Disclaimer: The Red Dragonfly does not belongs to me, and the storyline too.
Note from Doctor Jeannette: This story is based on my O' levels Higher Chinese multiple choice question comprehension, and I liked it. I'm just translating it, so enjoy.
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The red dragonfly landed softly on her head. She was dancing with small steps and with each expressive step the red dragonfly flap its wing and seemed to dance with her. She, together with the red dragonfly was dancing gracefully through the stage, leaping expertly into the air and finished the dance beautifully.
"Have you thought about it carefully? You really don't want to buy the red dragonfly?" It was during the school's fund raising activity that this happened and her teacher did not asked her only once, just like she had rejected her offer by shaking her petite head more than only once.
"I don't get it. Why wouldn't you buy something that's only eighty cents?" Her teacher had on a confused look and was trying to think of a reason for her student's firm rejections. "You must know, our school has spent efforts teaching and cultivating you, and this is the best opportunity to repay the school and thank it for everything it has given you."
Actually, deep down in her heart, she thirst for that elegant dragonfly. She wanted it extremely badly but she could not help but thought back to that fateful yesterday...
She had asked her father for permission to buy the red dragonfly and her father had immediately agreed but her mother chided her and told her that "our family isn't doing that well these days, we need to save on expenses". Just like that, her red dragonfly dream 'flew' away.
That raising activity had given her a chance to perform on stage. It was also that day where her teacher put on make up on her, painting red on a side of her face and white on another, tied her hair in a tall tight bun before she pinned on the red dragonfly on her hair. On cue from the music, she danced with small elegant steps out. She was the lead dancer that day, the one who got all the main attention and focus of the audiences. She was supposed to be at all smiles and she wanted too, yet somehow, she could not smile even if she wanted.
Six months later, her father gave her eighty cents out of a sudden and said "It's the end of the year and I've got some bonus pay, the dragonfly you wanted, is it too late to buy now?"
The next day, she went to school and her teacher brought her to the store room. From the massive load of giant boxes, her teacher picked a particular one out and told her "Find it yourself!" Finishing her harsh words, her teacher left the store room.
After hours of searching, she found the red dragonfly at the very bottom of the box. It was squashed and its color had faded, making it look lifeless and dull.
She brought it home nonetheless and without doubt believed that the red dragonfly would come back to life one day.
That year, she was only eleven.
The following year, she never once performed on stage or dance again... and the red dragonfly never revived.
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It's sad isn't it? But believe me, the chinese version is much more captivating, touching and expressive. But it's against the copyrights law to post it. Hope you did not cry much.
And yes, her mother and teacher really have an attitude problem. To her mom: It's only eighty cents and for goodness sake, she's still only a child! To her teacher: You don't deserve to be a teacher. Just die already.
Labels: The Red Dragonfly
