English Language Proficiency 2/ Sem 2

TASK 1

Write a personal response on the short story / novel of your choice.

Subtasks

1. Choose a suibtable short story / novel of your level and interest of not less than 1000 words. Do not use the text that have already been used in the secondary school.

2.

ead the story / novel and think about its literary ele!ents such as settin"# plot# the!e# characters and characterisation.

$. Write a personal response of not less than $%0 words.

English Language Proficiency 2/ Sem 2

Short Story : Mariah By Che Husna Azhari

Morning Stall In Mulong

&t was seven in the !ornin" on a typical day in the s!all villa"e town of 'olo. (he !ain trunk road fro! )asir )uteh to *ota +haru was already choked with the bicycle traffic fro! school children wendin" their way to the three !ain schools in the villa"e. ,on" past subuh ti!e# the !os-ue was e!pty. (he hub of activity was now the !arket s-uare where !en con"re"ate to have breakfast. +reakfast could be the various nasi, roti canai# or the !yriad *elantan breakfast tepung. (hat particular !ornin"# thou"h# !ost of the !en were not eatin" their breakfast but instead their "a.e was fixed on the !ain entrance to the s-uare. Seven a.!. was a bit late for breakfast/ already the first slant of sunli"ht was filterin" throu"h the eaves of the blinds in the !arket. (he !en were "ettin" restless. (hey were definitely waitin" for so!ethin" to appear. 0ery soon after# however/ there was !uch excite!ent. 1ll eyes were transfixed on a fi"ure co!in" throu"h the entrance. &t was the fi"ure of a wo!an. She was delicately balancin" two hu"e basins on her head# her hips swayin" "aily to and fro with the rhyth! of the balancin". (hat particular "yratin" see!ed to !es!erise the !en and "lue the! to their places. (here was !uch to !es!erise as far as 'ariah was concerned# for that was the na!e of the lady with the two basins on her head. 'ariah was a nasi seller in 'olo# in fact the nasi seller in 'olo. 2very !ornin" at seven sharp she would walk past the !arket entrance into the villa"e
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s-uare and !es!erise the !en with her swayin" hips as well as her nasi3 nasi kerabu# nasi belauk and nasi dagang. u!our had it 4started by wo!en folk5 that her nasi weren6t !uch to crow about# but it was a co!bination of 'ariah6s swayin" as well as her easy s!ile that !ade all the !en flock to the villa"e s-uare. 'any a nasi belaukbreakfast re!ained cold and uneaten in the houses as !en i"nored their wives7 cookin" and paid tribute to 'ariah7s instead. 'ariah also had another asset. She was without a husband. 8ote that & didn6t say either divorced or widowed. &t would not have !attered either way in *elantan. (he !ost i!portant thin" was she was not with a husband. (his was not to i!ply that she was not decorous in her !anners9 on the contrary# she was very !uch so9 but !en see! to want to partake of her nasi !ore because of her un!arried state. 'ariah had been !arried once# but her husband had passed away soon after. (here had been !any suitors after her husband6s unti!ely de!ise# but 'ariah had see!ed sin"ularly uninterested. u!our too 4also spread by the wo!enfolk5 had it that it was our 'ariah who drove her husband to an early "rave. (his ru!our was never corroborated by !edical evidence# so we will never be able to confir! this alle"ation. :ifteen years after her husband6s death# which would !ake her fortyish# 'ariah would easily pass for a beauty in her late twenties. 'ariah was tall and well;proportioned and !oved "racefully. 8o# not "racefully but sensuously. <er face was unlined# her co!plexion fair and her very dark# very black eyes appeared to "low. 'ariah always had on a short kebaya which accentuated her well;proportioned curves. 1s a concession to propriety she used to cover her head and part of her torso with a kain lepas# a two; !etre traditional head and body cover !uch favoured by the workin" wo!enfolk of *elantan. (he *ota +haru 8ickies or the !ore !odern wo!en prefer either a sliver of a scarf or "o bare; headed# but in 'olo one does not "o about without a kain lepas. (o do so would be to incur the wrath of the villa"e &!a!# who was the "uardian of !odesty and propriety and enforcer of strin"ent !ores. =n that particular !ornin"# the &!a! was with the !en# fallin" on 'ariah6s nasi belauk with !uch relish. <is wife6s own nasi belauk was still waitin" for hi! on his kitchen table under the tudung saji# "ettin" very cold indeed. (he &!a!6s wife was potterin" about in her spotless kitchen# !utterin" about the &!a!6s lateness for breakfast. (he &!a! liked his nasi belauk and his wife took "reat care in its preparation. <er culinary skills were not her only attribute/ her housekeepin" was also a !odel to be followed by other wo!enfolk in the villa"e. =ne could always call at the &!a!6s house at any ti!e of the day# "uaranteed to be "reeted by a well;turned;out wife# hottepung and fra"rant surroundin"s. (he &!a!6s wife was so!ewhat

