New Tales of the Great Wall
Joyce Ch
had always wanted to travel to one of the Seven Wonders of the World, and as I wiped sweat out of my
eyes and stopped to stare at the destination I had arrived at, I knew immediately that it had been worth the
journey. The Great Wall stood there before my very eyes, its silhouette snaking gracefully through
mountains, trailing away into the horizon. As I walked closer to it I could see that its walls were lined with age,
yet this only seemed to make the sight even more magnificent than ever. Tourists flocked to catch glimpses of
the ancient wonder, and as they hiked along its strong back I longed to know the story behind the layers of earth
and stone, and unearth the secret within its foundations.
ung, Group 3: Fiction, King George V School
I
A series of golden - yellow flowers dotted the vegetation nearby, making the Great Wall look even
more impressive than ever. Their petals seemed to radiate a golden aura, albeit the dimming light from the
skyline ahead. As I scanned my surroundings, my spirits lifted even higher, eyes widening as I made an effort to
take in everything that I had seen.
A woman hobbled towards me, clutching a wooden walking stick in a frail hand. She was a small lady
that looked far beyond her years of youth, her snowy white hair tied neatly into a bun. Although her tanned face
was heavily creased with wrinkles, her eyes were bright, as if she knew something that I was bursting to know
about. It was obvious that she had spotted me staring at the famed Great Wall in awe. As I turned to
acknowledge her presence, the old woman greeted me, a warm smile slowly forming on her lips, and her eyes
crinkled slightly.
“
Do you like the Great Wall?” she asked me, her eyes gazing at the monument dreamily. I immediately
nodded my head in reply as I noticed the immense length of the beautiful structure. She beamed, and then
began to fall back into her dream – like trance. There was a long pause as the elder gazed into the horizon, eyes
pooling in deep thought. After a few minutes of silence, she commenced. “Would you like me to tell you a story
about it?” She turned to look at me, and having noticed the eager expression on my face understood at once. Her
eyes sparkled, and the lady began to spin her tale.
“
The Great Wall of China has always been our pride and joy, and tales of it are occasionally passed on
from one generation to another. The monument is sometimes used as a reference in our daily lives for a variety
of things, and many marvel at its long, compelling history. My great grandmother used to stand here on the very
spot you are on right now,” she murmured quietly, her dark brown eyes regarding the place I had stood on, and
then turning to gaze up into the orange, gold flecked sky.
I was entranced almost at once, keen to listen to more, and hung onto every word. All of a sudden
everything seemed to have changed, and all was quiet apart from the occasional rustling of leaves nearby. The
old lady paused for a few, brief moments and soon after continued with her story once more, a sad, dreamy
smile forming on her lips. The sun was beginning to set, and a warm gust of wind brushed against my cheek.