SING TO THE DAWN

SUMMARY OF CHAPTERS

CHAPTER 1
 The story began early in the morning when Dawan (the main character) was already awake.
 She was lying on her sleeping mat while watching all her family members including her brother
Kwai who were still sleeping soundly and peacefully.
 Despite lacking of many things in life and living in a small hut with all her family members, they
still felt the comfort of having a place called home.
 As all the living creatures started to show signs that they were awake, Dawan could not resist to
step out of the house to enjoy the special morning.
 Being a humble and courteous daughter, she quietly made her way to the door so that she
wouldn’t disturb others who were still sleeping. Then, she saw Kwai was following her out.
 They both seemed so happy that morning that they raced to the river. Kwai was far ahead. Dawan
tried to trace Kwai in the river and in the middle of the paddy fields but she only found him on the
bridge, waiting for her.
 They were both sitting silently together on the bridge, enjoying the fresh and cold morning.
 Dawan somehow felt more delighted that day and started singing her song while Kwai enjoying it
by swaying his body following the rhythm of the song.
 Then, they talked about the scholarship that Dawan thought Kwai would win because he was a
boy.
 Both of them were hopeful to get the scholarship as it offered the winner to further studies in the
city.
 Education was the only way for Dawan and Kwai to help their villagers who were oppressed by
the landlords. The landlords took their yields of paddy more than they deserved and left the
villagers with too little to survive for the rest of the coming days.
 They wanted to make changes in the unfair system which was practiced in their community for so
long. They were really troubled by that situation.
 They were guessing who might win the scholarship but Dawan insisted that Kwai would be the
winner because he was a boy and she was a girl. Even her parents thought that it was foolish and
wasteful to send girls to school.

CHAPTER 2
 The teacher greets the class and signals the students to sit down. Everyone is present in the class
that morning and the teacher is amused that his students are so quiet and well-behaved.
 The students are a little disappointed because they are expecting their teacher to announce the
winner of the scholarship.
 He begins the class by asking his students what they saw beneath their homes that morning.
 He starts the discussion about the sacks of rice they have seen underneath their houses in the
morning waiting to be collected by the tax collector.
 He analyses with them the reasons for the landlord taking away the sacks of rice as rent for their
rice fields.
 Dawan raises the question of land ownership and the teacher has an in –depth discussion on the
issue with the class.
 A student spots the headmaster heading towards the classroom and warns everyone that he is
coming. The teacher and students immediately pretend that they are in the midst of a Geography
lesson. They go on with the discussion until the headmaster walks away.
 Finally, the teacher announces that he has an important announcement to make. He informs the
class that he has received the government examination results.
 Before he announces the winner, the teacher asks his students what they should do if they win the
scholarship. Kwai says that the winner should learn what is useful to the village people and return
to help the village after he has finished studying.
 Dawan says the scholarship winner must learn how to change the old rules in the village for a
fairer system.
 Finally, the teacher announces that Dawan has won the scholarship.
 In her community, chances and opportunities were only given to boys/men because they believed
that girls/women were only destined to be wives and obeyed their husbands’ orders.

CHAPTER 3
People’s reaction to Dawan after the scholarship announcement
 After the last bell rang, Dawan’s classmates surrounded her and bombarded her with questions.
 Feeling anxious, Dawan looked around desperately for Kwai.
 She saw him standing alone in the doorway clutching his books. He was watching her in the midst
of her admirers.
 She called out to him but he turned away and left.
 Dawan rammed her way through the crowd looking for her brother but this time she was stopped
by a group of monks from a temple nearby.
 They reminded her to tell her family the good news.

Reaction of Dawan’s family members once they learnt she had won the scholarship
 As Dawan walked towards home, she had the uneasy feeling that Kwai already knew the good
news and that he hated her for winning the scholarship.
 Upon arriving home, she saw her mother singing tunelessly to her baby brother, her grandmother
feeding the chickens and her father repairing the chicken coop.
 Dawan asked her grandmother if Kwai had arrived home.
 Before her grandmother could reply, her mother complained that Kwai had been home but left.
He was supposed to have cut some bamboo shoots for her for dinner.
 Her grandmother, sensing something was wrong, asked Dawan what was on her mind.
 Her father, becoming impatient, asked her what was wrong.
 When Dawan glanced at her father, she noticed that the pile of rice sacks under the house was
gone. The landlord’s man had taken all the rice. Realising this, she feared her father would be in a
bad mood when she told him the good news.
 Finally, she explained to her family that she had won the scholarship to study in the city and
asked if she could go.
 Dawan’s father asked whether Kwai had won anything to which she answered there was only one
prize.
 Dawan’s father accused her of taking her brother’s chance away from him. He flung him hammer
and walked to the rice field.
 Dawan’s grandmother walked up to Dawan and told Dawan she was proud of her.
 Dawan’s mother called from the veranda and told her grandmother not to encourage Dawan as her
father would not let her go. This hurt Dawan a lot.
 Her grandmother replied by saying she was doing what she thought was right.