English Language Proficiency 2/ Sem 2

assisted in this respect by not havin" "rubby children who would !ess thin"s up. &t was the only flaw in an otherwise perfect !arria"e. >uarrelso!e couples who called at the &!a!6s place for arbitration would be sobered by the do!estic serenity of the &!a!6s abode. (hey would all "ape enviously at the surroundin"s and for"et to -uarrel. (hey would listen attentively to the &!a!6s ser!on and exhortations to peace# han" their heads in sha!e and !ake new resolutions# but pro!ptly -uarrel a"ain as soon as they "ot ho!e. (heir own do!estic at!ospheres were ?ust not con"enial enou"h for peace. +ut enou"h said about the &!a!6s exe!plary household# !ore i!portant events were unfoldin". 1s the &!a!6s wife was vi"orously scrubbin" at an already spotless sink# there were salutations fro! the front door. &t was a dele"ation of wo!enfolk fro! the villa"e headed by Cik @u 8ab# one of the local wo!en leaders. She was a teacher at a local pri!ary school. Cik Aa! wiped her hands and bade the visitors in. (hey were unexpected but not unwelco!e. Cik @u 8ab !ade s!all talk for a while# co!!entin" first on Cik Aa!6s ex-uisitely appli-uBdsafrah before launchin" into the !atter at hand. (he !atter at hand turned out to be none other than 'ariah. CCik Aa!#D be"an Cik @u 8ab# tryin" to put the !atter across as delicately as possible# we !ean our sisters no har!# in fact we are very happy if each one of us "oes about doin" her own thin". 1s we often say# each wo!an to their own rizq. &n fact# we feel very bad about havin" to co!e to you. We don6t like to backbite our own sisterD Cik @u 8ab cleared her throat and looked at the others for assent. <avin" "ot it in the for! of "ravely noddin" heads# Cik @u 8ab continued3 CCik Aa!# the proble! now is that one of our own sisters is not doin" her own thin" at all# but instead !eddlin" with other people6sD. (he &!a!6s wife Cik Aa! listened attentively. CWho do you !ean# Cik @u 8abED Cik Aa! asked# Cer#9this trouble!akerED# wonderin" what this !eanderin" of Cik @u 8ab6s was leadin" up to. Cik @u 8ab was known to favour a touch of !elodra!a and to use it to !axi!u! effect always. CWhy# Cik Aa!# we !ean 'ariah# of course# thenasi sellerF Don6t tell !e you don6t know what she6s been up toFD Cik @u 8ab looked peeved at Cik Aa!6s i"norance of i!portant villa"e !atters.

