A Young Writer Learn English through story level 3
in the south pacific
the history and beliefs of the people
are told in stories that go back
centuries
these stories are not written
but live as spoken words
passed on from parent to child
family to family
year after year
in the modern world it is easy for oral
traditions to be lost
on the island of tikko
loves these old stories
so he writes them down
but at a slow work
it would be wonderful to have a
typewriter
[Music]
i hear you’re collecting oral traditions
good work
said mr harold munt
i’m pleased to hear that someone is
writing down these old stories before
they’re lost forever
mr munt was a diplomat
his voice was friendly
but he sounded like a teacher speaking
to a schoolboy
thank you sir
he was not usually shy except with
foreigners
but tonight he was at a drinks party for
diplomats in the beautiful gardens of
the international nightlight hotel and
he found conversation difficult
ole spent most of the free time from his
job
collecting oral traditions
he felt that god was telling him to do
this work and it had become the great
interest of his life
he had begun by writing down his own
family’s history and stories
then went on to other families in the
village
and then to neighbouring villages
and seven years
he had covered a fifth of his island
country
he wrote with a pen
in notebooks
which he kept in a tall pile in a corner
of his house
he hoped that one day he would have a
typewriter and some filing cabinets to
keep all the papers safe
people at mercy
the ministry of environment religion
culture and youth
knew about ole’s work on oral traditions
and thought it was a very fine thing
a senior official in mercy
who was also a good friend of ole’s
had invited him to the drinks party to
meet mr munt
because mr munt was in tico to talk
about development
and to find out where aid and money were
needed
perhaps some money will make your work
easier
mr mint said now to ali
that’ll help a lot to
say
we have development money especially for
cultural projects like this
we want to make sure that the pacific
way is not lost
we want to help you
very kind of you sir
when can i have some money
after you’ve written me a letter asking
for aid
do i have to
can’t you just send some money
you haven’t done business with us before
have you
no sir
things are not as simple as that you
know
we have the money to give away
but first you must ask us
tell us what you want
we don’t want to tell you
what you should do
my job
is to tell people that we want to work
together
and people should ask us for help
do you understand
yes sir
but suppose no one asks
said ali
that’s no problem
when people know they can get things
from us for nothing
they will ask
come and see me at ten tomorrow morning
at the mercy building
think of what i’ve said
and we’ll talk about it then
i’m pleased we’ve met
good night
soon
olly left the party and went home
feeling worried and uncomfortable
he had never before asked for anything
from a stranger
i’m not a beggar
he thought
if mr munt has money to give away
why doesn’t he just give it
why must i beg for it
he began to have feelings of hate for mr
munt
he needed a typewriter and some filing
cabinets
not for himself
but for the important work he was doing
but he was too proud to ask for them
was it wrong to be proud
probably
it wasn’t easy to ask for things from a
stranger
but he had to do it
because there was no other way of
getting a typewriter and some filing
cabinets
oh well
he thought
as he lay in bed that night
it’s like breaking the law i suppose
after you’ve done it once
it just gets easier and easier
at ten the next morning
ollie was at the mercy building
good morning ole
said mr munt
have you decided if you want help from
us
yes sir
i’d like to have a typewriter and some
filing cabinets
i’ll write you a letter thank you
now olay i’m afraid that’s not possible
we don’t want to tell people what to do
with our money
but there are things that we cannot pay
for
my minister at home
has to explain to the government how our
development money is used
why does a project about oral traditions
and an island culture need a modern
machine
like a typewriter
no no
the government won’t like that at all
but i need a typewriter because
no no no
mr munt said
you have to think again
what you ask for must look right
feel right for the project
he stopped for a moment
look
we can give you two thousand dollars a
year for the next five years
for a newsletter about your project
publish a newsletter every month
and send us one copy
okay
but i still need a typewriter to publish
a newsletter
said ole try using a mercy typewriter
and you will have to have a committee
you know
akamati
what for
said oli
i’ve worked alone for seven years
and no committee has been interested in
me
oh they will be
they will be
when they hear there is good development
money
but we don’t give to people you see
only to committees
get a group of people together
call them the
oral traditions committee or something
which will then write to us for help
do you understand
mr mint looked at his watch
i’m sorry
i have to go now to talk to the national
women’s organization
your women are much better at starting
committees than your men you know
their organizations get lots and lots of
development money
think about it
and come again tomorrow at the same time
see you then
mr munt went out and disappeared into a
long shiny black car
ollie stayed in the office
keeping very still
and breathing deeply until he felt