Grandmother’s plan
 She told Dawan that she wanted to take her to Noi’s house.
 When Dawan’s mother asked why, she replied that Noi and her husband had both lived in the city
before. They would be able to say what it was like for a girl to go to school there. Furthermore,
Noi and her husband liked Dawan a lot.
 Suddenly, Dawan’s mother realised what Dawan’s grandmother was trying to do.
 She said that Dawan’s grandmother was trying to talk Noi into persuading Dawan’s father to let
her study in the city.
 Dawan’s mother replied that Noi would be unsuccessful as Dawan’s father had had his heart set
on Kwai going to the city. He would never think that a girl would be the right choice to go.
 Dawan’s grandmother said that she and Dawan would walk 3 kilometres to speak to Noi.
 Dawan handed her school books to her mother and joined her grandmother.
 After taking not more than 20 steps, Dawan and her grandmother heard her mother calling from
behind

Mother decides to help

 Dawan’s mother realised that 3 kilometres was along way for an old woman to walk so she agreed
to take Dawan to see Noi while Dawan’s grandmother would look after Dawan’s baby brother
who had been left on the ground underneath the house.

CHAPTER 4
 Dawan’s mother and Dawan were at Noi’s house. They gulped down the coconut water that Noi’s
husband, Ghan had offered.
 Dawan noticed there were some colourful postcards and calendar pictures of city tacked onto the
walls. It was these pictures of city scenes, of glistening temples and bustling city streets, that
Dawan now stared at with bright curious eyes.
 Noi, a few years older than Dawan, told Dawan’s mother that the city life was bad and not
suitable for Dawan, (page 30)’Noi said that what can a young girl like Dawan hopes to learn,
alone in the city? There is nothing good or healthy there and she will only become bitter and
angry.’
 Noi went to the city to work and for studying there.
 While they were talking, a short and flabby man by the name of Mr. Phaspras arrived and wanted
to see Ghan. He was the officer who recruited young men for the army.
 As Ghan refused to be drafted, they had to give Mr. Phaspras money. Ghan and Noi did not have
money, so they had to pay 40% more the following year.
 Noi thinks that city life is worse, (page 34)’Noi stated that Everything is ugly and cruel in the
city’ as the city is not fair especially for villagers like them (page 36) ‘Noi said that the city is
made for the rich people and the foreigners, the villagers go there only to serve them’.
 Noi retorted angrily by saying that villagers only wanted to hear about The Big City fairytales.
 Noi also pointed out that in the city, there are things that the villagers did not want to hear and
would not want to believe at all.
 Noi also stated villagers are made to work extra hard and yet are paid less than what they
deserved
  Dawan’s mother disagreed as she thought Dawan is going to the city only to study. She said that
such a pattern of unfairness is still happening in the village too. She pointed out that for Dawan,
the city need not be an unfair place. She does not need to pay off any debt or work for anybody.
 Ghan voiced out his opinion, saying that it is much healthier for a young girl to grow uo in the
countryside because everyone is treated the same. Monks and peasants, students and teachers,
peddlers and shopkeepers, all riding up and down the same klong-boats together. But in the city,
rich people ride in big shiny cars, while the rest of poor people have to walk.
 Dawan voiced out her opinion about the importance of setting good education to improve the life
of the villagers,(page 38)’Dawan says that it is hard to change things, even the smallest thing
without changing overall pattern that these things are a part of. She wants to study how the
system works and moves and she thinks she could help to find a better one’.
 Dawan said that it is hard to change things, even the smallest thing without changing overall
pattern. She wants to study how the system works and moves. She thought she could help to find
a better one.
 Noi finally came out with her honest opinion that going to the city will actually do more harm
than good in long run for Dawan
 Dawan insisted that she still needs to see the city life by herself.

