MyStory

"Arte (factually) Speaking" Story-Writing Competition

Shortlisted Entry (Upper Primary Category)

Contest ID: 202

Name: Lee Min Yi
Gender: Female
Age: 11-year-old
NRIC: SXXXX827E
Nationality: Singaporean
School: Fairfield Methodist School (Primary)

Artefact: Pandas

Museum: Singapore Art Museum

Image Courtesy of Singapore Art Museum Collection

How Pandas Came About

A few years ago, there was a Chinese man called Ning En, who was the best artist in the whole village. Even though he could draw very well, he did not have a proper brush.

One day, a magical fairy appeared. Ning En stood rooted to the ground. The magical fairy was dressed in a golden flowery dress with a silver wand in her hand.

"I am Jenny, the magical fairy," the fairy said. "I am here to grant you three wishes". It took a while before Ning En could recover his composure. Finally, he told the fairy his wishes.

"My first wish is to have a brush for painting, my second wish is to have some ink for the brush and my last wish," he paused and frowned. "And my last wish is to have a stack of drawing paper."

The fairy smiled enchantingly and disappeared. Suddenly, a spark of shiny glitter glimmered brightly. Then, the brush, the ink and the papers seemed to appear from nowhere. Delight was written all over his face. Ning En stared in goggled-eyed amazement.

As he walked nearer to the painting materials, his heart was beating very fast. He picked up the brushes, ink and paper. Ning En was exhilarated. He walked to the forest, thinking what he could draw.

Ning En stopped in the middle of the forest and sat down. He had scarcely begun drawing a nest with chirping birds inside it when suddenly a strange white-looking bear appeared behind a bamboo plant. It was happily eating the bamboo when it spotted Ning En. Out of curiosity, Ning En walked slowly towards it, squatted down and started stroking it.

Ning En had an idea. He carried that strange white-looking animal to where he was sitting, picked up his brush and started painting on the paper. Ning En felt sorry for the animal and brought it home along with some bamboos sticks for the animal to eat. At home, while he was playing with the animal and the brush, he accidentally drew on its eyes. Ning En thought the animal looked nice with black patches on its eyes. He then drew on his ears, hand and legs. Not knowing that the brush was magical, he continued to paint on the animal. When he tried to wash it off, he could not. Ming En then discovered the brush was magical. Since no one had discovered about this animal yet, he decided to call it Panda. Strangely enough, the Panda’s baby and others also became black and white.

(430 words)