New Tales of the Great Wall
Emma Fong, Group 2: Fiction, St. Paul’s Convent School Primary
ne day, our English teacher, Miss Yau, asked who wanted to join the English Composition
Competition. Cheryl and I both put up our hands at once and signed up for the competition. We went
to the school library together at recess. We found a storybook called ‘The Old Tales of the Great
Wall.’ The book was very interesting. It shows that people can walk along the Great Wall in Beijing.
Beijing is the capital of China. It has a long history. The book also shows that people can walking the
Great Wall from Tianjin. Tianjin is the main industrial centre of northern China. Cheryl and I both want to visit
The Great Wall. Cheryl says that we shall go to the Great Wall when we are twenty- years old when we have
enough money to buy the air-tickets.
O
Twenty years later, Cheryl and I go to the Great Wall. I arrived at Beijing and Carole arrives in Tianjin. I
wait for Cheryl for a long time, but I still cannot see hear. When I returned to Hong Kong, I call Cheryl and ask,
“
Where were you? I could not see you.” Cheryl replies, “I went to Tianjin. Where were you?” I say. I was in
Beijing. Let’s go to the Great Wall after twenty years!
Another twenty years later, I go to Tianjin and Cheryl goes to Beijing. Cheryl waits for me for a long long
time, but she still cannot see me. When she gets home, she calls me and asks, “I could not see you. I was in
Beijing. How about you?” I reply, “I was in Tianjin. Let’s go to the Great Wall again after twenty years.
After the next twenty years, I say in Tianjin, but Cheryl also stays in Beijing. I wait for Cheryl for a long
time, but I still cannot see her. When I get back to Hong Kong, I call Cheryl and ask, ‘Where were you? I stayed
in Tianjin and waited for you.” Cheryl replies, “I stood still and waited for you in Beijing. I have a good idea!
Let’s go to the Hong Kong Great Wall Hotel instead! Then we will not go to the wrong place next time.”
After twenty years, Cheryl and I meet at the Hong Kong Great Wall Hotel to have afternoon tea. We have
become very old. Cheryl has to walk with a cane. The hotel manager comes to us and asks who wants to join the
English Composition Competition. The topic of the composition competition is “The New Tales of the Great
Wall.” Cheryl and I slowly remember the interesting book we had found in the school library eighty years
earlier and we still have not handed in our English composition to Miss Yau.
Suddenly, I hear Cheryl calling my name, “Emma, Emma!” Then I wake up and know that I was dreaming
on top of the storybook in the school library. This dream has become our “New Tales of the Great Wall.”
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