English Language Proficiency 2/ Sem 2

What can 'ariah possibly be up to# thou"ht Cik Aa!. 'ariah was apt to "o around in her short and loudkebaya# but she was always properly covered by her kain lepas. &f she hadn6t been so# the &!a! would have re!inded Cik Aa! to pay her a visit. So it couldn6t have been the kain lepas. C8o# & don6t know# Cik @u 8ab. What has she been up toED Cik Aa! s!iled sweetly. Cik Aa! knew about !ost villa"e !atters# but not -uick enou"h# it would see!. She was always too busy with housework to "ossip. +esides# it was not considered proper for the &!a!6s wife to be cau"ht "ossipin". CCik Aa!#D continued Cik @u 8ab# C'ariah has been enticin" our !en to abandon their ho!es for herkedai merpati. Aou know her nasi cannot be that special. Why# & a! sure for one she cannot beat your nasi belauk.D 4Cik Aa! readily a"reed5. C+ut why do all these !en see! hell;bent on eatin" breakfast at her placeE & reckon# & !ean we reckon she has put so!ethin" in her nasi.D Cik @u 8ab paused for breath. C& can6t believe that# Cik @u 8abF @od forbidFD Cik Aa! considered her next words carefully. GWe cannot accuse 'ariah of so!ethin" so "rave without any concrete evidence. (hat6s terribly unfair# you know# Cik @u 8ab. )erhaps that Hso!ethin"6 you alle"ed she put in the nasi is ?ust plain skill# 1llah knows.D Cik @u 8ab started. She felt she was bein" reproached. She did not like this allusion to her cookin" skills either. Certainly# it was not her forte# still Cik Aa! was bein" very !alicious# she thou"ht. C& didn6t say Hit6 enticed all the !en# Cik Aa!. 'y Cik @u ,eh 4Cik @u 8ab6s husband5# for instance# would never drea! of havin" breakfast anywhere but at ho!e. So!e !en do "et easily enticed# so!e don6t. Speakin" of which# & saw the sainted (ok &!a! hi!self havin" breakfast at 'ariah6sD <avin" delivered this stin"in" repartee# Cik @u 8ab stood and left in a huff. &n a pointed rebuff# she did not even say a proper farewell. Cik Aa! went a deep shade of cri!son. Cik @u 8ab6s last retort was as "ood as a slap on the face. Cik Aa!# incidentally# was a seasoned politician. (he words stun" her# surely# but she did not flinch. She was unnerved# but she -uickly re"ained enou"h co!posure to s!ile at the rest of the dele"ates# served the! her beautiful tepungand indul"ed in the social niceties re-uired. eplete with Cik Aa!6s tepung and fortified with the latest "ossip# the ladies then left. =nly then did Cik Aa! sit down to think of a way to settle the issue with the &!a!. <e was not "oin" to escape unscathed# that she was "oin" to !ake sure ofF

