The story goes that while Lin was on his way to Peiping to take part in the annual examinations, he dreamt he met an old man who read his palm and pronounced: "Success is within your palm."
當陳婆在鑼鼓聲中站上首席演師的位置時，竟沒人敢上台當他的副手。台下年輕的李天祿躍躍欲試，隨即跳上戲棚，與這位名演師一老一少地演將起來。鑼鼓聲罷，陳婆摸摸他的頭說：「這孩子將來不得了！」一代宗師的鼓勵，令李天祿學藝更勤，終日與布偶為伍。