calmer
he always did this when he was angry
finally
he got up and walked slowly to the
office of his friend
emmy bugger up
the senior musee official
emmy sat quietly and listened until ole
finished speaking
the trouble with you
is that you’re too honest
emmy said
and too proud
it’s not being proud
said ollie
it’s self-respect
our self-respect is very fine of course
emmy said
but we can’t afford it now
when our country is developed
then we can be proud and have lots of
self-respect
and suppose our country is never
developed
said ole
we will develop
said emmy
of course we will
you have to believe that the future is
full of hope for us
remember
that we’re playing
international games
the other players have the money and we
don’t
simple as that
they make the rules
and we try to make the rules work better
for us
look at mr mint
he offers you two thousand dollars for
five years
and he wants you to start a committee
then the committee writes a letter
asking for funds and publishes a monthly
newsletter
that’s all
but he doesn’t say anything about what
kind of committee or who should be on it
you can get three or four friends to be
your committee
get people who aren’t very interested
and who don’t know very much
then you’ll be free to do the things you
need
and the letter
will come from the committee
not from you yourself
so your self-respect will not be hurt in
any way
although that doesn’t really matter of
course
another thing
mr munt
doesn’t say how long the newsletter
should be dirty
you can write it on a page or two
and it will take you about half an hour
each month
and you don’t have to write it in
english
and if you wish
you can just publish two copies
one for you and one for mr mint
i’m not telling you to do this
that would be dishonest you see
i’m only explaining to you one of the
possible ways to play this game
and most importantly
emmy continued
mr munt doesn’t say what you should do
with the rest of the money
so
you pay perhaps two dollars a year for
your newsletter
and with the rest of the money you can
buy a typewriter and four filing
cabinets every year for five years
you see
mastermind is very good and very kind
he’s been playing international games
for a long long time
and he understands the rules
he wants you to have your typewriter and
other things
but won’t say it
go see him tomorrow and tell him you’ll
do what he told
you but remember that when you are doing
business with foreigners
don’t be too clever
it’s better to look like a poor grateful
islander who knows nothing
and you’re too fat
try to get thinner
we need to look like poor hungry people
the reason why tico gets very little aid
money
is because our people are too fat and
happy
i wish our government would realize that
and do something about it
and so
emmy bugger up
who had put his own self-respect away in
a dark cupboard many years ago
taught his friend
the learner
the ways of the world
when ole left the office
he felt much less worried
almost happy in fact
he had begun to understand some of
life’s many problems
give me time
dear god
he thought
as he walked towards the bus stop and i
will become an
excellent player of this game
a word with you old friend
manu’s voice stopped him
oh hello manu
well they said
long time no see
where have you been
watching you old friend
you have that look on your face
manu said simply
what look
asked early
not understanding
the look of someone who’s been listening
to people like emmy bugger up
i’m worried about you
i must tell you before it’s too late
don’t let emmy or people like him
persuade you to do something you i never
let anyone persuade me to do anything
that i don’t want to do
said ole
very crossly
it’s already happened old friend
it’s written all over your face
be careful of emmy
he has sold his soul
and will make you sell yours if you’re
not careful
that’s stupid
no one has sold his soul
said
we’re just being sensible until we get
what’s good for the country
no no old friend
you are selling your soul
and you’ll never get it back
because you will not want to
i don’t have time for this manu
you belong to the past
it’s time to wake up to the future
and with those sharp words
or they walked quickly away
next day
when he met mr munt he was all smiles
the diplomat saw the change in olly
and gave a smooth little smile in return
he had seen this change many times
before
it was part of his job
to make this change happen
so ollie when will you start the
committee
tonight sir
well done mr chairman
if your secretary writes me a letter
you’ll get your first two thousand
dollars in a month’s time
thank you very much mr mint
i’m most grateful
you’re welcome
i’ve enjoyed doing business with you
ollie
you have a great future
if you need anything
just tell me
you know
the pacific needs more people like you
then these countries would develop
faster than the speed of light
they shook hands
and as all they opened the door
mustament called out
ah yes
there will soon be a training course in
manila on collecting oral traditions
you should go
it will be good for you
i’ll let you know in a few weeks
thank you again mr munt
don’t mention it
i’m always happy to help
goodbye for now
i hope you’ll soon get a typewriter and
filing cabinets
olli sang quietly to himself on the way
home
very happy
that evening
the committee for the collection of oral
traditions was born
ole was the chairman
his youngest brother was the secretary
and three friends became committee
members
the committee began work immediately and