CHAPTER 5
i) The catching up
 On the way home, Dawan realizes that she could hear Kwai’s quick footsteps and decides to wait
for him. Her mother wants to go back as she wants to cook dinner.
 With a buffalo in front, Kwai is catching up with something to say to Dawan.
 Kwai is angry and bitter about Dawan taking their mother with her to Noi’s house. She hopes Noi
and her husband, Ghan are willingly to persuade their father to let her go to the city.
 Unfortunately, they dislike the idea of a young girl going to the city and they do not support her
decision to study there because both Ghan and Noi have lived in the city and their good impression
becomes the absolute opposite and they are worried of what will happen to Dawan.
 Dawan worries that it is now harder to get her father’s permission.
 Kwai asks Dawan whether she still wants to go to the city.
 He then reveals that he went back to school and pressured the teacher to tell him his result. He
learnt that he came out second in the examination after his dear sister.

ii) The Dilemma

 Kwai informs her that if she does not take the offer to study in the city, then he will go instead.
 Dawan still insisted to her brother to let her have the opportunity to study in the city and explains
that it is the only chance for her to continue studying.
 That is the last year their father will pay for her school fees. Kwai has many chances to get the
scholarship and their father will let him study as long as he can afford it. Kwai still wants to study
in the city with a scholarship because it is very expensive for their father to pay for his studies
there.
 Thus, Dawan consoles her brother by saying that he could still try and get the prize in the next
exam to join her sister in the city.
 Dawan thinks that the scholarship is a mere prize and Kwai challenged that concept by saying that
the prize is a responsibility that is entitled to the male. He even states that Dawan is only a girl and
she would not have the strength to argue loudly, or to lead people in times of crisis.
 Kwai on the other hand, struck his chest with his hand saying that he is able to do all of the above.
After a moment of silence, Kwai suggests that they attend the class in the city in turns and Dawan
replies that the idea would only confuse the teacher.
 As they reach their home compound, Dawan wants assurance from her brother of the news that
Kwai comes in second after her.
 Kwai, still clinging strongly of the opportunity of going to the city, has this dilemma between
choosing what is best for him or his sister; liberating his sister or him ended up hating himself for
giving up the chance. In the end, he states that he doesn’t need to promise anything to Dawan.

CHAPTER 6
Tension during dinner.
 The family was having dinner at their house. There was an awkward silence and tension, even
the smaller children noticed it and were unusually quiet.
 Their mother made vegetable soup and added fishballs in the hope of softening father’s mood.
During dinner, mother and Dawan tried to talk to her father about her schooling in the city but he
silenced them. He was reluctant to let Dawan go.
 Father said that it was too early to even consider letting Dawan go to the City and asked them to
wait for a few days. However, Dawan protested by saying that if she was really going, she should
leave within that week itself.
 Hearing that, Kwai, who had previously found out that he came in second after his sister, tried his
luck by asking father if he would allow him to go if he had won the scholarship. Father said that
Kwai would benefit more from the schooling as he was a boy and Kwai could eventually help the
family and be useful to him.
 Dawan was anxious and wary if Kwai would tell father about him coming in second right after
her. Dawan tried to catch Kwai’s eyes but he refused to look at his sister as he was nervous to
look at her.
 After dinner, Kwai went off immediately, alone. After doing the dishes, Dawan dashed outside in
search for Kwai but he was nowhere to be found, so Dawan made her way to the river.

Glimpse of hopes at the river.

 While wandering, Dawan began to doubt herself, whether she was deserving of the scholarship
and was capable of doing what Kwai was capable of because she was only a girl.
 However, she persevered and felt a strong need to struggle for her rights. All she needed was
some outside source of support. But, her father would not listen to her arguments; Noi out of
conviction and her mother out of fear had refused to act on her behalf. And now even her brother
was threatening to speak out against her for himself. To whom could she turn to seek help?
 This was when she saw a monk bathing in the river and it gave her an idea of going to the temple
to talk to the head monk. She believed that the kind old monk could help persuade her father as he
was the one person that the father looked up to the most and he would definitely listen to the
monk to allow her to study in the City.