English Language Proficiency 2/ Sem 2

(he &!a! went about his usual business and ca!e ho!e at 123$0 to have his lunch. Cik Aa! was there to "reet hi!/ she took of his kuffiyah and "ave hi! a cleansarong to chan"e into. (he &!a! looked at his wife with obvious pride. (here was not a livin" !an in 'olo who did not envy hi! for havin" such a devoted wife. +ut then# -uick as li"htnin"# as always he would look around at his e!pty house and let out a si"h. Why couldn6t his wife bear children like other wo!enE So!e wo!en# it see!ed# have the fecundity of rabbits# but not his wife. ,ike all !en of his "eneration# it never occurred to hi! he could be the culprit in his wife6s supposed inability to bear children. 1s far as he was concerned# bearin" children was a wo!an6s ?ob# and if she didn6t there was so!ethin" wron" with her. :ertility had nothin" to do with !en. C&s lunch ready# Aa!ED asked the &!a!. CWhy# yes# bang# it6s under the tudung saji#D replied Cik Aa!. (he &!a! picked up the tudung saji for his lunch# but !uch to his surprise it turned out to be the !ornin"6s nasi belauk. <e was stunned into silence for a "ood few !inutes. Cik Aa! took the opportunity to confront hi!. C& thou"ht you would still like to finish off !y nasi belauk after you breakfasted at 'ariah6s. 1fter all# & have to prove that !y nasi belauk is still edible co!pared to 'ariah6s especially since the whole villa"e saw you eatin" away# behavin" as if your wife has never prepared nasi belauk for youF 1nd bang# & had to learn of it throu"h so!eone else tooFD Cik Aa! threw the tudung saji on the floor# narrowly !issin" the &!a!6s foot# then ran sobbin" to their bedroo!. What the hell is happenin"# thou"ht the &!a!. <ow did she know & had breakfast at 'ariah6s. &t !ust have been one of the wo!enfolk. C=h 9 wo!enF (hey are so i!possible/ why do they have to "o around !akin" life difficult for !enE +eats the hell out of !e#D !uttered the &!a! in vexation. &t was the only ti!e he had ever "one to 'ariah6s. 1nd he had done so only at that Cik @u ,eh6 insistence. Cik @u ,eh had been extollin" the virtues of 'ariah6s nasi belauk# but really Cik @u ,eh is no authority on the sub?ect as his wife Cik @u 8ab# as everybody knew# was a hopeless cook. (he &!a! be""ed to be excused# but Cik @u ,eh was !ost persistent. So finally# the &!a! relented. (henasi belauk was# as he had expected# passable# but no !ore. &t did not surprise hi! in the least. (he thin" that did surprise hi! was 'ariah herself. 1t the thou"ht of 'ariah the &!a! s!iled drea!ily to hi!self. What a wo!an she isF (he &!a! beca!e transported to another ti!e# his youth9

