Star in the Apple

At my class of Learning Experiences yesterday, the teacher told us the story of a Star in the Apple. I was totally intrigued and inspired by her story-telling skills and of course, the story itself. Here's the story:

There was this little boy who was really bored one day. He didn't feel like playing with his blocks, or his trucks. So, his mother on seeing how bored he was, said to him, "Why don't you take a walk outside, and try to find this little red house, with no windows and no doors, and has a star inside it?"

The little boy thought to himself, "hmmm... this is interesting, a red house with no windows, no doors and a star inside it??", and so decided to do as what his mother suggested, to look for this special house.

He went out of his door, and walked along the path. He walked and walked (pat on lap to create sound of footsteps), and saw a farmer. The little boy asked, "Hi, have you seen a little red house, with no windows and no doors, and a star inside it?" The farmer answered, "hmm... I've been growing my crops here for a long time, but I've never seen a house with no windows and no doors, and a star inside it.. maybe you should go ask the mailman. He delivers mail to many houses. Maybe he's seen a house like that. All you have to do, is just walk a little further down the path, and you may find him." The little boy said, "Ok, thank you." and went on his way.

He walked and walked, and after a little while, saw the mailman, "Hi, have you seen a little red house with no windows and no doors and a star inside it?" The mailman replied, "Hmmm. I've delivered mail to many houses.. but I've never seen a little red house with no windows and no doors and a star inside it... but maybe you'll like to ask the Grandma who lived down the road.. she's been living here for a long time. Maybe she has seen a house like that." The little boy said, "Ok, thank you" and went on his way.

He walked and walked, and after a little while, he saw Grandma, sitting in a rocking chair at the front porch of her house. The little boy went up the flight of steps, and ask the Grandma, "Grandma, grandma, have you seen a little red house with no windows and no doors and a star inside it?" The Grandma replied, "Ah... I've lived here for a very long time, but I've never seen a little red house with no windows and no doors and a star inside it." The little boy was starting to get a little disappointed. he had asked so many people, and yet no one knows where to find a house like that. But Grandma said, "Do not be discouraged, my boy. You can go ask the North Wind. The North Wind has gone to many places. He'll know where to find a house like that. He lives in the hills, just right ahead." The little boy sighed, and said, "Oh ok.. I'll just go ask the North Wind, and hope he can help me find the little red house with no windows and no doors and a star inside it."

The little boy went on his way, and climbed up the hills. On top of the hill, is a tree with many apples on it. He started to call out for the North Wind, "North Wind, North Wind, where are you? Can you help me find the little red house with no windows and no doors and a star inside it?" Just as he shouted, he felt a cold wind blowing on his back... "Oooh..." At that moment, an apple fell from the tree and landed right at his feet.

The little boy picked up the apple, and looked at it for a while. "Hmmm... this looks like a house, and it's red." Turning the apple, the boy thought to himself, "It hasn't got any windows or doors...hmmm... i wonder if it's got a star inside it?" He then took out a little pocket knife and sliced the apple into half.. and "Lo and Behold!! There it is, a star inside it!!!" (as teacher was telling story, she sliced an apple horizontally in front of all of us) The little boy was so happy and could wait to run home to show his mommy that he has found the little red house, with no windows and no doors, and a star inside it.

I was really touched by this story... For 30 years of my life, I've never known that there is a star in every apple, because I've only known one way of cutting an apple, from top to bottom. I went home and asked my hubby if he had known that there is a star inside an apple. He looked at me, and go, "Huh?? there is? what star?"

Have we really been so conditioned in the Singapore education system, such that who cares if there's a star inside an apple? As long as apple can be eaten, good enough .. or maybe, as the elders say, "Cannot play with food!!" Or maybe, anything else does not matter..only As and A-stars matter.

I'm noting this story down, because I hope to tell this story to my girl, and perhaps to other children one day. Finding a star in an apple is a magical thing, and i hope my girl will be able to appreciate this magic one day.