Contoh Narrative Text Bahasa Inggris
Runduk and The Moon Prince
Once there was a girl called Runduk Tadan who lived with her six brothers in the forest. Runduk kept house while her brothers hunted in the jungle and fished in the river.
One day, as Runduk was finishing her housework, there was a knock at the door. When she opened the door, Runduk saw a handsome young man dressed in fine clothing. At first she thought must be on his way to a wedding.
“May I rest here for a few minutes?” the young man said, “I am a traveller.”
Runduk gave him something to drink while he rested, but soon the young man left, promising to return.
Several days later, the young man came back. This time he and Runduk talked for a long time. Before he left, Runduk asked him where he lived.
“I live a long way from here,” he said.
“Do you live in a palace?” asked Runduk, for she was sure only a prince could dress so finely.
The young man laughed. “If you would like to see my home I will take you there tomorrow,” he said. “Tell your brothers that you are going to visit a friend.”
That night Runduk told her brothers that she was going to visit a friend in the village. They were glad and wished her a happy trip. When morning came, Runduk bathed and dressed in her brightest sarong. Then she put a red flower in her hair.
Soon the young man came to the door. “You are beautiful this morning, Runduk,” he said. He took her hand and together they walked into the forest. Soon they reached a tall tree. “This Ls the stairway to the moon, Runduk, for I am a prince of the moon, and that is where I live. I hope you like it as much as I do, because I want to marry you.”
Runduk was so happy that she couldn’t say a word. She smiled at the young man and he kissed her gently. “Come, we have a long way to go,” he said. “But you must promise me one thing: as we climb the stairway to the moon, you must not look down.”
Runduk promised, and they began to climb the tree. Soon they neared the top branches, and just then the wind blew Runduk’s red flower out of her hair. Without thinking, she looked down to see where it had gone.
Suddenly there was a flash of lightning. Runduk felt herself falling, and then she fainted. When she awoke, Runduk was at home in her own bed. The moon was shining brightly through the window. Runduk looked at it lovingly and wondered if she would ever see the young man again. In fact, people still say that when the moon is especially bright, the young prince who lives there is gazing at Runduk.
An old woman and her pig
An old woman was sweeping her house, and she found a little crooked sixpence. “What,” she said, “shall I do with this little sixpence? I will go to market, and buy a little pig.” As she was coming home, she came to a stile: but the piggy wouldn’t go over the stile. She went a little further, and she met a dog. So she said to the dog: “Dog! bite pig; piggy won’t go over the stile; and I shan’t get home to-night.” But the dog wouldn’t. She went a little further, and she met a stick. So she said:
“Stick! stick! beat dog! dog won’t bite pig; piggy won’t get over the stile; and I shan’t get home to-night.” But the stick wouldn’t.
She went a little further, and she met a fire. So she said: “Fire! fire! burn stick; stick won’t beat dog; dog won’t bite pig; piggy won’t get over the stile; and I shan’t get home tonight.” But the fire wouldn’t.
She went a little further, and she met some water. So she said: “Water, water! quench fire; fire won’t burn stick; stick won’t beat dog; dog won’t bite pig; piggy won’t get over the stile; and I shan’t get home to-night.” But the water wouldn’t.
She went a little further, and she met an ox. So she said: “Ox! ox! drink water; water won’t quench fire; fire won’t burn stick; stick won’t beat dog; dog won’t bite pig; piggy won’t get over the stile; and I shan’t get home to-night.” But the ox wouldn’t.
She went a little further, and she met a butcher. So she said: “Butcher! butcher! kill ox; ox won’t drink water; water won’t quench fire; fire won’t burn stick; stick won’t beat dog; dog won’t bite pig; piggy won’t get over the stile; and I shan’t get home to-night.” But the butcher wouldn’t.
She went a little further, and she met a rope. So she said: “Rope! rope! hang butcher; butcher won’t kill ox; ox won’t drink water; water won’t quench fire; fire won’t burn stick; stick won’t beat dog; dog won’t bite pig; piggy won’t get over the stile; and I shan’t get home to-night.” But the rope wouldn’t.
