Advance Manual : 226-K Story Telling
Project # 3 : The Moral of the Story
Title : The Brothers Kuya and Bunso
Delivered at : PICPA Riyadh Toastmasters Club
Evaluated by : TM Allan Carodan
Target Norm : Advance Communicator Bronze
* * * * * *
Opening
Set the mood of the story
When I was just a little boy, I asked my mother what will I be. She just look at me in the eye and smile. “Que Sera Sera What Ever will be will be, the future’s not ours to see, que sera sera”.
Salutation
Good evening fellow toastmasters and guests. I bet most of us here, in one point in our lives, asked the question “what will you be in the future”. Now, that we are old… did someone asked that question to you?
Body
Introduction
Few weeks ago, a good friend of mine asked the same question. This time, he was not talking about growing up rather he was asking about his career. I smiled at him and instead of answering the question, I shared him a story about the brothers Kuya and Bunso. Allow me to share the same story to you.
The Story
Once upon a time, there were twin young brothers named Kuya and Bunso who lives near the edge of a huge forest. They were orphans who has no else but themselves. The twins grew up physically strong, courageous, and more importantly they were men of good heart. Every morning, they gather wood in the forest and the afternoon, they sell it in the city.
One day in the forest, they heard a deep cry saying “help”. They look around and found an old lady, stuck in a large rock. Without second thought, they freed the lady and put bandages on her wound.
“Thank you”! “You are very good men”. Said the old lady. “I am not a fairy nor a witch, I’m just an ordinary old lady and has nothing for reward”. The two brothers just smiled and started moving to gather wood.
“Wait”, the old woman called. “I may not grant you a wish but I have something that could be interest to you”. “Deep down the forest is a kingdom ruled by an evil king. Free the people, save and marry the queen, and be a righteous king”.
The brother just look at each other, shrug their should, and continue walking.
That night, Bunso asked his brother. “Kuya, do you believe on what the old lady said”?
“I don’t know, maybe it is true, maybe it is not”. “Nobody knows”. “Even if it is true, I am not keen on taking my life into an unknown. Besides, I am already happy here”.
A long silence followed.
“Kuya, I want to try”.
“Then, let’s prepare for your journey”, Kuya answered.
That morning, the two brother embrace tightly as they say good bye to each other.
“Be strong Bunso, be brave, and always believe in yourself”. “Take my sword and protect yourself”.
And the journey begun.
Bunso travelled deep and far into the forest. He encountered beasts of different kinds. He slay a dragon, swam murky rivers, and killed crocodiles and snakes. Until finally, he reached the wretched kingdom. He didn’t waste time. He start working on winning the hearts of populace, rally the people, and they overthrow the wicked king. He married the queen and he ruled as a righteous king.
For forty years, the kingdom saw peace, abundance and extravagance. But as he grow older, his heart became corrupt and he became wicked. He ordered all his sons killed - because he was so greedy to gave up the thrown. Little did he know, one of his son survived. The young prince became the champion of the people and they overthrow him.
His son said “I will am not like you father, I will not kill you but you are vanished in this kingdom”.
Alone in the road, the old man was in shambles and in tears. He is now paying for his sins. With nowhere else to go, he decided to back to his old house.
The road back home is now easier. Gone are the lions and dragons and no more deep rivers to cross. But the old house still looks the same. And his brother, though still alive, is already very old just like him.
They embrace and cried out of happiness. Kuya prepared a sumptuous meal – the recipe courtesy of TM Richard – and they eat and drunk ‘till sundown.
That evening, asked his brother “Kuya, what happened to you when I left”.
Kuya answered. “I continued with my life: gather firewood, sell it to the city, visit some friends and then one day I met a young lady who became my wife”. “We have children – whom has left the house because they started they own live somewhere, and my wife passed away few years ago”. My life has been easy and simple. I was happy, though.
“How about you, Bunso?”, Kuya asked.
Out of his slumber, Bunso told his adventure with glee and excitement. His old muscle flexes as he narrate his adventure with the wild beast in the forest; his eyes sparkle as he narrate his first days as a king; and with tears, he recounted the last days when he became a wicked king and was vanished in the kingdom.
“I failed, Kuya”. He sobbed.
“No my brother, you did not”. Kuya interrupted. “You may have lost a kingdom, your family, your name, but you have many things that I don’t have”. “You made a choice, you experience an adventure, you have all the memories that I could only dream of”.
Moral of the Story
Fellow Toastmasters, who are you in the story? Are you the adventurous Bunso or the complacent Kuya?
Me? I am definitely the personality of Bunso. Twenty five years ago, I took my first steps of adventure and I am still walking in that path. I don’t know what will the end of this journey but one thing is for sure, I have lots of memories to remember!
Walking in the path of Kuya is not a bad choice. That is his choice and he was happy with it.
To TM Jestrel , TM Lady, TM Neriss, “You went up to the stage and participate, while I – we – just stayed in the sideline and watch as an audience”. An experience you can treasure forever.
To my friend who asked me about the future of his career, … it is always your choice. Don’t be afraid to make a decision.
Fellow Toastmasters, did you made your choice in life?
In parting, I’d like to leave this quote from Aristotle. “Twenty years from now, you will regret the decision you didn’t make more than the bad decision you made”
Back to you evening master!
No comments:
Post a Comment