English Language Proficiency 2/ Sem 2

When the &!a! was a youn" !an of fifteen his father had voiced his wish for his son to be sent to )attani in Southern (hailand to learn under the tutela"e of a well;known Sheikh. <is father had spent a few years there hi!self but had not pro"ressed very !uch. <e had always nursed a secret a!bition for his son to be the scholar he could not be and in doin" so exculpate hi!self. (he &!a! had protested# full of other plans. <e had no sta!ina for the arduous task of bein" a scholar. <e fei"ned indelicate health# but his father had decreed. (he &!a!# under protest and under duress# was sent to )attani. (he &!a! was !iserable in )attani# !opin" for his !other and his friends rather than studyin". +ut 1llah is "reat and the &!a!6s !isery was soon alleviated. =ne day when he had been in )attani about three !onth# the &!a! took his water pot to "o to the co!!unal well for his ablutions. &t was around two or three in the afternoon when there were not !any people about. (he &!a! saw fro! a distance a youn" lady drawin" water fro! the well. )erhaps she thou"ht there was no one about so her head was not covered. (he &!a! saw her tresses in their full silken "lory. (he white of her skin on her bare throat was blindin". (he &!a! stopped in his tracks# then took full fli"ht. <e ran tre!blin" to his hut# pantin" and breathless. <e took a drink of water and reflected upon the event. Who could that beautiful creature beE C& love her#D he said to hi!self. C& love her and & shall !ake her !ine. & want no one else#D he vowed. <e felt his head. &t was throbbin" as hard as his heart# as hot and feverish as his passion. (hen he learnt that the ob?ect of his ardour was the dau"hter of the Sheikh hi!self. (he &!a! kept the burnin" secret to hi!self. 2ven his house!ates never knew of this love. (he &!a!6s behaviour was nothin" but exe!plary. <is !anners were extre!ely correct# especially to the ladies. <e was punctilious in the perfor!ance of his duties. &f the &!a! was consu!ed with love# the Sheikh was the last person to know. (he Sheikh thou"ht that the &!a! stayed for the love of the Deen. &t is true that as the years passed the &!a! "rew to love the Deen and the Sheikh# but so too did his love for the Sheikh6s dau"hter "row. &n the &!a!6s final year# the Sheikh was entrustin" !ore and !ore of his duties to his !odel pupil# the &!a!. (he &!a! was conductin" kulliyahs# perfor!in" prayers and so!eti!es even payin" courtesy calls on the Sheikh6s behalf. <e is "roo!in" !e to take his place and to be his son;in;law# thou"ht the &!a!. <ow full of hope he wasF <ow sweet were the days as they passed for the &!a!F <ow he patiently waited for the day when the Sheikh would broach the sub?ect to hi! but it was not to be. (he Sheikh did broach the sub?ect of his dau"hter to hi! but only to invite hi! to his dau"hter6s weddin" to a cousin. (he &!a! was shattered. <is world crashed around hi!. )attani was
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nothin" but a cauldron of s!oulderin" e!bers. (he &!a! packed his books and bade "ood;bye to his Sheikh. <e was really very fond of the old !an and also very "rateful for the tutela"e# but he had to "o. (he Sheikh be""ed hi! to stay to look after his !os-ue for hi!# but the &!a! "ently refused. &f it were not for the a"ony of havin" to see his beloved as so!ebody else6s wife# he would have stayed. (he &!a! ca!e ho!e "rievin" to *elantan. <is !other understood the "rievin" and in a few !onths found hi! Cik Aa!. Cik Aa!# thou"h no ravin" beauty# was an acco!plished cook as well as bein" !odest and extre!ely virtuous. She had been an obedient and excellent wife# but she was not the Sheikh6s dau"hter. (he &!a! had been happy with Cik Aa! and "radually as he "rew older the hurt had eased. <e had not thou"ht a"ain of the Sheikh6s dau"hter for a lon" ti!e9 that is# until that !ornin"# when# by the fate of @od# Cik @u ,eh had dra""ed hi! to 'ariah6s kedai merpati9 C=h 'ariah9D si"hed the &!a!. CWhy do you have to be so like her9 !y lon";lost love# the )assion of 'y AouthE =h 'ariah# why do you have to look like her fro! your toes ri"ht up to your eyebrowsF &t6s a test. +y 1llahF &t6s a test.D (he &!a! beca!e very fri"htened. <e left the table# took his ablutions and -uickly went to the !os-ue. C,et !e find refu"e there#D he thou"h. CSave !e# = @od.D What had his Sheikh always said in ti!es like thisE <e -uickly recollected. 1base Aourself to the =ne Aou ,ove. )assion is 8ot 2asy. &ndeed# passion is not easy. C& have dispensed with thee# = )assion.. & have divorced thee thrice.D (he &!a! kept repeatin" this litany as if in prayer. 1fter the afternoon prayer the &!a! stayed lon" in prostration. <e dallied in the !os-ue. <e ca!e out but went in a"ain. :inally he went in and fell into a troubled sleep# so!ethin" which he had never done before. (he days passed. (hin"s appeared nor!al. (he &!a! was punctual in his prayers and dili"ent in his duties# but his heart was in tur!oil. <e re!e!bered a verse fro! his )attani days9

