Why snails climb up grass

(Favourite story from Philippines)

Mr. Fish, Mr. Fly, Mr. Wasp and Mr. snail lived together in a small house. They
divided the work among themselves. Mr. fish was the biggest and strongest. He was made the
head of the house and his job was to find food. Mr. Fly, who could fly very fast, was made a
messenger. Mr. Wasp was made a guard because of his painful sting. And Mr. Snail, who
could only move slowly, looked after the house.
Early one day, Mr. Fish went out to look for food. He swam slowly in a nearby river.
Suddenly, he saw something moving in the water. It was a big frog. What a lovely meal.
He thought. He quickly seized the frog in his mouth and started to swim home. But he did not
know there was a hook inside the frog which was tied to a string. Someone pulled the string
and soon Mr. Fish found himself inside a fishermans basket. The fisherman took him home
and ate him.
Of course, his friends did not know what had happened to him. They waited for him for
several days. By this time, they all felt very hungry. Then Mr. Fly was sent out to look for
Mr. Fish. Suddenly, he saw something moving in the water below. It was a fish whose lips
moved in and out on the surface of the water.
Mr. Fly was angry. He thought the fish was laughing at him.
Dont laugh me! he cried, Im looking for my friend Mr. Fish, have you seen him?
But the fish still seemed to laugh at him. Mr. Fly flew lower and lower as he wanted to
bite the fish. Suddenly, he felt very weak. He had not eaten any food for such a long time. His
wings became heavier and heavier. Plop! he fell into the water and the fish swallowed him
in a second.
Mr. Wasp and Mr. Snail were still waiting for Mr. Fish and Mr. Fly to return. Although
they were both hungry, Mr. Snail was not as hungry as Mr. Wasp. He could eat mud while
Mr. wasp could only tighten his belt. At last, Mr. wasp could not stand it any longer.
He flew out of the house to look for Mr. Fish and Mr. Fly. While he was flying, his
hunger became worse. He tightened his belt again and again until finally he broke into two.
That was the end of Mr. Wasp.
Now only Mr. Snail was left. He left the house to look for his three friends. He was
crying because he felt so lonely. Whenever he found some grass, he would climb up it to look
around for his friends. Even today snails still cry, and whenever they see any grass they will
climb up it and look around for their old friends.

The tiger, the Monkey, and the Mousedeer Story

(Favourite story from Malaysia)

There was a tiger whose greatest friend was a monkey. One day, the tiger went away
for holyday and told the monkey to look after his cave. A mousedeer, his wife and family
came to live in the cave.
you cant do that, said the monkey. This cave belongs to the King of the Forest.
Oh, does it? the mousedeer replied. My father lived here long before the tiger come.
Anyway, Im not afraid of the tiger, hes only a paper tiger to me.
He told his wife what to do when the tiger returned. You must make our babies cry.
Ill then ask you why theyre crying. You must say that they want to eat tiger meat,
A few days later, the monkey heard that the tiger was coming home. He ran to meet
him. The mousedeers living in your cave. He told him. He says hes not afraid of you and
that youre only a paper tiger.
Is that so? growled the tiger. Ill soon teach him a lesson.
The tiger did not believe that the small mousedeer could be so brave. He crept up to the
cave.
The mousedeers children were crying loudly, Keep quiet, said Mrs. Mousedeer
Your father will soon get some tiger meat for you.
Then tiger heard this and ran back to the monkey.
I thought that mousedeer only ate grass and vegetables, he said. But Mrs.
Mousedeer said that her husband would soon get some tiger meat to feed their children.
Perhaps the mousedeer has changed?
Dont worry, the monkey replied, Theyre only saying that to frighten you. The
mousedeer is not big and strong. He cant fight.
The next day, the tiger went to the cave again. The mousedeers children were again
crying.
Tell them to keep quiet, said the mousedeer to his wife. We shall certainly get some
tiger meat today. The monkey has promised to send the tiger here.
When the tiger heard this, he became very angry with his friend, he quickly run after
the monkey and killed him.
 The tiger did not go back to the cave, and the mousedeer and his family lived there
happily ever after.
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

Once upon a time, there was a girl named Beauty. She lived with her father and her
sisters in a small village. Beauty was a beautiful girl. She was also hard-working. She always
helped her father on the farm.

