TO AND THE COWRIE SHELL
(A Summary)
By Supannee Khanchanathiti
Once upon a time, there was an orphan whose name was Makato. He didn't
I have any
ways to support himself, so he did every kind of work such
as, carrying heavy
things,
clearing away forest, and even
feeding pigs. Although
he was paid only a small
wage,
he never
idled and was
satisfied of everything. As a
result, people around him
noticed his hard work and were
very pleased of him.
Makato dreamed of going on an adventure to a far and bigger place where the
land was
fertile, and the people were kind. He left his village and
set out into the wide
world. He
walked along
cheerfully, enjoying new insights and
talking to the people he
met on the way. After a
long month's joumey, he reached a village
on the boundary of
the Kingdom of Sukhotai.
He met an old woman who helped
her. He told her that he
had come from a
far place and he wanted to see the king,
who he had heard was kind.
He worked with
the king's elephants and he started working
for her. After some time
working,
he finally met with the king. During the encounter, he
picked up a cowrie shell
that was
lying on the road and offered it to the king
(Cowrie shells were used for money,
but just one was practically worthless).
When Makato offered the shell to the King, the King said he could keep it.
Makato
was wondering what he could repay
to honor the king's gift. He saw some
lettuce seeds at a stall in the market and
thought that he could grow them. He asked
the woman about them, and she let
him have as many as would stick to his finger in
return for his treasured
cowrie shell. He made the lettuces grew abundantly. The next
time he saw
the king, he gave one to him and told him he grew them from the shell that
he had
given him. The king was very impressed and gave him a job in the castle.
Eventually, Makato grew up and married the daughter of the king.
Read the lines taken from the story. Identify the transition signals used in each
sentence. Write your answers on a separate sheet of paper.
1. Although Makato was paid only a small wage, he never idled and was satisfied
of everything.
2. Fortunately, he met an old woman who helped her.
3. As a result, people around him noticed his hard work and were very pleased of him.
4. After a month's journey, he reached a village on the boundary of the Kingdom
of Sukhotai.
5. So he did every kind of work such as carrying heavy things, clearing away forest, and
even feeding pigs.
​