The Tale of Si Tanggang

I had to tell this story for my play in school about celebrating the linguistic diversity of our class. Me and this new Malaysian boy had to tell the story in Malay and English. I said it in English and he said it in Malay. The story actually was shorter than this because everybody in my class had to tell a traditional story from from their country too. So, our story only had 11 sentences and 5 paragraphs. I chose the Malaysian folktale "Si Tanggang". My mum helped me to find the story in Malay version from google search and i translated it into English version. The story goes like this....

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There once lived two parents, Si Talang and Si Deruma who had a son named Si Tanggang. Si Tanggang and his family were poor. Every night Si Tanggang dreams of beieng rich and known throughout the land.

One day, Si Tanggang leaves his family for life at sea, promising he will be back. After Si Tanggang left, he worked for a rich man who owned a ship. Si Tanggang worked hard until one day the rich man said, "Oh Si Tanggang! You have worked so hard for me, so in return I allow you to marry my daughter and be captain of the ship in the future".

Later in the year, Si Tanggang married the rich man's beautiful daughter. Si Tanggang wanted to keep up the work and so he sailed the ship with his wife to an unknown country. Once they arrived they just so happen to be in Si Tanggang's home village. Everybody was shocked and surprised at how Si Tanggang had changed. Si Tanggang's parents suddenly came up and offered him some of his favourites, banana cakes that his mum had specially made for him.

Si Tanggang's wife asked him, "Are they your parents?"

Si Tanggang looked at his parents who were dirty and dressed in rags. He replied, "What! Of course they're not! I haven't got parents! They died ages ago!"

Si Tanggang's heartbroken mother said, "Oh my son Si Tanggang. I am your mother! I just thought you'd like your very favourite banana cakes". Si Tanggang's mum was clinging on Si Tanggang's ship, one hand with the banana cakes.

"GO!!", shouted Si Tanggang. He hits his mother's fingers until his mother and the banana cakes fell into the sea.

Si Tanggang's parents went back to shore heart broken. Si Tanggang's mum fell to the ground and looked up to the sky she said, "Oh my dear God, please show my son Si Tanggang that I am his mother".
Suddenly a group of black clouds covered the village, storm and lightening came. Then Si Tanggang realised that he had done a bad sin towards his mother who had raised him up his whole life and now God is going to curse him. Si Tanggang shouted, "Oh mother! Please forgive me! I admit that I am your son!". It was no use. Si Tanggang was too late, he his wife and the ship all turned to stone.

~ The End ~

England and Scotland

Mama had to go to her conference in Edinburgh on the 15th of November. Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland. It is about 6 hours drive from Cardiff (I guess so). Since Abah wanted to take a break, he decided to take us all there. I felt sooo excited and started to plan the trip! - Nottingham Castle -
- we at the robin hood sculpture -

Mama said that she wants to visit Nottingham. Nottingham is the place where Robin Hood was a legend. Mama wanted to go there ever since me and Mak ET got back from Nottingham last year. So she said that she wants to go there now. We went to Nottingham Castle where we can also see the sculpture of Robin Hood. We roamed Nottingham city centre before we went to New Castle. We stayed at Travelodge for a night. The next day, we went to Sunderland and hung around New Castle city centre. It was strange and exciting. The buildings were victorian style. We also went to Waterstone to have a look at the Scottish books. In there, I found my best book called "Starring Tracy Becker" by my all time favourite author Jacquline Wilson. I desperately wanted to buy the book because it had her autograph in it but it was too expensive. So mama didn't buy it. Anyway, mama had promised me that she will buy one when we get back to Cardiff.

We stayed another night at Travelodge in Edinburgh. After mama finished her conference, she met us at Scottish Museum and we returned to Cardiff. On the way back, we bought fish and chips. There was an Italian man in that fish and chips shop who adored F1 Malaysia and KLCC. He said that he wanted to go to Malaysia one day to watch F1.