CHAPTER 7
Buying a lotus bud at the market
 At dawn, Dawan went to the market alone for the first time. It was a busy and crowded place.
Peddlers were squatting on the muddy ground, keeping an alert eye on their goods. They were
selling fruits, cakes, fish, cucumbers and straw brooms. There were people of all ages selling,
buying, bargaining and mingling around. Monks were walking silently through the crowd. Their
orange robes fluttering in the soft breeze.
 Dawan seemed hesitant as she had never been to the market alone.
 Dawan looked around for a flower stall to buy a lotus bud. She saw a dark fat man sitting on a
wooden stool, selling flowers. She approached him and asked him timidly for a lotus bud.
Concentrating on peeling a hard-boiled egg, without looking at her, he told her that he wanted to
sell it for twenty cents.
 Unfortunately, she had ten cents only and tried to bargain but he refused to sell it to her at that
price.
 Dawan could not afford it and as she was about to walk away, a girl called her. The girl was
selling flowers and caged sparrows. Bao, the girl told Dawan that she could have one of her lotus
buds for free.
 Dawan insisted of paying her ten cents but Bao refused to accept it because she said that she
picked the flowers from the klong herself every morning and it did not cost her anything. Bao
told Dawan that she went swimming before anyone was awake. That was when she picked them.
Dawan looked surprised and laughed. She told Bao that sometimes she went swimming secretly,
too.
 Dawan was curious as to why the girl was selling them. Bao told her that her made her do so
because she refused to help with the house chores. She preferred being outdoor, but now that she
had to be at the market every day, it was not that exciting anymore.
 Dawan insisted to pay but Bao told Dawan to throw her coin in the river or bury it in the mud.
The defiant look on her face made Dawan respect and like her.
 Dawan shared her secret of her mission with Bao, that she was going to the temple with the lotus
to see the head monk.
 Bao seemed curious, so Dawan explained to her that it was about her schooling. Enthusiastically,
Dawan talked about the storybooks, the new ideas and the sums, but suddenly she stopped,
looking sad.
 Bao told Dawan that her brother, Vichai, went to school but he hardly talked about it at all.
Dawan told her that Vichai was her classmate.
 Bao snorted and said that Vichai never mentioned her to anyone, and that she did not go to school
or do anything special or important, except selling lotus buds and caged sparrows every morning.
 Bao asked Dawan if she sat in front of Vichai. Dawan nodded, and Bao murmurmed that it was
why it was very important for Dawan to go to the temple that day.
 Bao realised that she was Dawan who won the school prize, signifying that Dawan was a bright
student.
 Dawan explained to her that people were not born smarter or dumber. It’s the chances given or
denied that made a difference. She said that she could read because she was given a chance to do
so.
 Dawan and Bao talked about their brothers. Bao said that Vichai was selfish and was always with
her to get what he wanted.
 Dawan confided that her brother. Kwai, might tell their father that he was second in the
examination so that she would be forbidden from studying. She was worried that she might have
to give up her chance to Kwai.
 Bao asked Dawan what she was going to do about it. Bao thought that Dawan should not give up
her chance without fighting for her rights.
 Dawan retorted, saying that it was the reason she was going to see the monk.
 Bao explained that monks were not supposed to get involved in ordinary people’s problems, but
the old monk who was kind and harmless might take sides with Dawan and help persuade father.
 Bao advised Dawan to make more merit before going into the wat, like buying a sparrow and set
it free, but Dawan claimed that she had only ten cents.
 Bao suggested that Dawan pay her the next day but Dawan refused as she would not be getting
any more money for a week.
 Finally, Dawan thanked Bao and walked to the temple.

CHAPTER 8
Dawan at the temple
 Dawan felt a bit shock when entering the temple which she found very peaceful, as she was used
to the bustle of the marketplace.
 At the doorway to the temple, she wiped the loose dirt of her feet and straightened her blouse and
sarong.
 Inside the temple it was dark and hollow, with scent of incense filtered through the cool dome.
 Two rows of monks sat near the altar in solemn stillness, chanting the Buddhist scriptures.
 There were a few village people on the floor space between the entrance and the altar who sat
quietly with their legs folded underneath them like resting deer.
 Dawan slipped discreetly to the front, with the lotus between her palms, she bowed slightly to the
statue of the Buddha, and carefully placed the bud in a big urn which already half-filled with fresh
flowers.
 She sat down gently, tucking her sarong under her, and listen to the chanting.
 When the head monk had finished reading the scriptures, the monks rose swiftly and dispersed
through the back door.

Dawan approached the head monk

 Dawan realised that this was her chance to approach the head monk. She sprang up quickly and
darted after him, ignoring the disapproving stares of the other villagers in the temple.
 Dawan was willing to wait for the monk as he was headed for breakfast.
 Dawan felt more relaxed and at ease while waiting for the monk at the open courtyard.
 She whistled softly, and slowly grew louder and more spirited. After a while, her lively whistling
stopped and she sighed softly.
 The monk murmured behind her, asking why the sudden change of mood. Dawan did not answer.
 The monk asked Dawan for the reason she was there at the temple. He could sense that it must be
something important. He saw that Dawan came to the temple with a lotus for the altar that
morning.
 Dawan said that she really wanted to free one caged bird at the marketplace to make merit, but
she didn’t have enough money. She said that the birds looked so forlorn all caged up until they
craned their necks to look at the sky between the bars of their cages.
 She admitted that she wanted to see those sparrows fly away free because they were meant to fly
far and wide.
 The monk could interpret that Dawan had the intention to be free too. He asked where Dawan
wanted to go.

