Cinderella and Me

Cinderella and Me - 4th June 2014
Advanced Project (Storytelling #1) : The Folk Tale

Objectives :

To tell a folk tale that is entertaining and enjoyable for a specific age group.

To use vivid imagery and voice to enhance the tale.

(7 - 9 minutes)

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During my primary school time, my teachers and friends knew me as a quite and shy girl. One day when I was in standard 1, a trainee teacher announced, "Today, I am not going to teach. So, what would you like to do?". The whole class was so excited. "We play game! Girls vs boys!", "Storytelling!"
"Okay, I choose, storytelling!", the teacher decided.
At first, I thought the teacher will tell us a story, but she said, "So... who is going to come in front of the class, and tell a story?"
"Ain, teacher!" a friend, sitting next to me shouted.
"What? Why me?" I was shocked.
"Ain, what story will you tell us?", our teacher asked, looking and smiling at me.

"Teacher, she is good in telling stories. Last time she told me the story of Cinderella!" my friend was so excited. "Ain, just tell the same story, I like it.. Go!", she continue, whispering to me. Trying to make me confident.

Then, that walked in front of the class. That was my first public speaking, in my life.

Hye friends...

Once upon a time there lived an unhappy young girl. Her mother was dead and her father had married a widow with two daughters. Her stepmother didn't like her one little bit. All her kind thoughts and loving touches were for her own daughters. Nothing was too good for them - dresses, shoes, delicious food, soft beds, and every home comfort. But, for the poor unhappy girl, there was nothing at all. No dresses, only her stepsisters’ hand-me-downs. No lovely dishes, nothing but scraps. No rest and no comfort. She had to work hard all day. Only when evening came was she allowed to sit for a while by the fire, near the cinders. That’s why everybody called her Cinderella.

Cinderella used to spend long hours all alone talking to the cat. The cat said, “Miaow“, which really meant, “Cheer up! You have something neither of your stepsisters has and that is beauty.” It was quite true. Cinderella, even dressed in old rags, was a lovely girl. While her stepsisters, no matter how splendid and elegant their clothes, were still clumsy, lumpy and ugly and always would be.

One day, beautiful new dresses arrived at the house. A ball was to be held at the palace and the stepsisters were getting ready to go. Cinderella didn't even dare ask if she could go too. She knew very well what the answer would be: “You? You're staying at home to wash the dishes, scrub the floors and turn down the beds for your stepsisters.” They will come home tired and very sleepy. Cinderella sighed, “Oh dear, I'm so unhappy!” and the cat murmured “Miaow.”

Suddenly something amazing happened. As Cinderella was sitting all alone, there was a burst of light and a fairy appeared. “Don't be alarmed, Cinderella,” said the fairy. “I know you would love to go to the ball. And so you shall!” “How can I, dressed in rags?” Cinderella replied. “The servants will turn me away!”

The fairy smiled. With a flick of her magic wand Cinderella found herself wearing the most beautiful dress she had ever seen. “Now for your coach,” said the fairy; "A real lady would never go to a ball on foot! Quick! Get me a pumpkin!” “Oh of course,” said Cinderella, rushing away. Then the fairy turned to the cat. “You, bring me seven mice, and, remember they must be alive!”

Cinderella soon returned with the pumpkin and the cat with seven mice he had caught in the cellar. With a flick of the magic wand the pumpkin turned into a sparkling coach and the mice became six white horses, while the seventh mouse turned into a coachman in a smart uniform and carrying a whip. Cinderella could hardly believe her eyes.

“You shall go to the ball Cinderella. But remember! You must leave at midnight. That is when my spell ends. Your coach will turn back into a pumpkin and the horses will become mice again. You will be dressed in rags and wearing clogs instead of these glass slippers! Do you understand?” Cinderella smiled and said, “Yes, I understand!”

Cinderella had a wonderful time at the ball until she heard the first stroke of midnight! She remembered what the fairy had said, and without a word of goodbye she slipped from the Prince’s arms and ran down the steps. As she ran she lost one of her slippers, but not for a moment did she dream of stopping to pick it up! If the last stroke of midnight were to sound... oh... what a disaster that would be! Out she fled and vanished into the night.

The Prince, who was now madly in love with her, picked up the slipper and said to his ministers, “Go and search everywhere for the girl whose foot this slipper fits. I will never be content until I find her!” So the ministers tried the slipper on the foot of every girl in the land until only Cinderella was left.

“That awful untidy girl simply cannot have been at the ball,” snapped the stepmother. “Tell the Prince he ought to marry one of my two daughters! Can't you see how ugly Cinderella is?”