She went a little further, and she met a rat. So she said: “Rat! rat! gnaw rope; rope won’t hang butcher; butcher won’t kill ox; ox won’t drink water; water won’t quench fire; fire won’t burn stick; stick won’t beat dog; dog won’t bite pig; piggy won’t get over the stile; and I shan’t get home to-night.” But the rat wouldn’t.
She went a little further, and she met a cat. So she said: “Cat! cat! kill rat; rat won’t gnaw rope; rope won’t hang butcher; butcher won’t kill ox; ox won’t drink water; water won’t quench fire; fire won’t burn stick; stick won’t beat dog; dog won’t bite pig; piggy won’t get over the stile; and I shan’t get home to-night.” But the cat said to her, “If you will go to yonder cow, and fetch me a saucer of milk, I will kill the rat.” So away went the old woman to the cow.
But the cow said to her: “If you will go to yonder hay-stack, and fetch me a handful of hay, I’ll give you the milk.” So away went the old woman to the haystack and she brought the hay to the cow. As soon as the cow had eaten the hay, she gave the old woman the milk; and away she went with it in a saucer to the cat. As soon as the cat had lapped up the milk, the cat began to kill the rat; the rat began to gnaw the rope; the rope began to hang the butcher; the butcher began to kill the ox; the ox began to drink the water; the water began to quench the fire; the fire began to burn the stick; the stick began to beat the dog; the dog began to bite the pig; the little pig in a fright jumped over the stile, and so the old woman got home that night.
Why Dayaks like hornbills
One day a Dayak named Ketupong went into the jungle to hunt birds. He saw one with strange red eyes. He raised his blowpipe to his mouth. “Psst” the dart hit the bird. He bent down to pick it up. Suddenly it changed into a beautiful dress made of bird’s feathers. He put it in the bamboo container he used for his darts. It was so finely made and soft that it could be folded up into a small space.
“Have you seen my dress?” he turned round to see who had spoken to him. There was a lovely girl standing behind him. He did not know where she had come from.
“Yes” he said “here it is. But I shan’t give it to you unless you promise to marry me.” He had never seen such a lovely girl before and his mother was always telling him to get married.
The girl agreed, provided that he never asked her to tell him her name. they were soon married. The next year, they had a son. Ketupong and his wife (he just called her “wife”) were very happy together. They loved their son dearly. However, Ketupong often noticed that his wife was looking up at the sky. “What are you looking at?” he asked. But she only shook her head.
Then he saw his wife weaving two coats. They were a bright green color with an unusual pattern like bird’s feathers.
“who are you making those coats for?” he asked.
“they are for you and our son,” she answered. “When they are finished, you can wear them to fly up into the sky.”
“I don’t want to fly,” he said.
“Silly, she smiled. “Don’t you know who I am? I am Inchin Temaga, daughter of Singalang Burong, my house is in the sky.”
Ketupong was surprised. He had heard of Singalang Burong. He was the Dayak God of war, a great general who had never lost a battle. “In that case, my wife must be a fairy,” he thought to himself.
Suddenly, his wife’s body became covered with feathers. In a few minutes, her arms changed inton wings. She rose into the air. He tried to stop her but it was too late. She flew up, up, into the sky. “Come back! Come back!” he dried. Her voice came floating down, “If you want to visit me, wear the coats I have made for you.”
Years went by. All this time, the son was sad that he could not see his mother. He looked so unhappy that his father did not know what to do.
“take me to my mother,” the boy cried. “I want to see my mother again.”
“But how can I?” asked his father. Then he remembered the coats which his wife had left behind. So they put on the coats. They immediately felt much lighter. Soon they were able to fly up into the sky. They saw a great palace in front of them.
The palace gates opened and a man wearing a splendid Dayak war dress appeared. He was Singalang Burong
“Welcome, Ketupong!” he roared. “My daughter and I have been waiting for you. Why have you been so long?”
