On-line Task 1

Folktale

List some of the well-known folktales from Malaysia .

·         “Bawang Putih and Bawang Merah”

·         “Badang”

·         "Si Tanggang"

·         The Story of the Coconut Tree

·         Paddy That Turns To Gold.

List some of the possible issues found in The Son of the Turtle Spirit

One of the issues found in The Son of the Turtle Spirit is about morality, where the maiden had a premarital relationship. The maiden’s mother was infuriated by her daughter’s act that she does not even have any clue about the man who was going in and coming out of her room. In the eastern culture, these kind of acts are intolerable.

Another issue is about social class. In the story, the maiden’s mother was even furious when she thought the man who was coming in and out of her daughter’s room was a mere student.  When she asked the maid about the young man’s background, she was seeking information about his social class level.  Both of them were from different origin, for the Chinese especially the aristocrats were very fussy about the issue. This can also be seen later in the story, where the intention of the rich man to bury the remains of his grandfather is merely to seek fortune for himself.

Loyalty, is in fact another issue portrayed in the story, when the boy’s act of being obedient to his mother had indeed paid him off later in life, when he eventually became the Emperor.

Are those issues universal in nature or are they only relevant in the Chinese culture?

Yes, these issues are universal in nature especially us, the Asians, who are indeed rich with many traditional values. The social class is also reflected in the Indian community where they go by the caste system. Then, even the Malay are also divided into “Golongan Bangsawan” also known as the aristocrats and “Orang Kebanyakkan” that refers to the commoners.

Fables

What are the other morals that can be gotten from the other fables by Aesop? List at least two.

·         Do not count your chickens before they are hatched. (The Milkmaid and her pail)

·         Little friends may seem weak, at times even the strongest of us needs help of the   

          smallest (The Lion and The Mouse)

·         It is wise to turn circumstances to good account. (The Bat and the Weasels)

·         It is best to prepare for the days of necessity. / Better be safe than sorry. (The Ant   

          and the Grasshopper)

·         Union gives strength. (The Bundle of Sticks)

·         Birds of a feather flock together. ( The Farmer and the Stork)

·         In serving the wicked, expect no reward, and be thankful if you escape injury for

          your pains. (The Wolf and the Crane)

Myths

One well-known literary figure from the Elizabethan age used Ovid’s Pyramus and Thisbe as a model to one of his famous plays. Who is he and what is the play?

Williams Shakespeare play called Romeo and Juliet.

Legends

List some of the popular legends we have in Malaysia

·         The Legend of Mahsuri

·         Kedah's Legendary Fanged King

·         The Magical Lake Of Pregnant Maiden

·         The Legend of Hang Tuah

·         The Legend of Puteri Saadong

·         The Legend of Puteri Gunung Ledang

Look at the questions below. Answers can be found on internet sources. This will help you get a basic understanding of what Le Mort d’Arthur is about.
1. Who is Thomas Malory?

     Sir Thomas Malory (c. 1405 – 14 March 1471) was an English writer. He is  the author  

     or  compiler of Le Morte d'Arthur.

2. When was Le Mort d’Arthur written?
     Le Mort d’Arthur was first published in 1485. It was written while he was in prison in    

     the early 1450s and completed it by 1470

3. How many books/ parts are there in LMDA?
     There are 8 books or parts in LMDA.

4. What is book 8 about?
      The Death of Arthur  (Caxton XX–XXI)

5. Who were the two people who had an affair?

     Sir Lancelot and Queen Guinevere

6. Book 6 has a strong connection to a popular modern fiction which is now a movie. What is the title of the popular modern fiction?

     The Noble Tale of the Sangreal 

7. State three well-known facts about King Arthur/ his time as a King

·     Arthur would never sit down to meet at high feasts until he had seen or heard of a "great marvel".

      Arthur was betrayed by his greatest knight, Sir Lancelot .

      Arthur and his son Mordred killed each other in the battle of Camlann 

Think of 2 ways in which you can use folktales/fables/myths or legends in the classroom. Explain briefly.

Role Playing – teacher can delegate the role of the characters in the folktales/fables/myths or legends  among the students in groups. They have to work together and come up with a dialogue. This not only allow them to practice on their listening and speaking skill but also their writing skill. 

Jigsaw-reading activity – divide a story in half. Prepare comprehension questions for each half. Give one half of the class (Group A) one half of the story, and the other half (Group B) the other. The students read their article, answer the questions and check understanding. Students then pair up with from the other group and tell them about their half of the story, and listen to the other one. To help students remember their story you may get them to take notes. Eventually, all the students will know the entire story, this activity is to test their comprehension ability.