Advance Manual : 226-K Storytelling
Project # 1 : The Folk Tale
Delivered at : PICPA Riyadh Toastmasters Club
Evaluated by : ACB/ALB Roi Ontiveros
Target Norm : Advance Communicator Gold
- This speech was first delivered with Toast of Comsofil way back on Jun 25, 2009 under the same project #1 of manual 226-K. This was credited to my ACB norm.
- As per Toastmasters International academic award rules, you can repeat the same speech on the same manual provided it is not credited on the same norm. This project will be credited to my ACG, hence this project was allowed.
Set the mood of the story
“Once upon a time, a beautiful princess lives in a palace”. Sounds familiar, isn’t? I bet, it reminds you of those story-telling sessions with your mom, grandmothers or perhaps with your teacher. Regardless of who told you the story, one thing is certain. It evokes a great sense of adventure, excitement and fun onto you.
Good evening fellow Toastmasters and guests.
Tonight, allow me bring you back to the fantasy world, and all I want you to do is sit back, relax, open your imagination, and enjoy.
Are you ready kids?
The Fisherman
Long, long time ago, there was an old fisherman who lives in a small town along the shores of the great Arabian Seas. The fisherman was known for his wisdom and wit, and everything would have been perfect, except for his one strange behavior. He cast his net only four times a day – no more, no less.
Often, he returns from the sea with a handful of fish, few mussels, and sea weeds. And then, he spends the rest of the day in his small hut waiting for sundown. Nobody really can explain why the fisherman cast his net only four times in a day. Some say he is in a hurry to go home so he can harness his thinking skills and wisdom, other jeers saying “he is just lazy”. Whatever the reason was, only the fisherman knows.
A Gloomy Day
Then one gloomy day, the seas were rough. The fisherman, don’t want to go fishing but he has no food, so he set sail.
In the dark seas, the wind was howling and waves were tossing the boat. The fisherman tossed his net. He pulled it up – it was heavy - and found a dead donkey. Angry, he started to curse the wind.
The second time, he throws his net into the dark waters and netted a pitcher full of dirt. He was furious, and started to curse the seas. The third time, he throws his net into the dark waters. He waited for few minutes and when he pulled it up; he found shards of pottery and glass. He started to cry! The gods must have punished me!
“This is it, my last throw”, he murmured. Slow and steady, he kissed his nets with a good luck kiss and then throws it wide into the dark waters. He waited for several minutes and then when he pulled it up, he found an exotic bottle that had a seal of Solomon on it.
The fisherman was happy! He could sell the bottle and make some money. But he became curious of the seal and he thought something precious might be inside. He broke the seal with his knife and to his surprise and plume of smoke come out of the bottle and condenses into a huge green man.
The Jinni
In a thunderous voice, the green man shouted “I am the Jinni of the bottle! Who dares to set me free?”
The fisherman was very frightened and tried to hide with the net.
But the Jinni saw him, pick him up, and held him into the air. “So you are the one who set me free”. “When I was imprisoned in the bottle, I promised”. “In my first century, I will reward anyone who set me free with riches beyond imagination”. “In my second century in the bottle, I bowed to reward anyone who set me free with good health, riches and the entire world to rule”. “On my 3rd century, I promised to grant anyone who set me free with 3 wishes of his choices”. “After 4 centuries and nobody has set me free, I bowed to kill anyone who set me free”! “Waaahhhhaahahahaah”.
The fisherman was so frightened and he even peed in his pants. Yet after few minutes, he was able to gather his strength and answered calmly. “Oh great one! You are indeed mighty and powerful. It is my honor to die in your hands. Please put down so I can prepare myself and make myself worthy”.
The Jinni was amused with the answer of the fisherman. So he put him back to his boat.
While cleaning up himself, the fisherman asked the Jinni.
“Oh mighty one, before I die indulge me to witness your power and magnificence”. “Calm down the storm because I cannot clean up myself with a rocking boat.”
“Hahaha… oh human! You of little faith! Witness my glory and power”! In one snap, the storm cleared up.
“Oh mighty one, you are so powerful and mighty. Forgive me for my ignorance, but how would it be possible for you to fit in this small bottle? You are so huge!”
“You dare to question my power!” A great lightning and thunder filled the air.
“Forgive me oh might one, I am just human and I could not comprehend your power”!
“You fool! I’ll show you how I could fit in the bottle”.
The Jinni shrunk himself and transformed into a smoke-like entity and entered into the bottle. The fisherman immediately jumped on the bottle and sealed it, trapping the Jinni back into the bottle. It was already late when the Jinni realized that he was tricked by the fisherman.
The fisherman held the bottle and look at the Jinni inside.
“After setting you free, you wanted to kill me. Is that what you reward me for setting you free”? he shouted.
The fisherman extended his arms and get ready to throw the bottle back into the sea, when he heard the Jinni cried and pleaded. Curious, the fisherman stopped and look inside the bottle. He found the remorseful Jinni explained that he was not bad and he was just angry for his ordeal. To convince the fisherman, the Jinni started to tell the story as an example of the why he should be spared.
The fisherman put down the bottle and started listening to the story of the “Sultan and the Medicine Man”.
Opps…. That’s another story, isn’t? Next time, children. For now, let settle down and let our evening master proceed with the show.
Back to you evening master!