Then Inchin Temaga appeared. She was not very pleased to see her husband as she had heard that he had remarried.
“Go back to earth!” she told him. “I know that you now have another family there. Our son can stay here with me. My father can teach him a lot. He can follow you later.”
So Ketupong had to return to earth.
Singalang Burong was very pleased to see his grandson.
At about that time, one os Singalang Burong’s men was killed by a giant named Jubang. Singalang Bulong showed his grandson the correct way to pay respects to the dead. He told him to pack all the dead man’s belongings into a box. “The box cannot be opened,” he said. “until we have taught the giant a good lesson. We must cut off his head.”
The next day the boy went with his grandfather to look for the giant.
On the way, Singalang Burong taught him how to use magic and how to look for good and bad signs.
Soon they reached the longhouse where the giant was staying. They decided to wait outside until it was dark. When they entered the longhouse. Singalang Burong gave a terrible shout. He threw his spear at the giant. The Giant fell to the ground. He then leapt forward and cut off the giant’s head with one blow of his sword. All the other people living in the longhouse, who were the giant’s prisoners, were set free.
When Singalang Burong and his grandson returned home with the giant’s head, everyone was happy. They held a feast which lasted three days and nights.
After the feast was over, Singalang Burong pointed to the carving of a strange-looking bird on top of a tall pole.
The bird’s beak was pointed in the direction of the giant’s house.
“What’s that, grandfather?” the boy asked.
“It’s a hornbill. It is one of the sacred birds of the Dayaks. We believe that it will help us to beat our enemies in battle.”
“Why do you use a hornbill, grandfather?”
“Don’t ask so many questions,” said the old man. “Probably because it’s such large and strong bird. Anyway, its head and tail feathers are very beautiful.”
Later when the boy returned to earth, he taught his father and everyone living in his father’s longhouse what he had learned from his grandfather.
Sri Thanonchai
Sri Thanonchai was a very clever man. Some people thought he was too clever. Others thought he was just a fool. They all talked about him.
When the king heard about Sri Thanonchai, he was surprised. “I am a clever man myself,” said the king. “Surely this fellow cannot be more clever than I am.”
The king decided to visit Sri Thanonchai. He put on old clothes and called for his elephant. He rode to Sri Thanonchai’s house near the river. Sri Thanonchai was sitting on the step.
“That’s a nice elephant you have, mister,” he called out. “Why, thank you,” said the king. “In fact, it’s a palace elephant. I work there.”
“Then you must be very clever.”
“Yes, I’m one of the king’s minister. I’m almost as clever as the king himself.”
“Oh, no one is as clever as the king,” said Sri Thanonchai.
“Some people say you are,” the king said. “So I have come to test you. If you are more clever than I am, perhaps you are as clever as the king.”
“What kind of test did you have in mind?”
“Well,” said the king, “I don’t suppose that you’re clever enough to make me jump into the river.”
Sri Thanonchai thought about this, he looked at the river, and he looked the king. He scratched his head. “No,” he said. “I’m not that clever. I can’t make you jump into the river.”
“Then I win,” said the king.
Sri Thanonchai looked at the king. He looked at the river, and after a while he said, “Of course I am not clever enough to make you jump into the river. But it would be even more difficult to make you climb out. Only a very, very clever man could make you do that.”
Hearing this, the king jumped into the river. “Are you clever enough to make me climb out?” he shouted.
Sri Thanonchai laughed. “You can stay there for all I care,” he said. “I made you jump into the river. Surely you are clever enough to climb out.”
The king swam to the shore. He climbed out of the water. “Sri Thanonchai,” he said, “You bare more clever than I am. You are the cleverest man in the kingdom.
Mat Jambol and the tiger
One day, as Mat Jambol was mending his fishing nets, he saw a man running across the field towards him.
“Mat, come quickly” cried the man. “a tiger has eaten my chickens and killed my goat.”