Dawan told the head monk her intention to go the City school
 Dawan blurted out that she wanted to go the City school. The monk couldn’t believe what he
heard.
 Dawan showed her concerned towards her brother by telling the monk that she had the chance to
go away to study, but her brother wanted to go too.
 The monk knew that Dawan won the scholarship and her brother Kwai came in second. He knew
about Dawan and her brother from their teacher who was his good friend.
 The monk said that if her cage door was already open, she was free to fly to the faraway City
school.
 Dawan felt that she was betraying Kwai, when she said to the monk that her brother was blocking
her way.
 Dawan explained that if Kwai told their father that he had come in second, she would simply be
ordered to step aside for her brother.

Dawan asked the monk for his help

 Dawan requested him to persuade her father to allow her to go to the City school as it is my right
to go.
 She told him that she wanted to learn everything there.
 The monk told Dawan that she could learn everything she wanted in the temple. The monk said
that nothing is more important than learning the Holy One’s teachings.
 Dawan explained that she wanted to learn things to help people by curing the sick and helping
farmers own their own land with a new system.

The monk gave his opinion on Dawan’s intention to go to the City school
 The monk said that nothing lasts in this world and no one could stop suffering. He advised her to
learn about the Holy One’s truths. The monk said that when someone reaches Nirvana, he is freed
from the wheel of life, of being born, of suffering, of dying and of being born all over again.
 Dawan still wanted a chance to help people and make them happy. To her, someone who’s
suffering doesn’t just accept it. They learn to struggle, to fight against the pain in life.
 The monk tried to make Dawan realise that even if Dawan help a little now or manage to change
things to a small extent, none of this will last.

Dawan’s determination to pursue her dream

 She insisted to get a chance to try. In her opinion, as long as there’s some improvement in things,
even if it’s only for a while, it’s a worthwhile effort.
 The monk told her not to waste time dreaming of useless ambitions because she could not achieve
anything as she was only a mere schoolgirl.
 Dawan was angry that even the head monk did not support her. She told him angrily that she
knew that he refused to help her as he thought that she was a girl and could not achieve anything.
 She added that if it were her brother, he would help. The monk denied it but she did not believe
him and ran away crying.

CHAPTER 9
 As Dawan leaves the temple gates, her anger begins to reside and she wonders again if she should
give up and let Kwai have his way.
 Feeling small and tired, Dawan leans to a tree and that was when Bao, a friend of her spots her
from the marketplace.
 Bao takes Dawan to her stall and tries to comfort her and encourages her to not give in to Kwai
but to pursue her ideals.
 Bao advices Dawan to free herself from all her troubles and to push herself forward . To show
Dawan what she means, Bao makes Dawan to open the bird cage and set one of the birds free.
She wants Dawan to go to the city and fly away like the tiny sparrow.
 Unknowing to Bao, her own brother, Vichai is watching and seeing her freeing the sparrow for no
money, he approaches her . Upon realizing the trouble she is in, Bao tells her friend to run away.
 From a distance, Dawan sees Vichai asking Bao about the bird she freed without collecting
money for it and he turns nasty when Bao acts calmly and tells him off and threatens him by
saying that she might free all the birds in the future.
 That sets the fire in Vichai and he hits his sister and Dawan runs to her friend to help. Fortunately,
Kwai appears and stops Vichai from continuing to hot his sister. In the scuffle, one of the birds is
crushed and Bao is heartbroken.
 After Vichai goes away, Bao thanks Kwai but then when Bao realises who is Kwai, she scolds
him for being a bully and a bad brother to his own sister.
 Kwai gets angry and is about to strike Bao. Dawan tries to stop him but he pushes her and she
falls on top of the broken cages causing a piece of wood to cut her ankle. As Kwai tries to wipe
the blood, Dawan screams at him accusing him of being a bully and taking her chance away.
 Noi who happens to be in the market, notices the ordeal and hurriedly approaches Dawan to help
her. She nurses he wound and tells the crowd to disperse .Noi advises Dawan not to get in the way
of boys and men as she may get hurt like what has just happened.
 Then it starts to rain, and everyone leaves the market. Dawan limps back home and Noi and Bao
go on their direction too leaving behind the scene at the market.

CHAPTER 10
1. Alone in the rain
 Dawan was on her way home, limping under the heavy rain.
 She dragged her feet as her ankle hurts. She is also thinking about the possible questions from her
parents related with the injury.
 While walking, she was thinking about avoiding from her brother, Kwai.
 Dawan is looking for calmness as she approached the river, but the weather didn’t help out. The
river wasn't calm at all.