One day, her father set out for the city. He saw an old castle and went in. No-one was
in but there was food on the table. Then he walked around the castle. He picked a rose from
garden for Beauty. Suddenly an angry Beast appeared. He wanted to kill Beautys father
unless Beauty was brought to him.

Beautys father told her daughters what had happened. Beautys sisters ordered her to
see the Beast. Beauty went to see the Beast and had to stay at the castle. She felt scared,
lonely and sad. She tried to run away but was stopped by the Beast. The Beast treated Beauty
well. Soon, Beauty began to like the Beast.

One day, through the Beasts magic mirror, Beauty saw that her father was sick. The
Beast allowed her to go home. Her father was happy to see her.

One night, Beauty had a dream. A fairly told her that the Beast was sick.
Beauty hurried back and saw the Beast dying. She began to cry. Tears fell onto the Beast.
Suddenly, the Beast changed into handsome prince.

Beauty and the Beast got married and lived happily ever after.

The Legend Of Prambanan Temple

Once, there was a beautiful Javanese princess whose name was Rara Jonggrang. Roro
Jonggrang whose beauty was very famous in the land was the daughter of Prabu Baka, and
evil king.

One day, a handsome young man with super natural power named Bandung
Bondowoso defeated and killed Prabu Baka. On seeing Princess Rara Jonggrang’s
beauty, Bandung Bondowoso fell in love with her and wanted to marry her.

Meanwhile, Princess Rara jonggrang felt sad due to her fathers death. She did not
want to marry Bandung because he had killed her father. But she was also afraid of Bandung.
So to refuse politely, she made a condition. I will marry you but you have to build one
thousand temples in one night as a wedding gift requested Rara Jonggrang. Bandung
Bondowoso agreed with the condition. Helped by the spirit of the demons, Bandung
Bondowoso started building the temples. Approaching midnight, the work would nearly be
done. Rara Jonggrang knew and thought, What shall I do? Bandung Bondowoso is smarter
than I am. I would lose against Bandung.

Suddenly she got an idea. She woke up all the women in the palace and ordered them
to make the noisy sounds of grinding rice so that the rooster thought it had already been
dawn. Bandung Bondowoso got frustrated because he failed completing the thousandth
temple.

The Princess has deceived me! Following his anger, he cursed Roro Jonggrang,
You have been cheated. Now, the thousandth temple is you!

At once, the Princess turned into a statue. knowing this, Bandung Bondowoso
regretted and he went away into a farm land. From then people called the temple Prambanan
Temple and the Princess statue Rara Jonggrang statue.

The legend of Telaga Warna

Long time ago, there was a kingdom in West Java. The kingdom was ruled by a king
named His Majesty Prabu.

Prabu was a kind and wise king. But it was a pity that Prabu and his queen hadnt got
any children. The queen often cried. That was why Prabu went to the jungle. There he prayed
to God every day, begging for a child.

A few months later, the queen got pregnant. Nine months later, a princess was born.
Prabu and Queen loved their beautiful daughter so much. They gave whatever she wanted. It
made Princess turn into a very spoiled girl.

One day, the princess celebrated her 17th birthday party. Many people gathered in the
palace. Then, Prabu took out a necklace which was made from gold and jewel.

My beloved daughter, today I give you this necklace. Please, wear this necklace,
said Prabu.
 I dont want to wear it! Its ugly! shouted the princess. Then she threw the necklace.
The beautiful necklace was broken. The gold and jewels were spread out on the floor.
Everybody couldnt say anything. They never thought that their beloved princess would do
that cruel thing. In their silence, people heard the queen crying. Every woman felt sad and
began crying, too. Then, everybody was crying. Then, there was a miracle. Earth was crying.

Suddenly, from the underground, a spring emerged. It made a pool of water. Soon, the
place became a big lake. The lake finally sank the kingdom.

Nowadays, people called the lake Telaga Warna. It means Lake of Color. On a
bright day, the lake is full of color. These colors come from shadows of forest, plants,
flowers, and sky around the lake. But some people said that the colors are from the princesss
necklace, which spreads at the bottom of the lake.