Mat Jambol ran back across the field with the farmer. when they got to the farmer’s house, he looked carefully at the ground. The tigers’s track led to a small clearing in the forest not far from the farm. In the grass were chicken feathers and some bones.
“The tiger brought your goat and chicken here to eat them,” said Mat Jambol. “I will build a trap for him,”
Cutting some bamboo, Mat Jambol made long sharp stakes. These he pushed into the ground under a tree near the farmer’s house. When the bamboo stakes were pushed firmly into the ground. Mat Jambol covered them with some green leaves, tree branches and grass. Then he hung a dead goat from the tree. He covered the goat’s body with oil, and then walked home across the field.
That night, the moon was full and the hungry tiger come to the farm to look for food. As soon as he reached the farmyard he smelled the goat. “That stupid farmer has left his food outside,” thought the tiger as he followed the scent of the goat.
The farmer and his family were looking through the cracks of their house, watching the tiger in the moonlight. Suddenly the tiger leapt at the goat hanging from the tree. His orange and black body gleamed in the moonlight, for he was a very handsome tiger. The tiger caught the goat between his paw, and for a moment, it looked as if the farmer would lose another goat. But the goat’s body was slippery, so slippery that even the tiger couldn’t hold it. With a roar the tiger slid to the ground, and there he fell on Mat Jambol’s sharp bamboo stakes. The stakes went right through the tiger’s body. He died with a terrible scream.
The farmer and his family ran out of their house to look at the tiger. “Thanks to Mat Jambol, he won’t bother us again,” said the farmer.
The following day, Mat Jambol helped the farmer throw the tiger’s body into the sea.
“we must repay you for this kindness,” said the farmer. “Why don’t you come to dinner tonight?”
“I’ve got to repair my nets,” said Mat Jambol. “maybe some other time. But remember, you don’t owe me anything. I’m always happy to help a friend.”
The farmer went home. Happy that his chickens and goats would be now safe, and grateful that he had such a clever friend as Mat Jambol
Once there was a girl called Runduk Tadan who lived with her six brothers in the forest. Runduk kept house while her brothers hunted in the jungle and fished in the river.
One day, as Runduk was finishing her housework, there was a knock at the door. When she opened the door, Runduk saw a handsome young man dressed in fine clothing. At first she thought must be on his way to a wedding.
“May I rest here for a few minutes?” the young man said, “I am a traveller.”
Runduk gave him something to drink while he rested, but soon the young man left, promising to return.
Several days later, the young man came back. This time he and Runduk talked for a long time. Before he left, Runduk asked him where he lived.
“I live a long way from here,” he said.
“Do you live in a palace?” asked Runduk, for she was sure only a prince could dress so finely.
The young man laughed. “If you would like to see my home I will take you there tomorrow,” he said. “Tell your brothers that you are going to visit a friend.”
That night Runduk told her brothers that she was going to visit a friend in the village. They were glad and wished her a happy trip. When morning came, Runduk bathed and dressed in her brightest sarong. Then she put a red flower in her hair.
Soon the young man came to the door. “You are beautiful this morning, Runduk,” he said. He took her hand and together they walked into the forest. Soon they reached a tall tree. “This Ls the stairway to the moon, Runduk, for I am a prince of the moon, and that is where I live. I hope you like it as much as I do, because I want to marry you.”
Runduk was so happy that she couldn’t say a word. She smiled at the young man and he kissed her gently. “Come, we have a long way to go,” he said. “But you must promise me one thing: as we climb the stairway to the moon, you must not look down.”
Runduk promised, and they began to climb the tree. Soon they neared the top branches, and just then the wind blew Runduk’s red flower out of her hair. Without thinking, she looked down to see where it had gone.
Suddenly there was a flash of lightning. Runduk felt herself falling, and then she fainted. When she awoke, Runduk was at home in her own bed. The moon was shining brightly through the window. Runduk looked at it lovingly and wondered if she would ever see the young man again. In fact, people still say that when the moon is especially bright, the young prince who lives there is gazing at Runduk.
