:48 > 0:11:51But it's getting a bit late.
0:11:51 > 0:11:53I think I'll go for my supper.
0:11:53 > 0:11:56We shall sell moon fans in the morning.
0:11:56 > 0:11:58Any time, Mrs Bao.
0:11:58 > 0:12:00Any time at all.
0:12:00 > 0:12:03Shall we go and have something to eat?
0:12:03 > 0:12:05Yes, let's.
0:12:06 > 0:12:09And that was that. The whole kit and caboodle.
0:12:09 > 0:12:13Elliot and the adventure of the Chinese moon fan.
0:12:13 > 0:12:16- That guard was so grumpy. - Yes, he was.
0:12:16 > 0:12:18But he still told you what you wanted to know.
0:12:18 > 0:12:19If it wasn't for him
0:12:19 > 0:12:21you'd never have gone to the top of the mountain.
0:12:21 > 0:12:25- It was worth it to find Yan Jiang Jing.- Yes, it was.
0:12:25 > 0:12:28He'd always liked to write his poems on moon fans.
0:12:28 > 0:12:31And eventually they became so popular that everybody wanted one.
0:12:31 > 0:12:34Those bright feathered fans became yesterday's waft.
0:12:34 > 0:12:37Mrs Bao and her granddaughter must have been happy about that.
0:12:37 > 0:12:39I'm sure they were.
0:12:42 > 0:12:45Well, I'll be blowed! Is that the time already?
0:12:45 > 0:12:47Come on. Your mum will be here in a minute.
0:12:49 > 0:12:51Your coat.
0:13:03 > 0:13:05Now, how did that get there?
0:13:05 > 0:13:07Home time now, Elliot.
0:13:16 > 0:13:20- Thanks, Great-Auntie Lizzie. - Cheery-bye, Elliot.