Читать книгу Singapore Children's Favorite Stories - Diane Taylor - Страница 11

Surrounding the tropical island of Singapore is, of course, water. On bright sunny days the ocean glows blue like the most luminous of sapphires. On stormy days it turns grey, with angry white caps on the tips of the waves.

One stormy day, when the sea was lashing angrily at the coast-line sweeping in piles of weed and driftwood and flinging them onto the shore, a shoal of wild swordfish swept in with the tide. These creatures were fierce, with sword-like snouts that were as sharp as bread knives. They crunched into anything that happened to be in their path. They snapped and chopped and chomped and chewed.

Some fishermen were standing on the rocks, hoping for a catch. Just one of these huge swordfish would feed a whole family for a week. But they were not so lucky. The fierce fish swept in so quickly, that soon not one fisherman was left. They were all knocked into the water, or eaten, or both.

Some villagers nearby saw what was happening and were terrified. One or two went near to the water to take a closer look and—quick as a flash—were also seized by the swordfish. No-one else dared go near after that. The shaken villagers didn't know what to do next.

"Aeeiiyah!" one cried. "It's a curse!"

"The Gods of the Sea are angry with us," cried another.

"It's the Raja's enemies," said yet another.

"I'll go straight to the Raja and tell him," said a quick-thinking man, whose name was Ong. "He'll know what to do."

And off he ran to the Raja's palace, which was about a half an hour away for a fast runner.