Thai Children's Bedtime Story Books.

[Livinginexile]

Recently I bought some Thai story books for my 3 year old son at the OnNut CareFour store.

It wasn’t until today when I looked at the pictures that I realized what the story was about. I got my Thai wife to translate for me so I will attempt a loose translation.

Page 1: The guy is a builder. He chopped all the trees down in the forest. Big trees, small trees all gone. He’s very worried because people are asking him to build houses but there is no wood left. Also his axe is now broken.

Page 2: One day a guy asked him to build an extension for his house. He replied “I nolonger know where to find trees and also my axe is broken”

Page 3: But no one can do a good job like you. Suddenly the builder remembered about another mountain that has got a lot of trees there, can you give me 6 months and I will complete your house.

Page 4: So the builder travels to the mountain with the broken axe and he asks himself how he never thought about this mountain before with so many healthy trees.

Page 5: When he arrived he asked all the trees around him “can I have just a small tree that is going to die” the trees replied “what do you want the tree for?” The builder didn’t answer the question but replied “I’ve travelled a long way, will you give me the tree I asked for? If you don’t give me a small tree I will chop you all down now!”

Page 6: So the trees decided “OK we will give you a small tree that is going to die” hoping this will satisfy the builder and he will go away. After he got the tree the builder went home. The trees were all relieved the builder was satisfied and went home.

Page 7: When the builder got home he used the small tree to repair his axe and in the morning went back to the mountain with his repaired axe and happily chopped down all the remaining trees.

Page 8: All the trees that was still alive lamented “if only we didn’t give him the small tree he would not have repaired his axe and come back to kill us all, now for sure we are all going to die”.

So it seems the moral of this story is…Lie and deceive and you will get anything you want!

I have many other children’s books with the same theme. One tells of a bully dog in the farm yard that happily gets his own way the more he intimidates the other farm yard animals.

I ask. Is this book indicative of the Thai education system?

How they teach their children to be selfish, self seeking ecological vandals and indeed criminals?

I will look very carefully next time I buy my son a Thai children’s book

[dave111223]

I would interpret the moral differently, from the point of view of the trees rather than the builder. I see the moral of the story in as somewhat a kids version of:

When the Nazis came for the communists,

I remained silent;

I was not a communist.

Then they locked up the social democrats,

I remained silent;

I was not a social democrat.

Then they came for the trade unionists,

I did not speak out;

I was not a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews,

I did not speak out;

I was not a Jew.

When they came for me,

there was no one left to speak out for me.

Moral being: stand up for your fellow man, when someone attempts to wrong them. Don't stand idly by and allow the woodsman to take the small/sick tree.

[Oberkommando]

Reminds me of Sri-Thanonchai selling the reflection of the moon in the water.

[coconutmonkey]

Unbelievable baby!

Anyhow, about the Nazi's and Jews by the second poster, I don't think kids are gonna pick up that meaning as opposed to the woodcutter's intent......!

Oh.

[Daffy D]

Interesting - At first I thought the story it was going to be about conservation.

Could be interpreted different ways but I would agree with "livinginexile" it does seem send the wrong message.

[greenwood01]

Dont blame them, its a third world country. They dont know cutting all the trees in 1 moutain might hurt future generations.

Also the adult and kid probably don't read the text, they look at the color and funny pictures and stay in awe! (oiiiiiiiiiiii rainbow color khapkhap)

[dave111223]

I think the point is that kids have no idea what the moral of the story is either way. It's really up to what you, the reader, tell them the point is.

You could tell them the moral is that trees on mountains can talk and have faces; they'd believe you.

[gpdjohn]

He told 'em to give up the dying tree now or he would cut them all down right then.

He never lied to 'em about coming back.

[scorecard]

".... At first I thought the story it was going to be about conservation. ''''"

I see another twist of this point:

- Most Thai teachers are products of the government education system and:

----- Most of them have little to zero knowledge and awareness of conservation etc.

----- Most of them have little capability to analyse the story and make a judgement about the message it's sending to the reader.

----- I wonder whether the people who write the story books are any different to the profile I've just given about teachers?