An old woman and her pig
An old woman was sweeping her house, and she found a little crooked sixpence. “What,” she said, “shall I do with this little sixpence? I will go to market, and buy a little pig.” As she was coming home, she came to a stile: but the piggy wouldn’t go over the stile. She went a little further, and she met a dog. So she said to the dog: “Dog! bite pig; piggy won’t go over the stile; and I shan’t get home to-night.” But the dog wouldn’t. She went a little further, and she met a stick. So she said:
“Stick! stick! beat dog! dog won’t bite pig; piggy won’t get over the stile; and I shan’t get home to-night.” But the stick wouldn’t.
She went a little further, and she met a fire. So she said: “Fire! fire! burn stick; stick won’t beat dog; dog won’t bite pig; piggy won’t get over the stile; and I shan’t get home tonight.” But the fire wouldn’t.
She went a little further, and she met some water. So she said: “Water, water! quench fire; fire won’t burn stick; stick won’t beat dog; dog won’t bite pig; piggy won’t get over the stile; and I shan’t get home to-night.” But the water wouldn’t.
She went a little further, and she met an ox. So she said: “Ox! ox! drink water; water won’t quench fire; fire won’t burn stick; stick won’t beat dog; dog won’t bite pig; piggy won’t get over the stile; and I shan’t get home to-night.” But the ox wouldn’t.
She went a little further, and she met a butcher. So she said: “Butcher! butcher! kill ox; ox won’t drink water; water won’t quench fire; fire won’t burn stick; stick won’t beat dog; dog won’t bite pig; piggy won’t get over the stile; and I shan’t get home to-night.” But the butcher wouldn’t.
She went a little further, and she met a rope. So she said: “Rope! rope! hang butcher; butcher won’t kill ox; ox won’t drink water; water won’t quench fire; fire won’t burn stick; stick won’t beat dog; dog won’t bite pig; piggy won’t get over the stile; and I shan’t get home to-night.” But the rope wouldn’t.
She went a little further, and she met a rat. So she said: “Rat! rat! gnaw rope; rope won’t hang butcher; butcher won’t kill ox; ox won’t drink water; water won’t quench fire; fire won’t burn stick; stick won’t beat dog; dog won’t bite pig; piggy won’t get over the stile; and I shan’t get home to-night.” But the rat wouldn’t.
She went a little further, and she met a cat. So she said: “Cat! cat! kill rat; rat won’t gnaw rope; rope won’t hang butcher; butcher won’t kill ox; ox won’t drink water; water won’t quench fire; fire won’t burn stick; stick won’t beat dog; dog won’t bite pig; piggy won’t get over the stile; and I shan’t get home to-night.” But the cat said to her, “If you will go to yonder cow, and fetch me a saucer of milk, I will kill the rat.” So away went the old woman to the cow.
But the cow said to her: “If you will go to yonder hay-stack, and fetch me a handful of hay, I’ll give you the milk.” So away went the old woman to the haystack and she brought the hay to the cow. As soon as the cow had eaten the hay, she gave the old woman the milk; and away she went with it in a saucer to the cat. As soon as the cat had lapped up the milk, the cat began to kill the rat; the rat began to gnaw the rope; the rope began to hang the butcher; the butcher began to kill the ox; the ox began to drink the water; the water began to quench the fire; the fire began to burn the stick; the stick began to beat the dog; the dog began to bite the pig; the little pig in a fright jumped over the stile, and so the old woman got home that night.
Why Dayaks like hornbills
One day a Dayak named Ketupong went into the jungle to hunt birds. He saw one with strange red eyes. He raised his blowpipe to his mouth. “Psst” the dart hit the bird. He bent down to pick it up. Suddenly it changed into a beautiful dress made of bird’s feathers. He put it in the bamboo container he used for his darts. It was so finely made and soft that it could be folded up into a small space.
