Tikki Tikki Tembo

A Chinese Folk Tale

Retold by S.E. Schlosser

Listen to the story

Once there lived a family in ancient China that had two sons.  The elder son, who was to inherit the family fortune, was given a very-long and very-impressive name, as befitted an elder son.  He was called Tikki Tikki Tembo No Sarembo Hari Kari Pi Chi Pip Peri Pembo.  The second son, who would have to make his own way in the world and was therefore not so important, though no less beloved, was named Ping. 

The two brothers were good friends, and loved to play games with one another.  One day, as they were playing tag, little Ping slipped on some wet grass and fell into the river. 

Tikki Tikki Tembo No Sarembo Hari Kari Pi Chi Pip Peri Pembo was alarmed.  Neither of the brothers knew how to swim. 

Tikki Tikki Tembo No Sarembo Hari Kari Pi Chi Pip Peri Pembo ran swiftly toward the house shouting:  “Mother!  Mother!  Ping has fallen into the river!”   

Alarmed, Mother cried:  “Ping has fallen into the river!  We must tell your father!” 

So Tikki Tikki Tembo No Sarembo Hari Kari Pi Chi Pip Peri Pembo and his Mother ran out into the farm yard to look for Father.  They found him tending the horse. 

“Father!  Father!  Ping has fallen into the river,” shouted Tikki Tikki Tembo No Sarembo Hari Kari Pi Chi Pip Peri Pembo and his Mother.  

“Ping has fallen into the river?” Father cried in alarm.  “We must borrow our Neighbor’s boat and rescue him!” 

Tikki Tikki Tembo No Sarembo Hari Kari Pi Chi Pip Peri Pembo, his Mother and his Father ran to the neighbor’s house. 

“Neighbor, Ping has fallen into the river!  May we borrow your boat?” asked Father. 

“Ping has fallen into the river?” exclaimed the Neighbor.  “How terrible.  Of course you may borrow my boat.” 

So Father and Mother and Tikki Tikki Tembo No Sarembo Hari Kari Pi Chi Pip Peri Pembo paddled out into the river and rescued poor Ping, who was nearly drowned. 

A few weeks later, Tikki Tikki Tembo No Sarembo Hari Kari Pi Chi Pip Peri Pembo and Ping were fetching water from the well when Tikki Tikki Tembo No Sarembo Hari Kari Pi Chi Pip Peri Pembo leaned over too far and fell into the well.

Ping was alarmed.  Neither of the brothers knew how to swim. 

Ping ran up to the house, shouting:  “Mother!  Mother!  Tikki Tikki Tembo No Sarembo Hari Kari Pi Chi Pip Peri Pembo has fallen into the well!”   

Alarmed, Mother cried:  “Tikki Tikki Tembo No Sarembo Hari Kari Pi Chi Pip Peri Pembo has fallen into the well!  We must find your father!” 

Ping and his Mother ran out into the yard to look for Father.  They found him in his workshop, carving a table for the kitchen. 

“Father!  Father!  Tikki Tikki Tembo No Sarembo Hari Kari Pi Chi Pip Peri Pembo has fallen into the well,” shouted Ping and his Mother.  

“Tikki Tikki Tembo No Sarembo Hari Kari Pi Chi Pip Peri Pembo has fallen into the well?” Father cried in alarm.  “We must borrow a ladder from the Gardener and rescue him!” 

Ping, his Mother and his Father ran to the gardener’s house.  “Tikki Tikki Tembo No Sarembo Hari Kari Pi Chi Pip Peri Pembo has fallen into the well,” they told the Gardener.    “We need to borrow your ladder.”

“Tikki Tikki Tembo No Sarembo Hari Kari Pi Chi Pip Peri Pembo has fallen into the well?” the Gardener exclaimed.  “How terrible.  Of course you may borrow my ladder.”

So Father took the ladder and climbed down the well to rescue Tikki Tikki Tembo No Sarembo Hari Kari Pi Chi Pip Peri Pembo. 

But it took so long for everyone to say the poor boy’s name that Father arrived too late.  Tikki Tikki Tembo No Sarembo Hari Kari Pi Chi Pip Peri Pembo had drowned.

Ever since that day, the people of China have given their children very short names.

TIKKI TIKKI TEMBO

Once upon a time in faraway China there lived two brothers, one named Sam, and one named Tikki Tikki Tembo No Sarimbo Hari Kari Bushkie Perry Pem Do Hai Kai Pom Pom Nikki No Meeno Dom Barako.

