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English version

In English, this story by Aloihio Kave Kelemete is:

The Present

page 2

“Teao,” called Telehia, his mother, “it’s 10 o’clock. Come and tidy your room.”

“Yeah, just a minute, OK, Mum?”, replied Teao. Teao and his father, Peato, were in the garage. He was learning how to make a shell pendant for a necklace.

“Design the necklace. Make the pendant six centimetres long, OK?”, said his dad.

Teao designed the necklace. The pendant was six centimetres long. “Look here, Dad. Is this OK?”, asked Teao.

Peato replied, “Yeah, that’s good.”

“Teao,” called Mum, “it’s a quarter past ten. Come and make up your bed properly.”

“OK, I’m coming, Mum!” replied Teao. He picked up the shell and the felt pen.

“Draw the shape onto the shell”, said his dad.

Teao drew the shape onto the shell carefully. “Look here, Dad. Is this OK?” asked Teao.

Peato replied, “Yeah, that’s good.”

 

 

page 5

“Teao,” called Mum, “it’s half past ten. Come and wash the dishes.”

“Yep, just a minute, OK, Mum?” replied Teao.

“Cut the shape from the shell. Use the small saw”, said Peato.

Teao picked up the small saw.

“Here, hold it like this. Be careful. Watch that you don’t cut yourself” said Peato.

Teao carefully cut out the shape. He didn’t cut himself. “Have a look, Dad. Is this OK?” asked Teao.

Peato replied, “Yeah, that’s good.”

“Teao,” called his sister, Hilivēlia, “it’s a quarter to eleven. Come and help me fold the clothes.”

“Yep, just a minute, OK, Hilivēlia?” replied Teao.

“Smooth out the sides of the pendant with sandpaper” said Peato. “Here, use the sandpaper like this.”

Teao smoothed out the sides with sandpaper. This part took a while. “Look here, Dad. Is this OK?” asked Teao.

Peato replied, “Yeah, that’s good.”

page 7

“Teao,” called Mum, “where are you? It’s eleven o’clock. Come and put your clothes away.” Mum was getting impatient.

“Yep, hang on a minute, OK, Mum?” replied Teao. “What are we doing now, Dad?”

“Take the drill”, replied Peato.

Teao took the drill.

“Drill a small hole into the pendant ... like this through to the other side”, said Peato.

Teao started to drill the hole.

“Take it slowly. The pendant could break”, said Peato.

Teao carefully drilled a small hole on the side of the pendant. “I’ve done it” said Teao.

“Good one” replied Peato.

“Teao”, called Papa, “it’s eleven fifteen. Come and water the plants at the front of the house.”

“OK, I’m coming now!” replied Teao.

“Varnish the pendant to make it shiny. Here, use this brush” said Peato.

Teao took the brush and began to varnish the pendant.

“When you’ve finished that, put it on the table to dry” said Peato.

Teao varnished the pendant. He put it on the table to dry. “I’ve done it” said Teao.

“Good one” replied Peato.

page 8

“Teao, what are you doing? It’s after half past eleven. Come and open up the windows in the lounge” called Telehia impatiently.

“Yep, just a minute, OK?” replied Teao.

“Measure the string. Make it 40 centimetres long. Make three of them,” said Dad.

Teao took the string, the ruler, and the scissors. He measured three lengths of string with the ruler. He cut them with the scissors. “Look at these three lengths of string. I’ve measured them to be 40 centimetres long” said Teao.

“That’s it”, replied Peato.

“Teao”, called Hilivēlia, “it’s a quarter to twelve. Come and boil the jug.”

“Yep, here I come!” replied Teao.

“Tie the three strings together”, said his dad. “Plait the strings together and then poke it through the hole.”

“Like this?” asked Teao.

“Yeah, just like that”, replied Peato.

Teao plaited the lengths of string carefully and threaded the plaited string through the hole. “Look here, Dad!” he said.

page 11

“Teao”, called Mum. “It’s lunchtime now. Come with your Dad, we’re going eat. Come now!”

“Man, time flies, eh! How does it look to you, Dad?” Teao asked Peato.

“Way to go, Teao. Your necklace looks great,” replied his dad proudly. “Come on, let’s go inside and eat.”

“Teao,” asked Mum. “What were you doing out the back? I was calling out for you a lot! I was calling you to come and do your chores!”

“Yeah, I was calling you to come and help me fold the clothes and to boil the jug”, said Hilivēlia.

“Yes, I was calling you to come and water the plants at the front of the house”, said Papa.

“I was calling you to come and open the windows in the lounge. So tell me, what were you two doing in the garage?” asked Mum.

 

 

page 12

Teao replied, “I was making you a present.” He showed his mum the necklace.

She was very surprised when she saw the necklace. “Teao, thank you so much! It’s pretty!” she said.

Teao placed the necklace around his mum’s neck.

“Thank you, Teao,” said Telehia, “but when you’ve finished lunch, go and do your chores, eh?”

Dad just laughed.


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