Way back, in a time when emperors ruled and magic was in the air, lived a happy little princess named Nüwa. She was the daughter of the great Emperor Yan, and she loved adventures more than anything!

One bright, sunny morning, Nüwa decided, "I want to see the big, sparkling Eastern Sea!" So, she hopped into a small boat and sailed out. The water was calm, and the sun felt warm on her face. She giggled as little fish jumped nearby.

But oh dear! Suddenly, the sky turned a grumpy grey. Dark clouds rolled in like giant cotton balls, and a fierce wind started to blow. WHOOSH! The waves grew bigger and bigger, tossing Nüwa's little boat around like a toy. Splash! Before she knew it, a huge wave crashed over her, and Nüwa disappeared into the deep, churning water.

It was a very sad moment. But Nüwa had such a strong and brave spirit! Her spirit didn't want to just vanish. Instead, it transformed into a beautiful little bird with colorful feathers and a determined chirp. This bird was named Jingwei.

Jingwei remembered the big, mean sea that had swallowed her. She looked at the endless water and thought, "You took me away, but I won't let you win!" She decided she would fill up the entire Eastern Sea. Yes, the whole thing!

So, Jingwei flew to a mountain not too far away. Chirp, chirp! She picked up a tiny pebble in her small beak. Then, she flew all the way back to the Eastern Sea and dropped the pebble in. Plink!

She flew back to the mountain, this time grabbing a little twig in her tiny claws. She flew back to the sea and dropped it in. Plonk!

Day after day, week after week, Jingwei did this. Fly to the mountain, get a pebble or a twig. Fly to the sea, drop it in. Over and over and over again.

The big Eastern Sea would sometimes rumble with laughter. "Silly little bird!" it would gurgle. "Do you really think you can fill me up with those tiny things? I am so enormous, and you are so small!"

But Jingwei would just chirp back bravely, "I will keep trying! I will bring pebbles and twigs every single day. Even if it takes me a hundred years, or a thousand years, or even longer than that! I will never, ever give up!"

And so, the little bird Jingwei kept on flying, carrying her tiny bits of earth, always determined to fill that vast sea. She showed everyone that even the smallest creature with a big heart and a spirit that never quits can try to do something amazing, no matter how impossible it seems.

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