Now one day the two brothers were playing near the well in their garden when Sam fell into the well, and Tikki Tikki Tembo No Sarimbo Hari Kari Bushkie Perry Pem Do Hai Kai Pom Pom Nikki No Meeno Dom Barako ran to his mother, shouting, "Quick, Sam has fallen into the well. What shall we do?"

"What?" cried the mother, "Sam has fallen into the well? Run and tell father!"

Together they ran to the father and cried, "Quick, Sam has fallen into the well. What shall we do?"

"Sam has fallen into the well?" cried the father. "Run and tell the gardner!"

Then they all ran to the gardner and shouted, "Quick, Sam has fallen into the well. What shall we do?"

"Sam has fallen into the well?" cried the gardner, and then he quickly fetched a ladder and pulled the poor boy from the well, who was wet and cold and frightened, and ever so happy to still be alive.

Some time afterward the two brothers were again playing near the well, and this time Tikki Tikki Tembo No Sarimbo Hari Kari Bushkie Perry Pem Do Hai Kai Pom Pom Nikki No Meeno Dom Barako fell into the well, and Sam ran to his mother, shouting, "Quick, Tikki Tikki Tembo No Sarimbo Hari Kari Bushkie Perry Pem Do Hai Kai Pom Pom Nikki No Meeno Dom Barako has fallen into the well. What shall we do?"

"What?" cried the mother, "Tikki Tikki Tembo No Sarimbo Hari Kari Bushkie Perry Pem Do Hai Kai Pom Pom Nikki No Meeno Dom Barako has fallen into the well? Run and tell father!"

Together they ran to the father and cried, "Quick, Tikki Tikki Tembo No Sarimbo Hari Kari Bushkie Perry Pem Do Hai Kai Pom Pom Nikki No Meeno Dom Barako has fallen into the well. What shall we do?"

"Tikki Tikki Tembo No Sarimbo Hari Kari Bushkie Perry Pem Do Hai Kai Pom Pom Nikki No Meeno Dom Barako has fallen into the well?" cried the father. "Run and tell the gardner!"

Then they all ran to the gardner and shouted, "Quick, Tikki Tikki Tembo No Sarimbo Hari Kari Bushkie Perry Pem Do Hai Kai Pom Pom Nikki No Meeno Dom Barako has fallen into the well. What shall we do?"

"Tikki Tikki Tembo No Sarimbo Hari Kari Bushkie Perry Pem Do Hai Kai Pom Pom Nikki No Meeno Dom Barako has fallen into the well?" cried the gardner, and then he quickly fetched a ladder and pulled Tikki Tikki Tembo No Sarimbo Hari Kari Bushkie Perry Pem Do Hai Kai Pom Pom Nikki No Meeno Dom Barako from the well, but the poor boy had been in the water so long that he had drowned.

And from that time forth, the Chinese have given their children short names.

The Legend of Lake Toba

There was a fisherman who lived in Batak Land. His name was Batara Guru Sahala. When he was angling, he caught a fish. He was surprised to find that fish because the fish could talk and it begged to set it free. He did accordingly.After getting free, the fish changed into a beautiful woman and Sahala fell in love with her. Sahala asked her to marry him and the woman received him. However, she asked his promised not to tell anyone the secret that she was once a fish. They were very happily married, and got two daughters.It was a pity on Sahala. One day when he got very angry with his daughters, he forgot his promise and he broke it. He told his daughters that they were the daughters of a fish.His wife could not forgive him. Suddenly, the earth began to shake and volcanoes started to erupt. The earth cracked and formed a big hole. People said that the hole became Lake Toba.

The Legend of Toba Lake

Once upon a time, there was a fisherman lived in a North Sumatra. Don’t ask me the year, all I know it was a very long time before you were born. When he was fishing in a river, a big fish was nailed. This fish had gold color all over its body. It was beautiful. The fisherman was very excited. He imagined a delicious dinner in his head. He put the fish in his basket and went home happily.

When he got home, he put the fish in a sink. He grabbed a knife to kill the fish. But when he almost killed it, he saw the fish eyes and felt pity. He took the knife away and put the fish in washbasin and added water in it. “Don’t worry, I wouldn’t kill you” the fisherman said.

The fisherman went fishing again. But this time he couldn’t get any fish. He went home with nothing in his hand. His stomach started to sing. He walked home slouching. He was surprised when he saw smoke came out from his kitchen.

“Who cooked in my kitchen?” he confused.

