SYNOPSIS
BAHASA INGGERIS
The story, Sing to the Dawn, is about Dawan,
a young Thai girl who lives in a village with
her family and attends the village school .
She is allowed to go to school because of
her brother's insistence that his sister be
allowed to join him. Dawan and Kwai sit for a
special examination which offer the best
student a scholarship to study in a city
school. Both Dawan and Kwai feel that with
more education they will be able to help
improve the villagers' way of life.
Dawan wins the scholarship and Kwai,
comes in second. This causes a rift between
the two siblings who are very close with
each other. Dawan is excited about her
situation but realises that Kwai is not too
happy and even turns hostile towards her.
She feels hurt but is determined not to give
up the opportunity to further her education.
The situation is aggravated by their father
who feels that city life and further education
are not for a girl.
Dawan tries to get support from her cousin,
Noi and the monk but they too do are not on
her side. . Only her grandmother and a
flower seller, Bao want her to accept the
scholarship. Eventually, her father and her
brother agree to let Kwai accept the
scholarship and study in the city. She goes
on her journey with a happy heart knowing
that she is capable of taking on the
responsibilities it entails.
BAHASA MELAYU
‘Sing to the Dawn” mengisahkan tentang
Dawan, seorang gadis Thai yang tinggal dan
bersekolah di kampung. Dia dibenarkan
bersekolah di atas desakan adik lelakinya
Kwai. Dawan dan Kwai menduduki
peperiksaan yang menawarkan biasiswa untuk
melanjutkan pelajaran di bandar bagi pelajar
yang mendapat markah tertinggi. Dawan dan
Kwai berpendapat dengan pendidikan mereka
dapat memperbaiki kehidupan orang-orang
kampung.
Dawan telah mendapat tempat pertama dan
berjaya memenangi biasiswa tersebut dan
Kwai mendapat tempat kedua. Perhubungan
kedua beradik itu menjadi renggang. Dawan
sangat teruja tetapi dia sedar Kwai tidak
gembira malah berubah dan tidak lagi mahu
berbaik dengannya. Dawan merasa sedih
tetapi dia betekad tidak mahu melepaskan
peluang untuk meneruskan pelajarannya.
Keadaan menjadi lebih buruk apabila bapa
mereka juga merasakan budak perempuan
tidak memerlukan pendidikan yang tinggi
Dawan cuba mendapatkan sokongan daripada
sepupu nya, Noi dan seorang sami tetapi
mereka enggan membantu. Hanya nenek nya
dan seorang penjual bunga bernama Bao yang
mahu Dawan memerima biasiswa untuk
belajar. Namun begitu, akhirnya, Kwai dan
bapa Dawan merestui pemergian Dawan ke
bandar untuk melanjutkan pelajaran. Dawan
pula merasa gembira dapat melanjutkan
pelajaran dan sedar tanggungjawab yang
dipikulnya untuk memperbaiki kehidupan
masyarat di kampungnya.
 SETTING
1. Dawan's house
2. The river, the bridge and the narrow path leading to the river
3. The village school
4. Noi's house
5. Bao's flower stall in the market palce
6. The temple
7. The bus
8. The City School

CHARACTERS
1. Dawan
2. Kwai
3.Dawan's father
4. Dawan,s mother
5. Grandmother
6. Cousin Noi anad Ghan
7. Bao
8. The teacher
9. The head monk
10. Vicahai
11. Mr Phaspras
12. The landlord
13. The villagers
14. The village students
15. Takchit
16. The headmaster of the village school
DAWAN
KWAI
PLOT
Chapter One:
 Dawan and Kwai sat on the rickety old bridge above the river
 Dawan asked Kwai what would he do if he got the scholarship
 Dawan felt that she would not get the scholarship because she is a girl,
instead Kwai might get the scholarship
 Talked about how unfair it is that the sacks of rice stacked up beneath
the house is for the tax collector
 Their parents thought that it was foolish and wasteful to send girls to
school

Chapter Two:
 Teacher asked students what they saw beneath their house in the
morning
 Had a long discussion with the students about the landlord taking away
sacks of rice beneath their houses
 A student spotted the headmaster heading to their class and the student
shouted "he's coming"
 Teacher and student immediately pretended that they are having
Geography lessons until the headmaster went away
 Teacher and student discussed what they should do if they won the
scholarship
 Teacher announced that Dawan won the scholarship

Chapter Three:
 Classmates surrounded Dawan as soon as they heard that she won the
scholarship
 Kwai was unhappy and sad that Dawan won the scholarship instead of
him
 Dawan told her family that she got the scholarship and that made her
parents angry. Her father was especially angry and said that she took
her own brother's chance away from him.
 Dawan's grandmother however supported her
 Dawan and her grandmother headed to Noi's house and halfway,
Dawan's mother decided to go with Dawan instead of her grandmother

Chapter Four:
 Noi told Dawan and her mother that she lied about the City to impress
them.Noi and Ghan disliked the City and did not support Dawan's wish
to study in the City.
 Noi said that going to the city was useless
 Army officer made deal with Noi's family in order not to bring Ghan to the
army
 They described how unfairly the rich in the City treated the poor and
advised Dawan to remain in the village.
 Dawan's mother realised that Noi would not help her.
 Noi told Dawan that she would not help convince her father to let her
study in the City because it would do her more harm than good.
 But, Dawan was determined to see the City for herself.

