Prompt: Express thoughts on the Coconut Skull story
Essay Expressing Thoughts on the Coconut Skull Story
Story:
Since childhood, we've been exposed to numerous fairy tales, each carrying profound moral lessons on how to live, how to be of service, and how to uphold our conscience. The Coconut Shell is one such gentle tale, imbued with lofty humanitarian values, teaching us not to judge people by their appearances and reminding us of the law of karma in life: 'Good begets good', 'Evil begets evil'.
A farmer couple, well into their fifties without a child of their own, stumbled upon a coconut shell filled with rainwater under a big tree on a sunny day. The wife drank from it and soon found herself expecting. A fictitious yet morally rich detail, perhaps the heavens, moved by the couple's virtue, decided to bless them with a child. The Coconut Shell was born with a peculiar and grotesque appearance, lacking limbs, resembling a coconut, shunned and scorned by society. Yet beneath that unsightly exterior lay noble qualities that humanity aspires to. Despite his impoverished circumstances, the Coconut Shell found fulfillment in tending to the rich man's buffaloes, ensuring they were well-fed every day. Surprise! The Coconut Shell was, in fact, a handsome and talented young man, adept at playing the flute. A person of complete virtue, concealed beneath a hideous exterior. This twist adds intrigue, captivating the reader and accentuating the story's uniqueness. The ancients aimed to teach us never to judge a person solely by their appearance; to understand them fully, we must evaluate their inner qualities comprehensively.
In ancient feudal societies, rigid class divisions and disparities in wealth created rifts among people, fostering feelings of inadequacy and resignation to fate. Yet, the poor and unsightly Coconut Shell dared to dream of marrying the rich man's daughter. It was a bold move, requiring exceptional courage that even an ordinary man would find challenging. Despite the ridicule and disdain from the rich man and his two elder daughters, the youngest daughter agreed to marry the Coconut Shell. She was a kind and compassionate girl, with a heart full of empathy, who soon realized that the Coconut Shell was no ordinary man. She saw through to the hidden beauty within his soul.
The Wedding:
On the wedding day, Coconut Shell transformed into a handsome, charming young man, much to everyone's surprise. With his intelligence and diligence, he passed the imperial examination. This reflects the life philosophy of 'Good deeds bring good results'; living virtuously and kindly in any situation will always be rewarded accordingly, while the unjust and selfish will face bitter consequences.
Witnessing their younger sister's happiness, the two elder sisters harbored jealousy and resentment, plotting to harm her. Coconut Shell foresaw this and prepared his wife to overcome the adversity. However, upon their return, instead of punishing the elder sisters, the Coconut Shell couple forgave them, demonstrating remarkable tolerance and magnanimity. This noble virtue, to overcome anger and show forgiveness to those who harm us, is truly admirable. Additionally, the story imparts a valuable lesson: one should not blindly trust even those closest to them. The Coconut Shell couple deservedly enjoyed a life of warmth and happiness.
Conclusion:
In addition to discussing reflections on the story of Coconut Shell, to understand the magical characteristics of fairy tales through the character of Coconut Shell and the embedded beliefs of the people in the story, you can explore: Role-playing as Coconut Shell recounting the tale of Coconut Shell, Summarizing the story of Coconut Shell, Analysis of the fairy tale Coconut Shell, Perceptions of the character Coconut Shell through the fairy tale Coconut Shell that you've learned.