He took a peep and surprised when he saw a beautiful girl cooked in his house. “Why there’s a girl in my kitchen?” he confused.

The fisherman entered the room. “Who are you?” he asked the girl.

“I’m the fish.” The girl said.

The fisherman looked the washbasin and saw nothing in it. “The fish?” he asked incredulous.

“Yes. You didn’t kill me and I’m very thankful. I will return your kindness.” The girl said.

“That’s ok. I didn’t ask any return” the fisherman said.

“But I have to.”The girl insisted.

“Well, I lived alone. I don’t have family. If you want to be my wife, I will be very happy.” The fisherman asked the girl.

The girl smiled and said “I’d love to but you have to promise me that if we have kid you can’t tell him about me.”

And so, the fisherman and the fish girl were married. And then they had a child called Samo. Samo was very naughty. He couldn’t be advisable. He always played and never helped his parents.

One day Samo was asked to deliver lunch to his father. On his way, he met his friends and forgot to deliver his father’s lunch. Samo played with his friends. When he was tired and hungry, he was resting under a tree and ate his father lunch. Meanwhile his father waited him in starve and tired. His father went home and saw Samo played. “Where is my lunch?” he asked.

“Mmm…mm.. I ate it” Samo said afraid.

“Why you ate it?” his father asked.

“Mmm..mm.. I was hungry after playing with my friend” Samo said.

“You were told to deliver my lunch but you didn’t listen.” his father was very furious. “I can’t handle you anymore. You are very naughty. Go away from me. Don’t come home anymore.” His father yelled and evicted Samo from his house.

And this what happened if you can’t control your mouth when you angry. His father said the words that he wouldn’t suppose to say. “You… fish’s son.”

Suddenly, the sky was getting dark. The storm was breaking the ears. The rain felt from the sky like giant hose sprayed water all over the place. And then the water came out from the land and getting harder.

Sumo’s mother was very sad. “I told you don’t tell him about me” she said to her husband. “Now I’m going back to be fish again. Good by” the mother was

transformed magically to be gold fish again and disappear through the water. The water was getting higher and drown the village and formed a lake.

Meanwhile, sumo run to the hill and stayed there. The hill then was surrounded by the lake.

Now the lake was known as Toba Lake. Toba came from Tuba word means no mercy. And the hill in the middle called Samosir Island. Samosir means ‘Samo di usir’ or in English : Samo have been evicted.

This is just a legend, there were so many versions of the name’s story. You can’t tell which one is really true. But I heard this version since I was a little girl.

The Legend of Tangkuban Perahuby Ghulam

Once upon a time in a small village. There was life a little family. There were a woman, and his son.The woman’s name was Dayang sumbi and his son’s name was Sangkuriang. They pet a dog, his name was Tumang. Actually Tumang was a human who had banned god to be a dog. Tumang was Dayang sumbi’s husban, but Sangkuriang didn’t realize it, because Dayang sumbi breath not a syllable to him. Sangkuriang was the only one man in his family, so he did all men work him self, although he was still young.

One day, Sangkuriang was ordered by his mother to hunting animal in the jungle for dinner.  When in the jungle he saw a deer and he shooted it with the bow. But unfortunately, his shoot was missed. And he tried again, but it was still missed.

Because of feeling tired and it was getting dark but he didnt get anything. He decided to kill Tumang and gave its meat to his mother for dinner.

In the afternoon, he came home and gave the meat to his mother for cook. Her mother didn’t see Tumang, so she asked to him “where is Tumang, my son ?”. Sangkuriang looked very nervous, and falteringly he said “ He ..he ..he run away to the jungle, mom. When we were hunting, he saw a rabbit and he tried to catch it, bbb..bb..but he didn’t back again. So, i decided to leave him“. “No, no way. He always back home before evening. You must be lie?“ His mother replied. And Sangkuriang said“ ya, mom. I confess, I was lie. But why you look so worry? Whereas he just a dog. We can pet another dog if we want “. His mother was silent and he didn’t answered it. Instead she aked again “so, what meat it is ? it don’t looks like the meat usually you get”. Sangkuriang was getting more nervous and he said “That is Tumang meat. I am sorry, mom. I did it because i was afraid we didn’t have anything for dinner”. “You foolish. You have killed your father. Tumang is your is father, you know“ Her mother yelled. Her mother was very mad and she hit his head by rice radle. And she said “Go away from here. Dont ever back home“. Sangkuriang was very sad and he went away from home.