But, to everyone’s amazement, the shoe fitted perfectly.

Suddenly the fairy appeared and waved her magic wand. In a flash, Cinderella appeared in a splendid dress, shining with youth and beauty. Her stepmother and stepsisters gaped at her in amazement, and the ministers said, “Come with us Cinderella! The Prince is waiting for you.“

So Cinderella married the Prince and lived happily ever.

Ladies and gentlemen, I still remember, after I finished the story, the whole class gave me a big hand. That was my first storytelling in front of the class, but not the last. When I was in standard 2, the same thing happen again. A friend requested me, to come in front of the classroom and tell a story. Which story? Again, Cinderella. And the same thing happen when I was in standard 3 too.

My first three years in school telling the story of Cinderella in front of the class. It is one of the sweet memories. Even I was still known as a quite and shy girl during my school time. That is why, Cinderella story means a lot to me.

First, as the story I used to start public speaking.
Second, it was also the first story I read from my first story book.
And finally, Cinderella story taught me about the beauty of patience. It make me believe that patience leads a life with happy ending.

Suffering is a Gift

SUFFERING IS A GIFT 

Advanced Project 2 : Moral of the Story (Storytelling Manual)

Have you ever felt that God has been so hard on you? Too much sufferings? Let me tell you a story about Zulik. Her full name is Siti Zulikha. Zulik is a very cute, petite and cheerful friend. She loves to go for karaoke and usually, we will sing Ziana Zain’s song together.
Sekebun cinta nan berbunga…

She is not just all fun – a brilliant Engineering student in UTM; sponsored by TELEKOM. To top that up, she is also an active facilitator in motivational camps, that is where I met her. To me, she is perfect! Brains and fun.

One day, she told a story in front of 80 school students about her schooling days.  At that time, I was one of the facilitators too. She shared with us the dark side of her life. 

When she was in her primary school, she has no friend. No students wanted to play, study or sit beside her; because she was the daughter of a drug addict.

Being the 1^st child of 4 siblings, she faced a tough childhood. Her father couldn’t support the family; leaving her moneyless to school most of the time. Not enough food made her and her siblings look skinny and sick. The title of ‘drug addict family’ had isolated her entire family from friends, neighbours and even relatives.

At that tender age; not only she had to work to help her family, but they also lived in fear; running from the loan sharks. 

“Hey! Where’s your father! We want our money NOW!”

 “We don’t know, we don’t know!”

But she kept herself strong, helped her mother to survive with all her siblings.  

It gets worse. One day they were warned by the loan-sharks with letters and they drove by in front of their house a few times. Terrified, she and her siblings ran away from home for few days, and stayed under a bridge.

I was asking myself what did she do to deserve this? Why?
Listening to her story made me feel like I was watching a movie. I never thought this was happening to Zulik before. What impressed me more, she told the story with steady emotion, no tears at all. She is really a strong girl. 

She told all the students in front of her about her days under the dirty and scary bridge while making fun of it. She said, it was like in the game, ‘survivor’!

I remember she said, “Please don’t tell your teacher that you did not do your homework because of not having reference book, not having internet, have no time, helping your mother, having a lot of school programs. Don’t give excuses! Do you know, when I was staying under the horrific bridge, I still went to school?”

 “And I did ALL the homework. ”

“But, I never hated my father. One day, before I entered UTM, I heard my father told his friend “I am a failed father. I never provide to my family. Can you imagine? She had to go to UTM with her own money? How can a brilliant girl like that have a useless father like me?” Hearing that, I will never hate my father. Never!”

She finally cried; and hugged me. I know she was very emotional inside, but she said she will keep going to inspire people. In fact, she inspired me too. Zulik graduated from UTM as a first class student. She is now a successful well-paid engineer. I am proud for knowing her. 

I carefully asked her, “Can I know, how is your father now?”

Do you know what happen to her father?

Her father is fully recovered from drug addiction, and not only that! Today, he is an officer of National Anti Drug Agency (Agensi Anti Dadah Kebangsaan).

That impressed me the most. I smiled because I just found the answer to my question. She suffered because God was training her to be excellent.

Ladies & gentlemen,

Olives are pressed to get oil. Fruits are squeezed for juice. Flowers are crushed for perfume.

So if you feel pressured, it is just God trying to get the best out of you! And for Zulik, she didn’t only survived the hardship, she succeeded and…  she changed her father!

As quoted from Quran, “verily, with every hardship there is ease”.

 

Ladies & gentlemen, suffering is a gift , in it is hidden mercy.