“Have you seen my dress?” he turned round to see who had spoken to him. There was a lovely girl standing behind him. He did not know where she had come from.
“Yes” he said “here it is. But I shan’t give it to you unless you promise to marry me.” He had never seen such a lovely girl before and his mother was always telling him to get married.
The girl agreed, provided that he never asked her to tell him her name. they were soon married. The next year, they had a son. Ketupong and his wife (he just called her “wife”) were very happy together. They loved their son dearly. However, Ketupong often noticed that his wife was looking up at the sky. “What are you looking at?” he asked. But she only shook her head.
Then he saw his wife weaving two coats. They were a bright green color with an unusual pattern like bird’s feathers.
“who are you making those coats for?” he asked.
“they are for you and our son,” she answered. “When they are finished, you can wear them to fly up into the sky.”
“I don’t want to fly,” he said.
“Silly, she smiled. “Don’t you know who I am? I am Inchin Temaga, daughter of Singalang Burong, my house is in the sky.”
Ketupong was surprised. He had heard of Singalang Burong. He was the Dayak God of war, a great general who had never lost a battle. “In that case, my wife must be a fairy,” he thought to himself.
Suddenly, his wife’s body became covered with feathers. In a few minutes, her arms changed inton wings. She rose into the air. He tried to stop her but it was too late. She flew up, up, into the sky. “Come back! Come back!” he dried. Her voice came floating down, “If you want to visit me, wear the coats I have made for you.”
Years went by. All this time, the son was sad that he could not see his mother. He looked so unhappy that his father did not know what to do.
“take me to my mother,” the boy cried. “I want to see my mother again.”
“But how can I?” asked his father. Then he remembered the coats which his wife had left behind. So they put on the coats. They immediately felt much lighter. Soon they were able to fly up into the sky. They saw a great palace in front of them.
The palace gates opened and a man wearing a splendid Dayak war dress appeared. He was Singalang Burong
“Welcome, Ketupong!” he roared. “My daughter and I have been waiting for you. Why have you been so long?”
Then Inchin Temaga appeared. She was not very pleased to see her husband as she had heard that he had remarried.
“Go back to earth!” she told him. “I know that you now have another family there. Our son can stay here with me. My father can teach him a lot. He can follow you later.”
So Ketupong had to return to earth.
Singalang Burong was very pleased to see his grandson.
At about that time, one os Singalang Burong’s men was killed by a giant named Jubang. Singalang Bulong showed his grandson the correct way to pay respects to the dead. He told him to pack all the dead man’s belongings into a box. “The box cannot be opened,” he said. “until we have taught the giant a good lesson. We must cut off his head.”
The next day the boy went with his grandfather to look for the giant.
On the way, Singalang Burong taught him how to use magic and how to look for good and bad signs.
Soon they reached the longhouse where the giant was staying. They decided to wait outside until it was dark. When they entered the longhouse. Singalang Burong gave a terrible shout. He threw his spear at the giant. The Giant fell to the ground. He then leapt forward and cut off the giant’s head with one blow of his sword. All the other people living in the longhouse, who were the giant’s prisoners, were set free.
When Singalang Burong and his grandson returned home with the giant’s head, everyone was happy. They held a feast which lasted three days and nights.
After the feast was over, Singalang Burong pointed to the carving of a strange-looking bird on top of a tall pole.
The bird’s beak was pointed in the direction of the giant’s house.
“What’s that, grandfather?” the boy asked.
“It’s a hornbill. It is one of the sacred birds of the Dayaks. We believe that it will help us to beat our enemies in battle.”
“Why do you use a hornbill, grandfather?”
“Don’t ask so many questions,” said the old man. “Probably because it’s such large and strong bird. Anyway, its head and tail feathers are very beautiful.”
Later when the boy returned to earth, he taught his father and everyone living in his father’s longhouse what he had learned from his grandfather.