Fifteen years after that occurence, Sangkuriang had been grew up. And one day at the park, he noticed a beautiful young woman sat alone on the desk. Sangkuriang was falling in love at the first sight at her. So,  he came toward and tried to get some converversations with her. Actually, the woman was his mother, but he didn’t realize it because she looked still young. And she looked young because she have a magical formula.

Long time after that, they were boy and girlfriend. And when the dating, the woman (Dayang Sumbi) unpurposely noticed an trace injury on his head and she recognized that he was his son who fifteen years ago had went out from home.

In the mid of dating, Sangkuriang asked her “would you marry me?” Dayang sumbi was very shocked and absolutely she rejected it, instead she said “yy..yes i will, but i have a requirement before you marry me. If you can do it i will marry with you, but if you can not, absolutely i won’t” “Okay, what is the requirement?” answered Sangkuriang “You must make a huge ark before the peep of dawn” Dayang sumbi told. “Okay, it’s easy for me” replied Sangkuriang.

Before he make an ark, he asked the genies to help him, because he thought it was impossible to make an huge ark only a night. And the genies agreed to help him.

When it was getting dark, Sangkuriang and the genies started make an ark, and in the midnight Sangkuriang and the genies almost finished their job. So, it made Dayang sumbi worry. She decided to use his magic shwal which can make sky getting bright like on the dawn. And the sky suddenly bright, whereas it was still on the midnight. At that time, Sangkuriang looked so stress and upset, because of that he kicked that unfinished ark angrily.

And according to the people belief the ark becoming a mountain who called “Tangkuban perahu”.

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The Story of Sangkuriang and Tangkuban Perahu MountainOnce, there was a kingdom in Priangan Land. Lived a happy family. They were a father in form

of dog,his name is Tumang, a mother which was called is Dayang Sumbi, and a child which was called Sangkuriang.One day, Dayang Sumbi asked her son to go hunting with his lovely dog, Tumang. After hunting all day, Sangkuriang began desperate and worried because he hunted no deer. Then he thought to shot his own dog. Then he took the dog liver and carried home.Soon Dayang Sumbi found out that it was not deer lever but Tumang's, his own dog. So, She was very angry and hit Sangkuriang's head. In that incident, Sangkuriang got wounded and scar then cast away from their home.Years go bye, Sangkuriang had travel many places and finally arrived at a village. He met a beautiful woman and felt in love with her. When they were discussing their wedding plans, The woman looked at the wound in Sangkuriang's head. It matched to her son's wound who had left severall years earlier. Soon she realized that she felt in love with her own son.She couldn't marry him but how to say it. Then, she found the way. She needed a lake and a boat for celebrating their wedding day. Sangkuriang had to make them in one night. He built a lake. With a dawn just moment away and the boat was almost complete. Dayang Sumbi had to stop it. Then, she lit up the eastern horizon with flashes of light. It made the cock crowed for a new day.Sangkuriang failed to marry her. She was very angry and kicked the boat. It felt over and became the mountain of Tangkuban Perahu Bandung.

Short Biography of Albert EinsteinAlbert Einstein was born near the end of the 1800s in Ulf, Germany. He graduated from the University of

Zurich in Switzerland at age 26. That was also when he did his famous work in physics. Fourteen years later he won the Nobel Prize for Physics.For the next ten years he lived in Germany and traveled a lot to talk to other scientists. Then in the early 1930s he had to leave Germany because of Hitler and the Nazi party. He moved to the United States. From that time until his death he lived in Princeton, New Jersey. He died at the age of 74.

My Holiday was FantasticLast summer I got a fantastic holiday. I visited some great places.

I went to an airport and was going to fly to Cleveland. I was spending there two days. I liked to see some Cleveland Cavaliers basketball matches.

Then I went to Hollywood. Hollywood is a famous district in Los Angeles, California, United States. It had become world-famous as the center of the film industry. Four major film companies – Paramount, Warner Bros., RKO and Columbia – had studios in Hollywood. I did not want to leave but I had to.

After that, I went to New York city. I visited the Statue of Liberty. I went from the bottom of Manhattan to the top of the crown. That was very amazing.

The places made me feel at home but I have to go home. Next time I would return to them.

