As Mei wandered near the garden pond searching for food, she suddenly heard a faint sound of sobbing. Curious, she paused, lifted her head, and listened carefully. To her surprise, the sound came from a small plant with reddish stems and slender leaves, crying quietly to itself. Concerned, she asked gently, “Why are you crying, my friend? What makes you so sad?” The little plant’s tears sparkled like morning dew as it whispered, “All the other plants around here have flowers, but I have none. Just now, one of them mocked me, saying even you, Mei, have a flower on your head while I have nothing.”
The plant burst into tears again, and Mei tried to comfort it, but nothing worked. Her heart softened, and she thought deeply: what if she gave the plant her own red comb? After a moment of reflection, she decided. “Please don’t cry anymore. I will give you the flower on my head. Would that make you happy?” The plant’s face lit up instantly. “Really? You would give it to me?” “Of course,” said Mei. “I don’t need a bright red comb to be who I am. You may have it.” Overjoyed, the plant thanked her again and again.
The very next morning, everyone noticed that Mei no longer had her beautiful crown. But beside the pond stood the little plant, now blooming with a dazzling cluster of red flowers, glowing just like the comb that once belonged to the kindhearted hen. The flowers lifted themselves toward the sunlight each day, their red petals glowing brighter in the golden rays. The plant proudly shared its story, and soon the whole farmyard knew of Mei’s generosity. Whenever she passed by, the animals bowed their heads and said, “Blessings to Mei. May her goodness bring forth treasures as precious as jewels.”
From that time on, people called this plant the cockscomb flower, in honor of Mei’s kindness. And just as the blessing foretold, Mei laid an egg each day, glowing with a soft rosy hue. The story of the cockscomb flower reminds us that true beauty lies not in what we keep, but in what we are willing to give.