2. Bridging the gap

 Dawan approached the bridge and she saw Kwai was standing on the bridge.
 Even though she didnt want to talk to her brother after what had happened at the marketplace, she
felt that she has a lot more to be said to Kwai.
 Dawan muttered that her brother was going to catch a cold. So, she shouted loudly to Kwai about
what she thought might happen to Kwai.
 Kwai responded by asking about Dawan's ankle. Dawan said it will heal.
 Dawan asked Kwai about his presence at the bridge, Kwai asked Dawan the same thing.
 Dawan instructed Kwai to come down to the bridge, but Kwai told her that he was thinking about
what happened at the marketplace. Especially on what Dawan said to him about being a bully.
 Dawan told Kwai that at that moment she was angry because Kwai has stolen her chance to further
her studies.
 Kwai insisted that he wanted to have the opinion from her sister but Dawan said he has to think by
himself.
 Kwai admitted that he was thinking about what he's supposed to do after what Dawan said to him.
 Kwai felt that it is best for him to think at that kind of situation rather than thinkinh calmly at
home.

3. "Holding the umbrella, together"

 Dawan forced Kwai to use the umbrella, worrying tha her brother would catch a cold.
 Kwai didnt realize that Dawan had given him the umbrella.
 After Dawan left, Kwai realized that her sister was limping, slowly heading back home.
 Kwai shouted at Dawan and told her that she needed the umbrella more than him.
 Kwai realized that the love of his sister towards him didnt fade away despite what had happened
earlier at the marketplace. She left the umbrella for him even though she needs it more.
 Kwai has made up his mind. While holding the umbrella high, he tried to catch up with her sister
and share the umbrella till they reached home.

CHAPTER 11
 Kwai decided to go home, came splashing noisily to catch up with Dawan
 Doing so, he slowed down his pace to walk beside his sister, holding the umbrella carefully over
both of them.
 Informed Dawan that he had got things all thought out, meaning that he had made up his mind
not to tell their father that he had come out second in the scholarship test
 Dawan who then understood that Kwai had made up his mind of supporting her in her quest to
pursue her studies in the city, broke up into a beautiful, broad grin.
Half-hopping, half-dancing, she ran up to her brother under the umbrella again.
The children huddled together, protected from the splashing rain. Neither spoke but a strong
sense of trust bound them together in companionable silence
 In the mist of the heavy rain they saw their father, a tall peasant stalked ahead leading the buffalo
home.
 Kwai who wondered why their father was looking angry was reminded by Dawan that it was
Kwai who should have had brought the buffalo home.
 Both of them decided to step out of the tree shadows and walk quickly although they were a bit
fearful.
 With his head bent against the wind, he did not hear them approach.
 Only when Kwai called out to him, he swiveled around and glared at them.
 When Kwai apologised for forgetting about the buffalo, father shouted, “Never mind about the
buffalo!”
 Father questioned Kwai why he did not tell him about the exam results.
 He knew that Kwai placed second in the scholarship tests.
 Father told them that their teacher had called him over to the schoolhouse and asked father on
who had father decided between Dawan and Kwai to send away for schooling in the city
 Father demanded yet again violently on why Kwai did not tell him about being placed second.
 Kwai answered, “Because Dawan didn’t want me to.”
 Father frowned and then turned and stared at the thin wet girl blankly as for him Dawan did not
have any right to decide – as if he did not understand what she had to do with any of this.
 Dawan put a brave front and tells her father that they had to discuss between them first.
 Father became angry at this, so he raised his palm threateningly.
 As father’s blow was a careless one, it landed on the backside of the buffalo
 Startled, the buffalo lumbered off, father jerked his head towards the buffalo which was a silent
command for Kwai to pursue it but Kwai refused to bulge and stood by his sister indicating his
support for Dawan
 Seeing that both his children were defying him , father himself went after the animal
 Dawan then turned to her brother and asked whether Kwai would regret later in supporting her
leaving to the city to school.
 “Yes, Sister” Kwai answered solemnly, “ I am sure”
 The rain subsided when both the children reached home.
 Their grandmother asked the children on what the two of them had done and whispered that their
father was in fierce mood
 Grandmother asked whether it was about Dawan’s scholarship to which Dawan nodded
 At that very moment, father shouted from upstairs that he wanted to see both the children
 Their mother was very frightened and her head peeped up from behind the doorway like a scary
pigeon
 Dawan feels very scared but grandmother grunted and squeezed Dawan’s hand firmly and told
her not to be scared all the time. She said, “…let’s not have two rabbits in the house! Besides,
what is there to be scared of?”
 Grandmother also told Dawan that her father used to be very scared when his father got angry
 She pointed out that Dawan’s father is tougher and louder because too many burdens have
calloused his skin, and worries have sharpened his voice
 Both the children heads upstairs to meet their father
 Father asked Kwai whether Kwai knew what it meant to come in second
 Father said he knew that Kwai too wanted to go and study at the City School very badly
 Kwai said that he loved to study in the city but it is not his right to do so
 Father said that Dawan did not have any right simply because she was only a girl
 Kwai argued that Dawan did best in the village
 When father asked what if he forbid Dawan from going. Kwai answered that Dawan was the one
who had won the scholarship and that father had no right to forbid her from going
 Father said that he had the power to do so, to which Dawan answered father should not misuse
his power
 Dawan continued defending her rights by arguing with her father
 Both Dawan and her father glared at each other until Kwai cleared his throat and declared that if
father did not let Dawan go, then Takchit who came in third would go
 Kwai further said that he did not want his sister to give up her chance for him
 When father asked Dawan what she had to say, Dawan looked her father straight in his eyes and
said, only that father would be kind and fair to her as Kwai has been
 When father said that Dawan could do nothing with a fancy education, she screamed in a hoarse
voice louder than her father’s voice. “ Father, stop it”
 She said if her father did not give her chance then of course she could not
 She likened herself to a caged sparrow that is thought could not fly, when in fact not given a
chance to do so
 She continued saying that there is a wide world out there and she wished to learn and see and do.
She pleaded to him to not keep her caged in but to give her a chance to fly out too
 Finally, father gave in, asking Dawan to try.
 Dawan felt very happy but the happiness did not last because she saw a teardrop fell from Kwai’s
eye.
 She knew it was also Kwai’s dream to study in the city and appreciates the sacrifice that her
brother had done
 She wondered why one’s joy must be based on one’s sorrow and why someone must be left
behind when another spurts ahead.