NARRATIVEPurpose: To amuse/entertain the readers and to tell a storyGeneric Structure:1. Orientation2. Complication3. Resolution4. ReorientationDominant Language Features:1. Using Past Tense2. Using action verb3. Chronologically arranged

RECOUNT

Purpose: to retell something that happened in the past and to tell a series of past eventGeneric Structure:1. Orientation2. Event(s)3. ReorientationDominant Language Features:1. Using Past Tense2. Using action verb3. Using adjectivesNarrative and recount in some ways are similar. Both are telling something in the past so narrative and recount usually apply PAST TENSE; whether Simple Past Tense, Simple Past Continuous Tense, or Past Perfect Tense. The ways narrative and recount told are in chronological order using time or place. Commonly narrative text is found in story book; myth, fable, folklore, etc while recount text is found in biography.The thing that makes narrative and recount different is the structure in which they are constructed. Narrative uses conflicts among the participants whether natural conflict, social conflict or psychological conflict. In some ways narrative text combines all these conflicts. In the contrary, we do not find these conflicts inside recount text. Recount applies series of event as the basic structure

DESCRIPTIVEPurpose: to describe a particular person, place or thing in detail.Dominant Generic Structure:1. Identification2. DescriptionLanguage Features:1. Using Simple Present Tense2. Using action verb3. Using adverb4. Using special technical terms

REPORTPurpose: to presents information about something, as it is.Generic Structure1. General classification2. DescriptionDominant Language Feature1. Introducing group or general aspect2. Using conditional logical connection3. Using Simple Present Tense

EXPLANATION

Purpose: To explain the processes involved in the formation or working of natural or socio-cultural phenomena.Generic Structure:1. General statement2. Explanation3. ClosingDominant Language Features:1. Using Simple Present Tense2. Using action verbs3. Using passive voice4. Using noun phrase5. Using adverbial phrase6. Using technical terms7. Using general and abstract noun8. Using conjunction of time and cause-effect.

ANALYTICAL EXPOSITIONPurpose: To reveal the readers that something is the important caseGeneric Structure:1. Thesis2. Arguments3. Reiteration/ConclusionDominant Language Features:1. Using modals2. Using action verbs3. Using thinking verbs4. Using adverbs5. Using adjective6. Using technical terms7. Using general and abstract noun8. Using connectives/transition

HORTATORY EXPOSITIONPurpose: to persuade the readers that something should or should not be the case or be doneGeneric Structure:1. Thesis2. Arguments3. RecommendationDominant Language features:1. Using Simple Present Tense2. Using modals3. Using action verbs

4. Using thinking verbs5. Using adverbs6. Using adjective7. Using technical terms8. Using general and abstract noun9. Using connectives/transitionThen what is the basic difference between analytical and hortatory exposition. In simple word. Analytical is the answer of "How is/will" while hortatory is the answer of "How should". Analytical exposition will be best to describe "How will student do for his examination? The point is the important thing to do. But for the question" How should student do for his exam?" will be good to be answered with hortatory. It is to convince that the thing should be done

PROCEDUREPurpose: to help readers how to do or make something completelyGeneric Structure:1. Goal/Aim2. Materials/Equipments3. Steps/MethodsDominant Language Features:1. Using Simple Present Tense2. Using Imperatives sentence3. Using adverb4. Using technical terms

DISCUSSIONPurpose: to present information and opinions about issues in more one side of an issue (‘For/Pros’ and ‘Against/Cons’)Generic Structure:1. Issue2. Arguments for and against3. ConclusionDominant Language Features:1. Using Simple Present Tense2. Use of relating verb/to be3. Using thinking verb4. Using general and abstract noun5. Using conjunction/transition6. Using modality7. Using adverb of manner

REVIEWPurpose: to critique or evaluate an art work or event for a public audience

dominant Generic Structure:1. Orientation2. Evaluation3. Interpretative Recount4. Evaluation5. Evaluative SummationDominant Language features:1. Focus on specific participants2. Using adjectives3. Using long and complex clauses4. Using metaphor

ANECDOTEPurpose: to share with others an account of an unusual or amusing incidentGeneric Structure:1. Abstract2. Orientation3. Crisis4. Reaction5. Coda.Dominant Language Features:1. Using exclamations, rhetorical question or intensifiers2. Using material process3. Using temporal conjunctions

SPOOFPurpose: to tell an event with a humorous twist and entertain the readersGeneric Structure:1. Orientation2. Event(s)3. TwistDominant Language Features:1. Using Past Tense2. Using action verb3. Using adverb4. Chronologically arranged

NEWS ITEMPurpose: to inform readers about events of the day which are considered newsworthy or importantDominant Generic Structure:1. Newsworthy event(s)2. Background event(s)

3. SourcesDominant Language Features:1. Short, telegraphic information about story captured in headline2. Using action verbs3. Using saying verbs4. Using adverbs : time, place and manner.