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= lady of excess who strips away !y acts of devotion in every state. (here is no kindness in !y wound 2ither it is by abase!ent and it is attached to passion# or it is by !i"ht and it is attached to *in"do! &f you6re in your i!!unity# it protects us and if you6re in the sea# you co!e in the boat. &t was either fro! !usus l"#akam# or the *nowled"e of 'an# the &!a! could not be certain# but it certainly see!ed apt now. (he &!a! tried to "o ho!e to Cik Aa! after subuhprayers# but every ti!e so!ehow# in spite of hi!self# he would be by Cik @u ,eh6s side "oin" to 'ariah6s for breakfast. 'ariah saw nothin" a!iss. She treated the &!a! with reverence and courtesy# befittin" his station and stature. She served hi! the choicest !orsels on her best cutlery. <e was# after all# the villa"e &!a!. (he &!a! would take the nasi belauk without avertin" his "a.e fro! the plate in accordance with the >uranic in?unction for !en to lower their "a.es. <e would tre!ble sli"htly# but the !en in the kedai merpatiattributed that to extre!e !odesty. C(he &!a! is an extre!ely !odest !an#D thou"ht the other !en# Cnot used to the co!pany of wo!en.D 2very ti!e he took the nasi belauk fro! 'ariah he would feel a pan" of "uilt# re!e!berin" his wife6s nasi belauk under the tudung saji. C:or"ive !e# oh @od# for !en are weak#D supplicated the &!a! silently# spoonin" nasi belauk into his !outh. 1fter the nasi belauk the &!a! would still tarry# nursin" a cup of coffee with Cik @u ,eh. 1t least# that was how it looked on the surface. (hat was the ti!e the &!a! would use to steal lon" lin"erin" "lances at 'ariah. <is heart ached with the pent;up lon"in" for the Sheikh6s dau"hter. =h 'ariahF... (hin"s would never be the sa!e a"ain for the &!a!. <e spent the ni"hts in supplication# askin" @od for succour. <e was fri"htened of the e!otions stirred up by his unintentional !eetin" with 'ariah. &t was too colossal for hi! to handle. 1nd yet he felt elated. <e believed it was fated# a part of a "rand desi"n by @od to heal his heart/ but on the account of a wo!anE Can a beautiful allurin" wo!an be a part of a healin" processE &t see!ed so profane to the &!a!. +ut why should a wo!an be !ore profane than a !anE Did not the )rophet hi!self say
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that three thin"s are pleasin" to hi!# prayers# wo!en and perfu!eE (here you areF )roof# exoneration for the &!a!. <e felt resolved to do what he had to do. Cik @u ,eh would be his e!issary. (he &!a! chose the occasion well. &t had to be on a (hursday ni"ht# the eve of :riday. 1fter prayers and lon" supplication# the &!a! went to his bedroo!. Cik Aa! was sittin" on the bed waitin" for hi! to finish. <e knelt by the bed and kissed Cik Aa!6s hands. Cik Aa! was surprised by this reverent show of affection but did not say anythin". Cik Aa! waited. (he &!a! kissed Cik Aa!6s knees and then placed his head on Cik Aa!6s lap. Cik Aa! stroked his head lovin"ly. &!!ediately as if released by a valve the &!a!6s hot tears fell on Cik Aa!6s sarong. Cik Aa! felt the hot tears on her skin as it seeped throu"h the sarong. Cik Aa! lifted the &!a!6s head and looked at hi! -uestionin"ly. :ifteen years of !arital bliss had left its !ark. ,ove and understandin" shone throu"h Cik Aa!6s also tear;filled eyes. C(ell !e what "rieves you# !y husband# and & will !ake it better for you#D Cik Aa! whispered to the &!a!. 1t these words the &!a! felt hi!self choke# but he steeled hi!self. <e told Cik Aa! of his unre-uited love for the Sheikh6s dau"hter. <e told Cik Aa! of his pain and lon"in". <e then told Cik Aa! of 'ariah# how he had fou"ht his e!otions and how he had lost. <e be""ed Cik Aa!6s for"iveness# kissed the he! of Cik Aa!6s sarong and asked for her per!ission to take 'ariah as his second wifeF Cik Aa! ?u!ped up as if struck by a bolt of li"htnin". Can that dreaded thin" !ost feared by wo!en be real# happenin" to herE )lease @od# let it not be true# she prayed. Why couldn6t it have happened to that la.y Cik @u 8ab# who couldn6t even fry an e"" properlyE Why herE (he lovin" devoted wife# the !odel housewifeE WhyE WhyE Despair and hu!iliation all ca!e and passed throu"h Cik Aa!6s heart. She threw herself on the bed and wept piteously. C= wretched# wretched selfFD +y then Cik Aa! was racked by despairin" sobs. (he &!a! tried to hold her# but she pushed hi! away. :inally the &!a! !ana"ed to capture her in his e!brace and placated her with pro!ises of his love and continuin" devotion. C& love you and will always love you# Aa!. 8othin" can chan"e that. & will always be your husband. & will care for you# Aa!D 9 he said in between kisses on Cik Aa!6s forehead# hands and finally# in the final act of sub!ission# on Cik Aa!6s feet. (hus the ni"ht passed and in the !ornin" with the first rays of sunli"ht# Cik Aa! said CAesD to the &!a!6s re-uest# on
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condition of e-uality. (he &!a! had breakfast at ho!e with Cik Aa! and he hi!self spooned the nasi belauk into Cik Aa!6s !outh. (hree days after this even# the whole town of 'olo was rife with speculations. Word "ot around the villa"e that the &!a! was takin" a second wife# and that person was none other than 'ariahF C&sn6t that rather oddED "ossiped the villa"ers. C(he &!a! and Cik Aa! have been !arried for fifteen years and Cik Aa! is a !odel of virtue.D C(hen of course Cik Aa! is childless9#D voices trailed away. (he !en in the villa"e were all excitedly handlin" this issue in their own ways. (hey had all at so!e ti!e or other in their lives fantasised about havin" second wives# but sadly# neither their wives nor their bud"ets were acco!!odatin" enou"h. Cik Aa! beca!e a para"on of virtue. Wo!en wondered how she could have easily succu!bed to the whole arran"e!ent. (he !en# on the other hand# wondered what >uranic ayats the &!a! blew on Cik Aa!6s face to subdue her. )erhaps he knew so!ethin" they didn6t. &t was difficult for everyone to a"ree upon one co!!on reason. (here was# however# so!ethin" that everybody definitely a"reed upon and that was 9 Cik Aa! would certainly be found shelterin" in the shade of the I!brella of Siti :ati!ah 4the )rophet6s dau"hter5 on the Day of Jud"e!ent. C$ashallahFD they all whispered reverently in awe of Cik Aa!6s virtue and steadfastness/ would that they were as stron" as Cik Aa!F +ut what of 'ariah# the ob?ect of all this co!!otionE She continued# serenely unaffected# with hernasi belauk sellin" until the very day she !arried the &!a!. When Cik @u ,eh# the &!a!6s e!issary# ca!e to her house askin" for her hand# she had been surprised# to say the least. (he &!a! was not on her list of prospective suitor. &nitially# she had thou"ht Cik @u ,eh had co!e on his own behalf3 Cik @u ,eh had been !ost partial to her nasi. Cik @u 8ab had even be"un sendin" threatenin" !essa"es. +ut Cik @u ,eh had co!e for the &!a!. 'ariah only dithered for a day# then said CAesD. (he &!a! was the !an to !arry# if she would ever wish to !arry. 1 !an of reli"ion would be the only person worth !arryin" after all those years of self;i!posed celibacy. She wondered why the &!a! had ever considered !arryin" her. Cik Aa! was a !odel wife. 'ariah was# in fact# sli"htly in awe of the pious Cik Aa!. 'ariah felt like a harlot in her short oran"e kebaya# sittin" beside the robed Cik Aa!. Cik Aa! had been kind to her and allayed her fears. (ruly Cik Aa! was an an"el# to willin"ly share her husband