CHAPTER 12
Waking up in the morning
 It was the last morning at home before Dawan leaves for the city.
 She got up quietly looking for Kwai as she was longing to share that most special morning with
her brother.
 Unfortunately, Kwai had awakened earlier and gone off without waiting for her. Despite her deep
disappointment, this did not surprise Dawan.

Looking out for her brother

 She climbed down the ladder and reasoned to herself that there is always enough joy and
freshness in the early morning to wash away the heaviness clinging in her heart.
 As she darted down to the river path, she saw Kwai’s foot print.
 She saw Kwai squatting at the old wooden bridge. She felt relieved when she saw her brother. She
sensed that everything was bidding her goodbye as she would be leaving in an hour.

Confronting each other.

 She went to him but ignored her as to express his anger and frustration by throwing pebbles into
the river while muttering his disappointment and lashed his anger towards Dawan.
 She felt pity towards Kwai and wanted to console him like they used to be when they were little.
Instead, she sat next to him and said thank you.
 Kwai challenged Dawan’s decision whether she should go to the city and cynically made a
statement that as a girl, being educated would not bring any benefit to her as in the future she
would end up in the kitchen and raise babies like mothers do.
 Dawan snapped back by expressing her views that even as a man, being educated would end him
up as a peasant like their father.
 Their hands met when they tried to reach for the pebbles and they glared to each other.
 In softer tone, Dawan confessed her feelings of being scared and confused to go to the city and
Kwai was not helping much by being angry at her.
 Dawan spilled all the things that had been bottled inside of her in the past few days. She was
frustrated because Kwai did not support her. If the situation is the other way around, she would
have given Kwai her support.
 Kwai was still angry and Dawan convinced him that she could do all that too even she is a female.
She promised Kwai that she would fulfill all Kwai’s dreams, ideas and visions. As to this, Kwai
should be grateful to her.
 After Kwai heard that, Kwai felt even more distressed.

It’s hard to say goodbye

 Kwai expressed his feelings about not having all the chances that Dawan had. He had this idea in
mind that Dawan would achieve all her dreams while he on the other hand would be left alone in
the village without Dawan’s presence.
 Kwai’s main concern was, life in the city would change Dawan. He felt hopeless because there
was nothing much that he could do as Dawan had made up her mind.
 His anger still hadn’t subsided; it was shown by his action of plucking the lotus petals.
 Dawan consoled Kwai and convinced him that she would never forget their memories of sitting
on the bridge and watch the sunrise. She wanted Kwai to continue their routines of watching the
dawn and sing the morning song for her as she would never sing it anywhere else.
 Dawan’s request made Kwai’s face streaked with tears - cool, lonely tears which he did not want
his sister to see. Dawan watched him run away but did not pursue him.

