MyStory

"Arte (factually) Speaking" Story-Writing Competition

Merit Award (Upper Primary Category)

Contest ID: 152

Name: Lee Yan Cheng
Gender: Male
Age: 11-year-old
NRIC: SXXXX831H
Nationality: Singaporean
School: Fairfield Methodist School (Primary)

Artefact: Kamcheng

Musuem: Asian Civilisations Museum

Image courtesy from Collections of Asian Civilisations Museum

The Magical Kamcheng

Long, long ago, a poor woodcutter was cutting wood in a green lush forest. While he was cutting the wood, he discovered something glittering. The woodcutter was burning with curiosity. He went deeper into the forest and found a golden kamcheng! He took it back home and placed it in his cluttered room.

The next day, the woodcutter put his money into the kamcheng and it multiplied instantly! The woodcutter was taken aback. He proudly told the good news to the villagers. Just then, a wealthy official from the Forbidden City passed by. He heard about the magical kamcheng and was jealous. He went to the woodcutter and tried to buy it from him. No matter how much money he offered, the woodcutter still refused to part with it. Even when the official offered one million gold coins, the woodcutter still would not budge. The official wanted the golden kamcheng so badly that he resorted to stealing it.

That night, the official sneaked into the woodcutter’s house with a few people. "Creak…" The door of the rundown house opened. The official and his accomplices tiptoed quietly into the woodcutter’s room. They held up the kamcheng with all their might. Once they were out of the woodcutter’s house, they were all huffing and puffing. The official paid ten gold coins to the people who helped him steal the kamcheng and he sent them away.

Everyday, the official admired the kamcheng. He put his money inside the kamcheng and his wealth grew immediately. The villagers, especially the woodcutter who found out that his kamcheng was missing, was extremely curious about the official’s new found wealth. The woodcutter wanted to enter the Forbidden City, but the guards barred him.

The official’s wife was kept in the dark about the kamcheng. One day while she was cleaning the room, she found the kamcheng. She was puzzled as to the origins of this kamcheng. She looked around the kamcheng and accidentally fell in. And with just a fall, she multiplied into two!

When the official came back, he was flabbergasted. The two wives were quarrelling over the official. Just then, a bright idea struck him. He jumped into the kamcheng and multiplied into two too! And with that simple idea, they lived happily ever after.

(381 words)