According to legends, there was a close up family with five brothers who had supernatural strengths and who looked exactly alike. As is said, they each possessed a special talent according to the notion of five natural elements with their proper activities, so that one could swallow the sea (element Water), one had his iron neck (Metal), one could stretch his legs in full accord with the boundless Earth, one could survive Fire and one could hold his breath as long as he wants (Wind/Wood).
When the elder brother, a very successful fisherman, agreed to let a young boy accompany him on his fishing, a big trouble took place. That fisherman held the sea in his mouth so that the boy could retrieve fish and sea food and treasures. When the fisherman could no longer hold in the sea waters, he frantically signalled to the boy, but the latter didn't notice that and drowned when the fisherman released then the waters out of his mouth. Returning to the village alone, the fisherman was accused of murder and sentenced to death. However, one by one, his four brothers assumed his place when subjected to execution and each used his talent to survive, as one with the iron neck couldn’t be beheaded, one with whatever long legs couldn’t be drowned in the sea, one couldn’t be burned and one couldn’t be smothered. At the end of the case, a judge decided that the fisherman accused of murder should have been released as an innocent since he could not be executed, and the five brothers returned home to their mother to live together happily and in peace for years, exercising their abilities in daily life.
The moral of the story is about the five elements that, depending on their sequences, enable to destroy and to generate each other, but cannot survive separately. Thus, Water begets Wood/Wind while Wood begets Fire, Fire gives rise to Earth, Earth to Metal and Metal to Water. Otherwise, Water destroys Fire, Fire melts Metal, Metal cuts Wood, Wood ruins Earth with its roots, but Earth obstructs Water. This is the way the Oriental people teach their children to survive as a close up family and to win the world and take a leading role when the right time comes. In a word, everything is good in its season, but a true success favours those who map out and consider all the pros and cons in advance, viewing the situation as a whole, not from one-sided point of view. In the Latin it sounds quite right, “Amat Victoria Curam,” which means that victory loves those who take pains to be well prepared. Truly, in peacetime be ready for war but in wartime think about peace. The key phrase here is ‘close up family,’ meaning ‘the strong points in all respects.’ Once you are well prepared equally in all aspects, you can meet any disaster (such as a war, which is a complex and multipurpose issue needed all-round preparation, including mutual and often self-sacrificing assistance) with honour and, what is more important, without great losses.
I recall reading a story during my childhood which was entitled, "The Five Chinese Brothers." I have to agree with Ron because the potency of the story gets lost in summarizing it. Some things are best experienced first hand, though I respect your effort to expound on the moral.
Again, perhaps the story is lost in translation, because, as I read it I saw no value in describing the death of the boy and the subsequent failure of execution of the brothers because of their special powers. As if they were better than mortals. If I could read Chinese, I think it would be much better.
There are several awkward phrases and other problems in your story. Here are examples:
"…, a big trouble took place." Is rather awkward, along with, "… but that ignored him." "… each uses his talents," is in the wrong tense.
A very ancient view of the elements similar to other cultures… experiential rather than scientific. But the basis for the periodic table of the elements to come. My meager mind does not see the connection of this story with, "preparation for war."
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