----- There is always another possibility - the story and pictures have been 'stolen' from books published in other countries.

[MJP]

I think the point is that kids have no idea what the moral of the story is either way. It's really up to what you, the reader, tell them the point is.

You could tell them the moral is that trees on mountains can talk and have faces; they'd believe you.

I've been here too long.

I read it. Had no idea what to make of it. Then looked at the pretty pictures like you say.

In my brain dead condition, I'd believe you!

To add: I think I'm becoming a caribou.

Edited May 12, 2009 by MJP

[JohnGotti]

very strange kids story. the moral is from the tree perspective, as others have pointed out, but a child is more likely to visualize the builder as the hero.

[sassienie]

I would interpret the moral differently, from the point of view of the trees rather than the builder. I see the moral of the story in as somewhat a kids version of:

When the Nazis came for the communists,

I remained silent;

I was not a communist.

Then they locked up the social democrats,

I remained silent;

I was not a social democrat.

Then they came for the trade unionists,

I did not speak out;

I was not a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews,

I did not speak out;

I was not a Jew.

When they came for me,

there was no one left to speak out for me.

Moral being: stand up for your fellow man, when someone attempts to wrong them. Don't stand idly by and allow the woodsman to take the small/sick tree.

That was by -- Reverend Dr. Martin Niemoeller a quote I made in one of my old posts.

I can’t see any relevance between that and these childrens story books.

It seems these stories are teaching children how to lie and be deceitful, nothing to do with standing up for your fellow man but rather how to cheat them.

[sbk]

A similar sort of book but one much better done is the Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein, not so much about conservation but about selfishness. I suppose, if one were to look at it and assume a negative stance, one could easily come up with the same sort of objections as members do to this book.

Perhaps if you read the book to your child and then explained the moral of the story in a more clear manner than the author did, it would have more impact.

[thithi]

Well I taught you NOT to be selfish. Think about it deeper. We have the Idioms saying "Give the clown your finger, and he will take your hand. OR Save a stranger from the sea, and he’ll turn your enemy. etc.."

When I was in elementary school I had to read some bedtime stories to find what the writers teach the readers. Most Thai tales, the writers clarified the meaning of Idioms by telling story. If you do not think about it deeper, you will not get to understand it.

and I still believe this is one of all best ways to teach kids.

Edited May 12, 2009 by thithi

[phaethon]

The moral is: Buy an axe with a fibreglass/resin handle that won't break.

[sanmiguel]

So it seems the moral of this story is…Lie and deceive and you will get anything you want!

But unfortunately if you tell the gods honest truth and are unbelievably open and free from lies you may be able to sleep at night, but you'll just not have all the tools to have what it takes to get by in the world of business and life in general.

Jack and the Beanstalk was my favourite book as a kid, that basically teaches you to trust no <deleted>, and that my blood smells!

[MJP]

The moral is: Buy an axe with a fibreglass/resin handle that won't break.

[mahtin]

Maybe it's a Thai thing for the protagonist to be the villain.

Up to the parent to explain.

[harrry]

The moral is: Buy an axe with a fibreglass/resin handle that won't break.

Or even better a chainsaw.

[DP25]

It seems like you're deliberately trying to interpret the story in the most negative way possible.

[MJP]

It seems like you're deliberately trying to interpret the story in the most negative way possible.

I guess most of us are blokes ranging in age from twenties to sixties. What do you possibly expect?

[phaethon]

It seems like you're deliberately trying to interpret the story in the most negative way possible.

I thought of that, but IIRC chainsaws are illegal/need special permits in LOS. This is to protect the sales of children's books.

Edited May 13, 2009 by phaethon

[sket01]

I think you have lost translation in some points. Well it's not your false. You can see expression from the big trees showing that they are not happy about it. Then it depends on how you want to tell and end the story.

I'm a preschool teacher in AUS and I am Thai. If you really look at the children book this day not only in Thailand, even in Australia as well. What available on the book shelf is shocking for parents and teachers. Also when children bring books for book sharing or show&tell, they just have crappy books from home. Some books use inappropriate words. You have to becareful when you want to buy a book for your child even it's not in thailand.