NARRATIVE TEXT

Gecko’s Complaint

One night a village Chief was awakened out of a deep sleep by five calls of “Geck-o, Geck-o,Geck-o, Geck-o, Geck-o.” It was, of course, Gecko, the Lizard, and he wanted to see the Chief, a wise and kind man, who received him with pleasure, even though it was the middle of the night.

Gecko had come to lodge a complaint. He was very disturbed and unhappy, he said.

To the rest of God’s creatures, it might have seemed that Gecko ought to have no reason at all to complain. He could do so many things that other creatures could not, such as walk on the wall, or upside down on the ceiling. He could do this because he had little pads on the tip of each of his toes. Not only that, if his tail should be lost in a battle with another lizard, he would be able to grow another one, just as good as, if not better than, the old one.His smaller cousin, Cicak, was much more active and mobile, darting across the wall as he chased his mate, sometimes stopping for a short climb up a sideboard to sample some sweet or other, while Gecko expended a minimum of energy, sitting lazily up in the rafters, going out at night in search of mosquitoes, filling the night with his raucous calls. What would Gecko ever have to complain about?

But now Gecko was upset. For several weekshe had not been able to sleep because of Firefly. Night after night the black lightning beetle with red and yellow spots flew around and about him, glowing like sparks of fi re, flashing his light into Gecko’s eyes.

The Chief, who really did not like his sleep to be disturbed either, was sympathetic, and promised to make an investigation. He asked Gecko to come back to see him in a week or so.

The next day the Chief called Firefl y and told him about Gecko’ complaint.“Is it only Gecko you are disturbing?” he asked, “or is it possible that others are also bothered by your light flashing into their eyes?”

Firefly’ light was out now, as he spoke very humbly to the Chief. “I meant no harm, sir. In fact, I thought I was doing something good. I heard the drumming of Woodpecker as he struck his bill on the tree trunk, and I thought it was a kulkulcalling villagers to get up and gather. I was only flashing my light to pass on the message.”

The Chief then decided to ask Woodpecker about this. He found him and told him what Firefly had said.

“I too was only passing on a warning, sir,” said Woodpecker. “I heard the kwak-kwak-kwakof Frog in the rice paddies, and I thought it was a warning that an earthquake was coming. So I just passed on the message.”

Now the chief went in search of Frog, who meanwhile had heard that he would be interrogated. “The reason I was kwak-kwak-kwaking more and louder than usual,” he explained, “isthat I saw Black Beetle walking down the road carrying filth, which I thought was so dirty and so unhygienic that I had to stop him.”

“That is indeed bad,” thought the Chief. “I must speak to Beetle at once.”

Black Beetle, plump and gleaming like polished copper, was also very humble and respectful, as he explained the situation.

“You see, sir, Water Buffalo comes by dropping his pat in the middle of the road, and I just thought it was my duty to clean it up.”

The Chief was now beginning to lose patience. “Tell Water Buffalo I wish to see him!” he ordered.

When Water Buffalo appeared, he was polite, but he expressed his displeasure with Beetle’s report. “

It is clear,” he said, “that I am not appreciated. Rain washes away all the stones in the road, and I fill up the holes. Who else does that, I ask you?”

By this time the Village Chief was tired, but he had to hear Rain’s story. And Rain was angry. “Complaining about ME?” he asked. “Who asks the gods for Rain, even makes offerings to them so they will send Rain? Without ME there are no mosquitoes, and if there are no mosquitoes, Gecko is hungry and unhappy. Don’t speak to me. Speak to Gecko!”When Gecko returned to the home of the Chief as he had been requested to do, the Chief spoke to him very sternly indeed. “Gecko, say no more. We all have our problems. Go home, and live at peace with all your neighbours!”

Questions

1. Who are the main characters of the story?

2. Why did Gecko want to see the Chief?

3. Why was Gecko unable to sleep for several weeks?

4. What was the Firefly’s reason of flashing the lights?

5. How many characters were investigated after all?

6. What Kind of Narrative is the Text Blong to...?