wrote a letter to mr munt
which was taken to the mercy building
the next day
a month later
olay received a check for two thousand
dollars
and a letter inviting him to go on a
six-week training course in manila
he went
leaving his house in the care of his old
aunt
who did not understand what he was doing
he found the training course hard to
understand
and the nightlife in manila was much
more exciting
in fact
all they had a very enjoyable time
indeed
and in the third week he had to visit a
doctor
who was most kind and understanding and
gave ollie the necessary medicine
on his way home
ali bought a typewriter in sydney
airport
and also ordered four filing cabinets
which would come to the island by ship
he was very pleased
his dream was coming true
and so quickly
as his plane landed atiko airport
he saw himself in the future
the head
no
the president
of the national committee for island
culture
when he finally arrived home
his old aunt greeted him with tears of
holy happiness safe
thank god those foreigners didn’t eat
you
you look so thin
what did they do to you
don’t worry auntie or they laughed
those foreigners don’t eat people they
only shoot each other
you look so sick
did they try to shoot you too
i’m very healthy
olleh laughed remembering his nightlife
adventures in manila
what’s the matter oli
why are you laughing
the house looks very tidy
ollie said quickly
thank you for taking care of it
you are always very good to me
oh olly
i cleaned the place from top to bottom
cities aren’t
you need a wife to clean up after you
why don’t you get married
you were always untidy and you haven’t
changed
i threw out so much rubbish from your
house
these words began to worry olei a little
you did did you
and what did you do with my books
books
what
books those notebooks
and the pile
and the corner of the room
you mean those dirty old school
notebooks
they had all kinds of insects living in
them ollie
they’re the most important things in my
life
said ole and went looking for his books
they aren’t here
what have you done with them he shouted
sit down ollie and let’s talk calmly
no
where are they
ollie
you’ve always been a good boy sit down
and have something to eat
you must be hungry
never mind that
i want my books
sit down
and don’t scream at me
that’s a good boy
we’re poor
you
me
the neighbors
food is expensive
where are my books
we can’t afford toilet paper
it used to be 10 cents
yes
but what about my books
you didn’t leave me any money when you
went away ollie
i had to eat
and keep clean
things are so expensive
i’m sorry but where are my books
don’t keep asking me that question only
i’m trying to explain
i’m your only loving aunt and i’m very
old and ready to go to heaven
don’t hurry me please
don’t you think i’m more important than
some old
book
what did you do with them
where are they
holly
i had no money for food
no money for toilet paper
i had to eat and keep clean
stop looking at me like that
you frighten me
she stopped
then went on very quietly
i used some
and sold the rest cheaply to the
neighbors
they’re poor ollie
but they also have to keep clean
all they stared at his aunt
he could not believe it
no
no
you’re just having some fun with me
you didn’t really sell my books for
toilet paper
i did
yes
yes i did
i’m sorry
but i didn’t know they were important
how could i know
oh
my god
or they could not speak for a moment
he sat very still
breathing deeply
then
slowly
very slowly
he whispered
seven years hard work
down the toilet
shut suddenly
the meaning of the word
shut
him
and he began laughing wildly
with tears running down his face
at the same moment
the best idea of his life came to him
he put his arms round his aunt
and said he was sorry for being angry
the old lady was very surprised at this
sudden change in him
and cried with happiness
ole remembered that mr munt’s government
had promised him ten thousand dollars
over five years
that was the start
ole pacific
whose books had gone down the toilet
would now go fishing in the big seas
if i am a beggar
he told himself
i will be a big beggar
a grand beggar
the best beggar of all
he wrote mr munt a letter
and not long afterwards
dr andrew wheeler arrived on the island
dr whaler was a very clever man
and knew all about development aid
with his help
ole began a national committee for
cultural studies
and on the committee he got chiefs
government ministers
vips
wives of vips
and his old friend
emmy bugger up
he himself
was full-time secretary
then dr whaler
wrote a plan for a four-year project
and letters asking for four hundred
thousand dollars in aid
the letters were sent to every
organization which had aid funds to give
away
a little later
again with dr wheeler’s help
ole formed 18 other national committees
and organizations
they all had wonderfully necessary and
important projects
which needed generous development aid
and after six years
all they had asked for
14 million dollars for his different
committees
his name was now well known by all the
important aid people in brussels
the hague
bond geneva
paris
london
new york
washington
wellington
canberra
tokyo
peking
and moscow
the university of the southern paradise
recognizing what a great man ole had
become
gave him many grand titles
ole pacific
became an extraordinarily clever player
of international aid games
enjoying every new rule
and learning how to turn it upside down
and inside out
his early worries about self-respect
have disappeared
and he works hard
at his full-time job
of first-class
expert
beggar
you