Chapter Five:
 On the way home, Dawan heard Kwai's footsteps and waited for him.
 Her mother went home to cook dinner. Kwai was angry that Dawan took
their mother with her to ask Noi to persuade their father to let her go to
the City.
 Dawan told him that Noi and Ghan disliked the City and they did not
want her to study there.
 Kwai then told Dawan that he saw their teacher and found out that he
came out in a second place and could go to the City if she did not want
to go.
 Dawan explained that it was her only chance to continue studying but
Kwai still wanted to study there.
 Kwai boasted that he could make life in the village better because he
has leadership qualities. 
 Dawan wanted Kwai to promise that he would not tell father but he
refused and walked away leaving Dawan.

Chapter Six:
 During dinner, Dawan's mother tried to talk to father about Dawan's
schooling but he silenced her.
 Father told Dawan that she has enough schooling because she would
just be a wife and mother.
 Kwai spoke out against Dawan for himself. Father thought that boys
going to the city to further his studies would be better than girls.
 After dinner, Dawan went down to the river and thought that perhaps she
should let Kwai go. 
 Later, Dawan rationalised and decided to fight for her right with the head
monk's help.

Chapter Seven:
 The next morning, Dawan went to market alone to buy a lotus bud.
 Bao, the flowergirl, gave her a lotus bud for free.
 Bao also advised Dawan to free a caged sparrow to make more merit,
but Dawan declined and she did not have enough money.
 Bao told Dawan that her brother, Vichai, was selfish and fought for what
he wanted. Vichai was also Dawan's classmate.
 Dawan told Bao that she worried if Kwai may tell her father about his
second place and her father may forbid her to go to the City.
 Bao advised Dawan not to give up her chances without fighting for her
rights.
 Chapter Eight:

 Dawan went to the temple to see the old monk with the lotus bud.
 She asked the head monk to persuade her father to let her go to the City
school.
 The head monk was not supportive and ended up by explaining some
Buddhist teaching to her.
 Dawan felt disappointed. The head monk explained that if her brother
won the scholarship there would be no problem.
 Dawan was angry that even the head monk did not want to help her and
she ran away crying.
 Chapter Nine:

 Dawan felt sad after seeing the head monk. Bao advised her not to give
up easily and she asked Dawan to free a caged sparrow.
 Dawan realised that she has to be brave like the bird. The sparrow
hesitated but then it flew. Vichai came and saw the empty cages. There
was only 75 cents in the box. Vichai argued with Bao and hit her. Kwai
approached Vichai and stopped him from bitting Bao. Vichai walked
away.
 After realising that Bao knew about what happened between Dawan and
Kwai, Kwai wanted to slap Bao. Dawan stopped him.
 Kwai pushed Dawan away when she tried to stop Kwai, unfortunately
she landed on top of a pile of broken bird cages, injuring herself
 Dawan's ankle bled. Noi came and and cleaned Dawan's cut. 
 It began to rain. Dawan limped home with Bao's umbrella.
 Chapter Ten:

 Dawan limped to the river. She saw her brother and worried.
 Kwai was thinking about Dawan's words, about him being a bully
 He was concerned about the cut on her ankle. He realised that he was
wrong to snatch Dawan's chance to study in the City.
 Dawan was already limping home in the rain when Kwai realised it.
 She shouted that he needed more than she needed it. Kwai reflected
how bad he was.
 Dawan was still concerned about him and gave him the umbrella.
 Kwai made a decision
 The umbrella helped him to decide what he had to do and he ran after
her sister.
 Chapter Eleven:

 Kwai told Dawan that he has made the decision. Dawan knew that he
will not take away her chance.
 Suddenly, Kwai and Dawan saw their father with the buffalo. They let
him pass and they walked quickly to catch up with him.
 Kwai wanted to lead the buffalo home but his father was angry that Kwai
did not tell him that he won the scholarship too.
 When Kwai and Dawan reached home, they saw their father upstairs.
Kwai persuaded his father to let Dawan go.
 Father said that Dawan could not as she was only a girl and she could
not do anything with more education.
 Dawan wanted her father to be fair and not to misuse his power to forbid
her. She still persuaded him.
 After much persuasion from Dawan and Kwai, father finally allowed
Dawan to go to the city school
 Chapter Twelve:

 Kwai will miss Dawan once she goes to the city school, no one will be
there to watch the sunrise with him
 Chapter Thirteen:

 At first Dawan was unsure if she wanted to leave as she will miss
everything in her village
 After her grandmother talked to Dawan, she decided to go
 When she was boarding the bus to go to the city, Kwai was nowhere to
be seen
 Although many people in the village sent her off, she was not happy as
Kwai was not there
 During the bus journey, she saw Kwai on the bridge that they usually
went to, he was waving at her. Bidding goodbye
~End~