Sri Thanonchai
Sri Thanonchai was a very clever man. Some people thought he was too clever. Others thought he was just a fool. They all talked about him.
When the king heard about Sri Thanonchai, he was surprised. “I am a clever man myself,” said the king. “Surely this fellow cannot be more clever than I am.”
The king decided to visit Sri Thanonchai. He put on old clothes and called for his elephant. He rode to Sri Thanonchai’s house near the river. Sri Thanonchai was sitting on the step.
“That’s a nice elephant you have, mister,” he called out. “Why, thank you,” said the king. “In fact, it’s a palace elephant. I work there.”
“Then you must be very clever.”
“Yes, I’m one of the king’s minister. I’m almost as clever as the king himself.”
“Oh, no one is as clever as the king,” said Sri Thanonchai.
“Some people say you are,” the king said. “So I have come to test you. If you are more clever than I am, perhaps you are as clever as the king.”
“What kind of test did you have in mind?”
“Well,” said the king, “I don’t suppose that you’re clever enough to make me jump into the river.”
Sri Thanonchai thought about this, he looked at the river, and he looked the king. He scratched his head. “No,” he said. “I’m not that clever. I can’t make you jump into the river.”
“Then I win,” said the king.
Sri Thanonchai looked at the king. He looked at the river, and after a while he said, “Of course I am not clever enough to make you jump into the river. But it would be even more difficult to make you climb out. Only a very, very clever man could make you do that.”
Hearing this, the king jumped into the river. “Are you clever enough to make me climb out?” he shouted.
Sri Thanonchai laughed. “You can stay there for all I care,” he said. “I made you jump into the river. Surely you are clever enough to climb out.”
The king swam to the shore. He climbed out of the water. “Sri Thanonchai,” he said, “You bare more clever than I am. You are the cleverest man in the kingdom.
Mat Jambol and the tiger
One day, as Mat Jambol was mending his fishing nets, he saw a man running across the field towards him.
“Mat, come quickly” cried the man. “a tiger has eaten my chickens and killed my goat.”
Mat Jambol ran back across the field with the farmer. when they got to the farmer’s house, he looked carefully at the ground. The tigers’s track led to a small clearing in the forest not far from the farm. In the grass were chicken feathers and some bones.
“The tiger brought your goat and chicken here to eat them,” said Mat Jambol. “I will build a trap for him,”
Cutting some bamboo, Mat Jambol made long sharp stakes. These he pushed into the ground under a tree near the farmer’s house. When the bamboo stakes were pushed firmly into the ground. Mat Jambol covered them with some green leaves, tree branches and grass. Then he hung a dead goat from the tree. He covered the goat’s body with oil, and then walked home across the field.
That night, the moon was full and the hungry tiger come to the farm to look for food. As soon as he reached the farmyard he smelled the goat. “That stupid farmer has left his food outside,” thought the tiger as he followed the scent of the goat.
The farmer and his family were looking through the cracks of their house, watching the tiger in the moonlight. Suddenly the tiger leapt at the goat hanging from the tree. His orange and black body gleamed in the moonlight, for he was a very handsome tiger. The tiger caught the goat between his paw, and for a moment, it looked as if the farmer would lose another goat. But the goat’s body was slippery, so slippery that even the tiger couldn’t hold it. With a roar the tiger slid to the ground, and there he fell on Mat Jambol’s sharp bamboo stakes. The stakes went right through the tiger’s body. He died with a terrible scream.
The farmer and his family ran out of their house to look at the tiger. “Thanks to Mat Jambol, he won’t bother us again,” said the farmer.
The following day, Mat Jambol helped the farmer throw the tiger’s body into the sea.
“we must repay you for this kindness,” said the farmer. “Why don’t you come to dinner tonight?”
“I’ve got to repair my nets,” said Mat Jambol. “maybe some other time. But remember, you don’t owe me anything. I’m always happy to help a friend.”
The farmer went home. Happy that his chickens and goats would be now safe, and grateful that he had such a clever friend as Mat Jambol
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