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with her# 'ariah the blousy lady# untutored in reli"ion# in fact untutored in everythin" except nasi belauk sellin"F C&t6s all 1llah6s decree#D si"hed 'ariah. CSo be it.D 'ariah6s weddin" surpassed even her own expectations. <er relatives# in deference to the stature of the new husband;to;be# or"anised the weddin" with particular .ealousness. She took out her savin"s fro! nasi belauk sellin" and prepared a bridal cha!ber "rander than that of her first weddin". &n an uncharacteristic show of fla!boyance and extrava"ance# 'ariah had her weddin" finery tailored in *ota +haru# no less. <er first husband had not been an &!a!# there had been no need for such fuss. @uests strea!ed into the house co!pound fro! sunrise till sundown# heapin" co!pli!ents upon her and con"ratulatin" her. CWell# at least they harbour no ill feelin"s towards !e#D she noted. 1fter the isha% prayers# with the "uests finally departed# she si"hed with obvious relief that it was all over. 'ariah found herself alone in the bridal cha!ber# ready to a"ain be"in life anew as a !arried wo!an. (he &!a! saluted at the door# and she replied# "ivin" hi! per!ission to enter. (he &!a! was dressed in a whitejubah and white serban# lookin" resplendent. 'ariah noticed that the serban was held in place with the ends fashionably tied back. She suddenly realised how physically attractive the &!a! was3 tall# well;built and with !easured !ove!ents. 'ariah -uickly averted her eyes fro! his piercin" "a.e and looked de!urely at her hennaed hand. <e ca!e forward# took 'ariah6s hand in his own and kissed it fervently and lon"# inhalin" the heady scent of 'ariah6s (abu perfu!e. <is eyes closed# his drea! realised# the &!a! !ana"ed a hoarse C(hank you# @od# for Aour +ounty#D before 'ariah6s perfu!e co!pletely enveloped hi! and his senses.