Worrying what is next

 She calmed herself down by singing their morning song one last time.
 While she was blending in the environment, she suddenly felt insecure about leaving and go to the
city alone.
 All the confusion and fear were mounting inside of her and she was awaken when she saw the
half-torn lotus bud tossed by Kwai.
 She took it and held it strongly the way she held her grandmother’s thumb when she was learning
how to walk. This is to have reassurance about her decision of leaving everything behind.
 She sprinkled the petals into the klong-water. Seeing the petals float, she was immediately assured
that things are going to get better for Kwai and her.
 She walked slowly, heading home while wiping away her tears. It was time for her to leave.

CHAPTER 13
All the villagers gather around Dawan’s house to bid her farewell.
 Peering out from the leafy shelter of the path, Dawan watched the crowd of villagers gathered
around her home.
 Dawan caught glimpse of a few people who were special to her. She saw her teacher, Bao, Noi
and her husband, Ghan.
 Dawan stared at all this bustle for a moment, then hastily retreated into the shadows of the tree.
 But her mother, tying the last rope around her daughter’s luggage, caught sight of the movement.
She hurried over her daughter, shouting that she was worried Dawan had changed her mind –
deciding not to go especially when the villagers are there to see her off.
 By this time the villagers were swarming around, fussing and cooing over her. Dawan cringed
back, muttered something about having to change her clothes, and wriggled her way through
them.
 She clambered up the ladder to the hut and found only her grandmother – who had prepared new
clothes and shoes on the matting. Dawan’s grandmother calms her down and asks her to take her
time.

Dawan’s grandmother advises her to face the world and accept change bravely.
 Dawan’s grandmother calls her near.
 Dawan obediently crawled to her grandmother, and knelt down in front of the old woman, hands
neatly folded and head bowed. This was the leave-taking that pained her most.
 Her grandmother tells her that she has a long life ahead of her and this is just the first step. If she
is this timid now how on earth is she going to face all the struggle which lies ahead of her. She
also advises Dawan to gather herself together, and face the world out there with clear bold eyes.
 Dawan nodded, but did not budge. Her grandmother gave her a gentle shove, gesturing her to
leave since she has packed everything.
 Dawan stared at her blankly and shook her head. She refuses because she is not ready to leave
the village and everything in it.
 She wept then, shoulders hunched over, sob after sob.
 The old woman reached out, trying to console her but Dawan only shook them off. She wants to
cry her heart out.
 After waiting patiently until Dawan’s sobs began to subside, the gentle old woman got up and
picked up a small glass jar, scooped some fresh rainwater into it, and put the lotus bud Dawan
discarded earlier into the jar. She handed the glass jar to Dawan.
 Dawan’s grandmother explains that she will change like the lotus bud when it unfolds and
shrinks. She reminds her that life is always changing and when she comes back, some things will
change.
 Dawan still hesitates, her grandmother gives her another light push wanting her to depart.

As Dawan climbs down the ladder with her lotus-jar, her father comes back annoyed after
looking for her.
 Even though her father is angry, she asks him eagerly if Kwai is coming.
 Her father snorted loudly and sarcastically responded that he thought the both of them are good
friends.
 Dawan insisted to know more about Kwai from her father. He gives in and told Dawan that when
he asked Kwai where she was, he said he didn’t know and didn’t care.
 Dawan felt more lonely when she found out her brother thinks that she doesn’t need him to see her
off because she’s got the whole village to do so.
 Looking at all the faces around her, she realised that there was not a single one she really cared
to say goodbye to.
 She wondered again if fighting with Kwai to go to the City had been worth it after all, since Kwai
was still bitter and angry at her.

Dawan boards the bus with her lotus-jar and leans out of the window to look at the bridge.
 As the bus honked sharply, the bus driver wave impatiently, signalling her to board quickly,
immediately the crowd surged over to her and somehow she was pushed to the steps of the bus.
 She felt no more sadness, only a throbbing disappointment.
 The bus immediately roared off when as soon as she got on. She groped her way clumsily to a
seat and leaned out the window to watch the crowd, continued watching the village and finally to
the bridge on which she had so often greeted the sun.
 Suddenly, she hears her brother singing her morning song. Then she sees him standing on the
bridge with his arms outstretched – gesturing to hug her and to send her off.
 Dawan burst out laughing and the laughter was so strong and round that it seemed to jam in her
throat. Then, flinging her arms out too, to hug him and the land, she sings along with him.
 Dawan watched her brother wave until he fades into the distance and watched for a moment
longer.

Dawan notices that a few petals of the lotus have unfolded as the sun shines through the bus
window.
 The morning song was still in her, brushing the lotus bud with her fingertips, she sang the last
verse of her song.
 As she sang, the sunn shines through the bus window and she noties that a few petals of the lotus
have unfolded.
 They are symbolic of the change that she will undergo in the City