Remember that a story’s plot structure contains the exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution. Identify and describe each of these parts of “The Four Clever Brothers” in the table below.

Plot Elements    “The Four Clever Brothers”

Exposition: The father tells his four sons that he has nothing for them. The brothers go their separate ways and learn a trade from a person they meet while traveling. One brother becomes a thief, one a stargazer, one a hunter, and one a tailor. After four years, they return to their father’s house.

Rising action: When they get home, their father tests their new skills with a challenge. He asks them to determine the number of eggs in a nest, steal them without the bird noticing, slice the eggs in half with one arrow, and sew them back together. After they complete this challenge, the brothers can’t figure out which one of them deserves their father’s prize. They then hear that the king’s daughter has been kidnapped by a dragon. They decide to settle the dispute by saving the princess.

Climax: They all cooperate to save the princess. Together, they discover where she is, steal her from the dragon, kill the dragon, and sew a boat back together. Then they take her back to the king safely.

Falling action: When they get to the king, no one can determine who deserves to marry the princess.

Resolution: The king decides to let his daughter marry another man she loves. He gives each of the brother’s half a kingdom instead.