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TASK 1. PERSONAL RESPONSE (itle of short story 1uthor 3 'ariah 3 Che <usna 1.hari

Mariah by Che <usna 1.hari depicts 'alay Society in 'alaysia. (he story was "enerally set in a s!all villa"e in 'olo# *ota +haru# *elantan. (he story be"an with the !ain character of 'ariah# a widower and a beautiful nasi berlauk seller. 1nother characters in this story are )ak &!a!# Cik Aa! and Che @u ,eh. )ak &!a! was a pious !an# husband of Cik Aa! and Che @u ,eh6s friend. (his story is about a poly"a!y issue within )ak &!a! who & consider as a bi" character besides 'ariah. &t also tells us about 'ariah6s beautiful fi"ure that attracted !ost of the !en in the villa"e. 1s a nasi berlauk seller# 'ariah usually started her day early in the !ornin". She would walked past in the !arket entrance into the villa"e s-uare every day. 1lthou"h her nasi berlauk was not too delicious# the !en in the villa"e always co!e to buy at her stall. (his is because they already attracted to her beauty and the i!portant thin"# she was sin"le 4a widow5. =ne day# )ak &!a! went to 'ariah6s stall with Che @u ,eh. <e was so surprised when saw 'ariah for the first ti!e. She really looked like )ak &!a!6s ex;"irl friend lon" ti!e a"o. )ak &!a! can6t stop thinkin" about 'ariah after that. <e also kept re!e!ber about his youth ti!e in (hailand. Day by day# )ak &!a! be"an to fall in love with 'ariah althou"h he had already !arried. 1s & know his wife# Cik Aa!# who is a loyal wife had been an icon of other wo!en with full packa"e of her own. She was "ood in cookin". +ut )ak &!a! still thou"ht about 'ariah. <e seriously wanted to take 'ariah as his second wife. So# he had to tell Cik Aa! about his intention to have another !arria"e with 'ariah. 1fter discussed# Cik Aa! felt so upset and did not a"ree at first. She refused to have third person between the!. +ut because she loves her

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husband so !uch# finally Cik Aa! "ave her per!ission to let )ak &!a! !arried for the second ti!e. 2ven thou"h )ak &!a! was a well respected person by the whole villa"ers# he was ?ust an ordinary hu!an bein" who behaves the way he is. :ro! what & read the story clearly tells us that )ak &!a! is a responsible husband towards Cik Aa! by !entionin" he will never ne"lect her after he "ot !arried to 'ariah as they have already went throu"h all the hardship to"ether. 1s a conclusion# & think this story can be an exa!ple to those who have intention to practice poly"a!y because it is a serious issue of life.

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