During the Tang Dynasty more than 1,000 years ago, people had to send gifts to the emperor(皇帝). Once, a man called Mian ____ to take some swans(鹅) in cages to the emperor.____  he was passing a lake, he found that the swans were hot and dirty. He wanted to let the swans loose so they ___ have a bath in the lake._____the swans flew away as soon as they were let out. Only a few feathers(羽毛) were left. ___ frightened the man was when he saw that. Suddenly, he got_____idea. He picked up a feather from the ground and left for the capital.

   The emperor  was accepting valuable gifts from officials. Everyone was surprised when Mian ____ his feather. Mian then began to sing, “I’ve come a thousand li____ you the gift. But I lost my swans at a lake. My gift is not __, but my love and respect for you are true.” The emperor was pleased at Mian’s wit(智慧). Instead _____punishing him, he gave him a big reward.

People then drew the idiom（典故）“a swan feather sent from a thousand li away.”