[Story] Painting Ghosts Is Easiest

[thedaffodils]

..
Hello! This is my English practice. It originates from a Chinese story. Could you please proofread it or advise on my English?

And Could you tell me which paragraph as below you prefer? Of course, I like the revised so I changed to it.

The original: #1 There was an excellent painter in the Spring and Autumn Period of China (722 BC-403 BC). One day, the King of Qi commissioned the artist to paint a portrait of him.

The revised: #2 The story happened in the Spring and Autumn Period of China (722 BC-403 BC). One day, the King of Qi commissioned an excellent artist to paint a portrait of him.

Many thanks! BTW, Happy Halloween in advance!
.
.

Painting Ghosts Is Easiest

The story happened in the Spring and Autumn Period of China (722 BC-403 BC). One day, the King of Qi commissioned an excellent artist to paint a portrait of him.

Sitting for the painting, the king asked him, “What is the most difficult thing to paint in the world?”

The painter answered, “Your Majesty, it’s the toughest things for me to paint active dogs and horses. I am not very confident of myself about painting them very well.”

The king followed, “Then, what is the easiest?”

“Ghosts.”

“Why?”

The painter said, “People are familiar with dogs and horses, which are seen everywhere. If I paint them wrong even if just a bit, the flaw will be pinpointed in a jiff; on the other hand, active animals are in different shapes and emotions so it is hardest for me. As to ghosts, no a single living soul ever sees them; there’re not any definite images of them, thus I can paint them on my own terms. No one can prove that the object of my painting is not like a ghost, therefore painting ghosts is a piece of cake.”

.

[Anglika]

..
Hello! This is my English practice. It originates from a Chinese story. Could you please proofread it or advise on my English?

And Could you tell me which paragraph as below you prefer? Of course, I like the revised so I changed to it.

The original: #1 There was an excellent painter in the Spring and Autumn Period of China (722 BC-403 BC). One day, the King of Qi commissioned the artist to paint a portrait of him.

The revised: #2 The story happened in the Spring and Autumn Period of China (722 BC-403 BC). One day, the King of Qi commissioned an excellent artist to paint a portrait of him.

Many thanks! BTW, Happy Halloween in advance!
.
.

Painting Ghosts Is Easiest

The story happened in the Spring and Autumn Period of China (722 BC-403 BC). One day, the King of Qi commissioned an excellent artist to paint a portrait of him. While sitting for the painting, the king asked him, “What is the most difficult thing to paint in the world?”

The painter answered, “Your Majesty, it’s the toughest things the toughest thing for me is to paint active dogs and horses. I am not very confident of myself about painting them well.”

The king followed asked the painter, “Then, what is the easiest?”

“Ghosts.”

“Why?”

The painter said, “People are familiar with dogs and horses, which are seen everywhere. If I paint them wrong, even if just a bit, the flaw will be pinpointed in a jiff in an instant/in a jiffy; on the other hand, active animals are in have many different shapes and emotions so it is hardest hard for me. As to ghosts, no single living soul ever sees them; there are not any definite images of them, thus I can paint them on my own terms. No one can prove that the object of my painting is not like a ghost, therefore painting ghosts is a piece of cake.”

.

You could start the story in the traditional way: "Once upon a time, in the Spring and Autumn..."

[thedaffodils]

Hello Anglika,

Thank you very much for helping me out from the darkness again.


I wonder what makes you so fine,

Without your help, I would lose my sunshine!