Pulang Si Tenggang/ Si Tenggangs homecoming - Asean Literary Award.

(Muhammad Haji Salleh, 1977) i i Jarak jasmani yang ku tempuh ini Adalah perjalanan jiwa Pemindahan diri dari tanahasal Ke negeri yang dikumpul oleh mata dan akal Ilmu yang datang darinya adalah ilmu pendatang Yang datang melihat, berfikir dan memilih di antara kenyataan yang selalu berobah The physical journey that I traverse is the journey of the soul, transport of the self from a fatherland to a country collected by sight and mind. The knowledge the sweats from it is estranger's experience, from one who had learnt to see, reflect and choose between the challenging actualities. ii Its true I have growled at my mother and grandmother, but only after having told them my predicament that they have never brought to consideration the wife that I began to love in my loneliness, in the country that alienated me, they enveloped in their pre-judgment. i have not entirely returned, I know, having been changed by time and place. coarsed by problems estranged by absence.

ii Benar aku pernah memarahi ibu atau nenekku, Tetapi hanya setelah berkali-kali menceritakan keadaan Yang mereka tidak pun pernah mencoba memahami, lsteri yang mula kucintai di waktu kesepian Di negeri yang terlalu mengasingkan, Telah mereka bawa ke prasangka. Aku tidak pulang sepenuhnya, aku tahu, Aku telah dirobah waktu dan persekitaran Dikasarkan oleh kepayahan Dianehkan oleh perpisahan. iii Tapi lihat Aku bawa pulang diriku Yang dibesarkan oleh rasa percaya Diluaskan oleh tanah dan bahasa-bahasa Aku tidak takut lagi pada lautan Atau manusia yang berlainan Tidak mudah ditipu oleh sesiapa Dengan bicara atau idea Perjalanan adalah guru setia Yang tidak pernah malas memaknakan Kebudayaan atau kelainan Lihat, aku seperti kau juga Masih melayu Sensitif pada apa yang kupercayai baik Dan lebih sedia memahami Dari adik atau abangku Dan muatan kapal ini juga untukmu Kerana aku pulang

iii But look. I have brought myself home, seasoned by faith. broadened by land and language, I am no longer afraid of the oceans of the differences between people, no longer easily snared no words of ideas the journey was a loyal teacher, who was never tardy in explaining cultures and variousness. Look I am just like you. still malay, sensitive to what I believe is good, and more ready to understand than my brothers. the contents of these boats are yours too, because I have returned.

iv Perjalanan membuat aku pemilih pencari yang selalu tidak menerima apa yang diberi tanpa kejujuran atau yang meminta bayaran dari peribadi. bertahun di lautan dan negeri pesisiran aku telah belajar membeza mengambil hanya yang teruji bandingan atau yang sesuai dengan kata-kata datukku yang membuat aku sering memikirkan kampong dan kesempurnaannya

iv Travel makes me a seeker who does not take what is given without sincerity or that which demands payment from beliefs. the years at sea and in coastal state have thought me to choose, to accept only those tested by comparison, or that which matches the roads of my ancestors, which returns me to my village and its completeness. v I've learnt the ways of the rude, to hold actuality in a new logic, debate with hard and loud facts. but I too have humanity, respecting man and life. vi I am not a new man not very different from you; the people and cities of coastal ports thought me not to brood over a foreign world, suffer difficulties or fear possibilities. I am you, freed from the village, its soils and ways, independent, because I have found myself.

v Aku sudah belajar Jadi kurang ajar Memeluk kenyataan dengan lojika baru Berdebat dengan hujah-hujahg pejal dan nyaring Tapi juga Bersopan santun, menghormati Manusia dan kehidupan vi Aku bukan manusia baru Tidak terlalu Berlainan denganmu; Hanya penduduk dan kota Di pantai pantai pelabuhanku Meminta bahawa aku tidak Nermenung di depan suatu keasingan Risau melihat kepayan Ayau takut kepada kemungkinan Aku adalah kau Yang sibebaskan dari kampong Tanah dan kebiasaan Merdeka, kerana aku Telah menemui diri

The Sad Storyteller (Jason Yew) Boys and girls, listen well, For I have a tale to tell. Wait, why are you leaving? I promise you this won't be boring! It's about unicorns and dragons fighting! Oh good, I finally got your attention, Come, sit down and listen. Come on, I'm starting the story, If you miss it you're gonna be sorry. The title of my tale's 'The man in the pond', Wait, don't go just yet, I promise there'll be unicorns. Once upon a time there was a traveller, Everybody calls him Sam the Adventurer. Once, when Sam was adventuring on a bright morn, He tripped and fell into a pond. The pond was not very steep, But Sam was scared, as he was hydrophobic, He started to scream and shout, But nobody was about. Just when he's about to die, Suddenly appeared a random guy. Sam shouted, 'Help me, please! I don't want to die!' The guy protested, 'But I'm just a random guy passing by!' With that, and a 'Good bye', The guy left, leaving Sam to die. Sam thought for sure he's dead, When out of nowhere appeared a maid. Sam shouted to her, 'Please save my life!' The maid replied, 'Sorry! I need to buy some cake for my master's wife! And then she hurried away, Leaving Sam in the pond to stay. For the third time Sam said his prayers, When suddenly walked by the mayor. The mayor saw Sam in the pond, But before Sam could utter a word he was gone. And then Sam lost faith in humanity, He started crying bitterly. For the first time he realized that the water isn't deep, In fact, it's not even steep. So he stood up and got out of the water, And he had hydrophobia no longer.

From then on Sam's been a hermit, Visits from no one did he permit. He had learnt his lesson through his adventure, That man has a very selfish nature. Well, my dear friends, My tale's about to end. What are you saying, unicorns? Nonsense! Why are you looking so forlorn? That was a great tale, was it not? And from that day on, The storyteller begin to sell corn. He no longer tell stories, as no one will listen, They claimed he lied, about the dragons. So here's the pitiful tale of a once renown storyteller, Who's now nothing but a sad corn seller.

In the Midst of Hardship (Latiff Mohideen , 1978) Dalam Bencana Mereka pulang ke rumah waktu subuh hari dengan pakaian robek basah menghampiri api tungku lengan mereka penuh calar kaki mereka penuh luka tapi di kening mereka tidak kelihatan rasa kecewa Sehari semalaman mereka mengharungi banjir berendam antara bangkai ternakan dan serpihan kulit tumbuhan kerbau balar si buyung masih belum ditemui. Mereka dilahirkan dalam bencana tidak ada keluhan dan kutukan kini mereka berjenaka di dapur sambil menggulung rokok daun. At dawn they returned home their soaky clothes torn and approached the stove their limbs marked by scratches their legs full of wounds but on their brows there was not a sign of despair The whole day and night just passed they had to brave the horrendous flood in the water all the time between bloated carcasses and tiny chips of tree barks desperately looking for their sons albino buffalo that was never found They were born amidst hardship and grew up without a sigh or a complaint now they are in the kitchen, making jokes while rolling their cigarettes leaves