Instruction: To email this copy to Miss Teratai at msteratai@gmail.com
By, 27th July 2009, Monday by 8.00p.m.
Name: Miss Teratai
Class:1E2
Date:27th July 2009
The Legend of the Crying Banana Tree
Introduction
When we think of banana trees, we often think of the many evil ghosts that linger around the bushes. Even you are now imagining the horrid image of a white cloth flying through the air…
But have you ever heard of the legend of the Crying Banana Tree? It is a story set in an earlier Singapore, 50 years ago to be exact, about a girl named Suraiya. She was the most beautiful and kind person. But in the end, she was cursed for eternity - to be imprisoned inside a banana tree by an evil sorcerer named Abu.
Body
Every morning, at the first light of dawn, Suraiya would always sit by this particular banana tree and sang her heart out. Her fiancé, Bahrin, was away at sea and her songs were always depictions of her love for him. She had a beautiful voice that could stop anyone in his tracks. And on one particular day, an evil sorcerer, Abu, came by and heard her singing melodiously.
He was besotted by her. Quickly, he asked for her hand in marriage from Pak Leman but he was outrightly refused. Pak Leman did not think he was fit enough to be his son-in-law and rudely chased him out of village!
“Get out of this place, you fool!” bellowed Pak Leman.
Feeling humiliated by such treatment, Abu went out of the village as quietly as he could and everything went back to normal. Or so it seemed.
Climax
A week went by peacefully. Suraiya quietly walked over to her favourite spot beside a tree. RUSTLE RUSTLE! She heard the sounds of leaves being brushed aside and stones being thrown about. Her heart raced as if she was cut off air. What could that be? The sudden glint of a knife swept across her face. A black shadow!
Ending
The black shadow soon bore a face and it was Abu! Panic struck Suraiya and she sat rooted to the ground with her back pinned to the banana tree. The look of evil on his face was telling – he wanted to harm her!
“Your father humiliated me with such arrogance! Such contempt!” shouted Abu. “You will now pay for what he did!”
As those words screeched through the air, there was a sudden whistling of the wind. The banana tree began to sway and the ground started to shake terribly. Murmurings of a secret chant whispered through the banana tree plantation. Suddenly, a small black hole emerged in the centre of the tree and she felt herself being swallowed whole. Soon, her feet was gone, followed by her legs… her hands were scratching the ground to keep herself on earth. Her horrified screams shook the entire village!
“My daughter!” cried Pak Leman as he saw Suraiya fighting her life. He tried pulling her in with all his might. Alas, it was not meant to be. His daughter soon became the victim of the sorcerer’s bidding. She was forever cursed to be inside the banana tree.
Pak Leman never again whispered a single word in his life. He realized that words could cut deeper than any wounds could. And, his daughter bore the very brunt of his arrogance.
And sometimes, the villagers heard the murmurings of a girl softly crying in the banana plantation. There would be a puddle of tears at the foot of that very banana tree on rare mornings. As for the sorcerer, nobody knew where he went…
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I hope you can see the 3 different elements that are embedded in the ending: a) What happened after the climax?, b) Conclusion of the story & c) Moral of the story. I've gone through this in class - so you had better listened! But I've attached the analysis of my ending here for your reference:
I am looking forward to all your completed Personal Legends by tonight, 27th July, Monday 8.00pm.
Peaced Out,
Miss Teratai @ Zhenghua
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