A Lesson To Learn

It was a controversy that happened over nearly seventy years ago among two different families of the Chinese race who lived together in the same village with the natives in Sarawak. They were the Wu family and the Yin family. It had caused a formidable war to break out in the village. It was like a bloodbath. There were bodies sprawled on the ground infested with flies and houses were so charred that they were reduced to cinders.

Although neither family knew what was the actual cause of the controversy, after seventy long and cold years, they still refused to interact with each other. To them, that would be taboo.

Despite their hatred and loath towards each other, the natives who lived with them in the village did their very best to try to get both families to make peace. The natives felt that it was unessential for the Wu and the Yin family to carry on their altercation now and then over trivial things.

***

"Don't you think that it is rather fatuous of you to keep all these abhorrence towards the Wu family when your family hardly knows the actual cause of the controversy that happened all those years back?" the chief of the natives, Loggia asked.

Loggia and the head of the Wu family, Er Xin were at the river that afternoon. They were hoping to catch some fish to bring back as dinner for their family later. So far, luck hasn't was not with them.

"That doesn't matter at all. The importance is that we fight for our family's rights and pride. My ancestors wouldn't be too exhilarated if I were to suddenly forget all about the fight between them and the Yin family and start talking and laughing with those conspirators!" Er Xin said fiercely with a strong look of determination on the old man's face.

"I understand that, my friend. But don't you think that it is necessary to find out the actual cause of their fight?" Loggia said wisely. The old chief had always been a very wise man whom most people seek for when they needed advice.

"I think that will be all for today," Er Xin said shortly, he then got up abruptly with a trout in his hand and walked away briskly, leaving the old chief shaking his head by the river.

***

The natives had harvested their crops and threw a gathering. They invited both the Wu and the Yin family to join them for a gathering, anticipating that both families would get along and make peace to one another.

Then both the Wu and the Yin family arrived, they scowled at each other with looks of antipathy on their faces and sat as far as possible away from each other. The natives heaved sighs and shrugged helplessly. The natives hoped that perhaps after several helpings of rice, both families would drop their antipathy for one another.

Unfortunately, that never happened. Halfway through eating, the head of the Yin family, Shan Her suddenly spoke up.

"I don't think it was very wise of you natives to invite the Wu family over to dinner," he declared, standing up at looking at everyone.

"That is not a very nice—" Logia began but Shan Her interrupted him harshly.

"Considering that they have a family of thieves who would steal from my family!" Shan Her acrimonious shouted, pointing his long, crooked finger at the Wu family.

"Calm down, both of you," Loggia tried to halt both old men but was ignored as if he was just a wall.

"How dare you call us thieves! We never stoop so low to steal from your family!" Er Xin roared, violently shaking his fist. "We do not need your gold!" he added roughly.

"My wife's jade necklace is missing and I know you took it! This means war!"

Those were the last words the natives ever heard from both families before war broke out the next day before sunrise.

It was like watching history repeat itself. Blood everywhere and bodies lying around. It brought a nauseating stench of rotting flesh.. The only two survivors of the Wu and the Yin family was Er Xin and Shan Her. Both leaders received appalling news when Loggia showed up with a jade necklace in his hand. He had found it in one of the pots Shan Her had given to him as a gift. Apparently, Shan Her's wife had left it there and had forgotten all about it. When both men heard about it, they regretted starting the war which, caused their family members to die.

Now, both the Wu and the Yin family forgave each other and made peace. They had learnt that it was important to live together harmoniously. They had learnt a very important lesson.

(800 words)


PS: copyrighted ya...this was my essay for the Azam Petronas essay competition. The theme is Good Moral Values. Kinda dull if you ask me...reminds me of How Dalat Got Its' Name...ugh...

~Gabrielle~