DéSjaniah Lake was selected the overall winner of Rotary Club of St. Martin Sunset’s Butterfly Story Book writing contest. She is a 10-year-old pupil at the Methodist Agogic Center (MAC) Reverend John A. Gumbs Campus. The story is called “John the Mongoose.”
The contest is a regional initiative of Rotary E-Club of the Caribbean, District 7020. It challenges creative young writers ages 7-11 to pen a 300 to 750 word story that reflects acts of kindness, friendship, leadership and/or respect.
Rotary Sunset received 18 story submissions in total, and selected three to be forwarded to Rotary E-Club. Besides DéSjaniah’s winning piece, Rotary Sunset chose “The Little Dreaming Caterpillar” by Stella Palmer and “Catching Butterflies” by Sahana Rinker as the other two stories. Both Stella and Sahana attend Montessori School.
DéSjaniah’s story will be published in the E-Club’s 2021 Butterfly Story Book, alongside winners from other Caribbean countries. The book can be bought on Amazon. Stella’s and Sahana’s stories will be considered for publication from a pool of stories penned by other talented youngsters from across the region.
Besides Stella and Sahana, there were 12 other submissions from Montessori: Gabriel Amado, Gabriel Antunez, Arhan Baharani, Adriaan Coppelmans, Christiaan de Wilde, Giselina Greaux Domatilia, Sebastian Russo, Sophia Suire, Amani van der Camp, Kjeld van der Meer, Daan Vinke and Charlie-Shanti Winkel. Representing St. Dominic Primary School were Sierra Hodge, Hemant Punjabi and Hiten Punjabi.
Rotary Sunset invited the 18 pupils to Emilio Wilson Park for a celebration. They all received certificates of participation. Winner DéSjaniah also received a cash prize of US $50 and a JBL speaker.
John the Mongoose
Once there was a mongoose named John who wore a coconut as a hat. John was always smiling and had a lot of friends. John’s favorite flavored cake was mango pineapple which he looked forward to eating especially on his birthday which was today.
John thought that his friends were going to surprise him for sure with his favorite cake and he imagined how much he was going to enjoy it. He went looking for his friends but everyone just ignored him.
John couldn’t believe his friends had forgotten his birthday. He was so sad. So John just went back to his house under a tamarind tree. When he was about to open the door he saw a letter stuck to the door. It read: “Hi John, I need some help with something. Can you come to my house please. Signed: Maya the monkey.”
John was excited that one of his friends wanted his help, and maybe she had cake, any cake. So John ran as fast as he could to Maya’s banana tree. When he got there he knocked on the door and said: “Maya, Maya.” But no one answered. John was sad and just went back to his house.
As he walked back, he saw another note in his window. It read: “Hey John, I was running late but if you go to Mullet Bay I might be there. Signed: Maya the monkey.”
John liked the idea of cooling out on the beach under a coconut tree. So as the letter said, he went to Mullet Bay beach. When he got there his toes touched the hot sand. John wanted to go into the water to splash around. He said to himself that he will as soon as he finished helping Maya.
As he walked across the beach seeing people enjoy with their friends. He wanted to do that too but he couldn’t find Maya. He stepped on a piece of paper in the sand. As he looked closer he saw another note. Saying: “If you’re going to help me John first you must go to the nearest shack and collect: A black suit, Fancy shoes and a blue tie.”
So as the letter said he bought: a black suit, fancy shoes and a blue tie. John started to get curious and wondered why Maya wanted him to get these things. “Is it for a meeting or to go to church?” John asked himself.
John looked out into the sea and saw that the sun was going down. He stood on the beach looking at how pretty it was. Then John realized he would have to hurry if he was going to meet Maya. He checked the note again and it also said: “If you go to the Cause Way Bridge you will see me on the golden motorcycle.”
But as he ran he saw a little fish yelling: “Help! Help! Please help I can’t get back in the water help!” So John stopped running and helped the little fish back into the sea. The little fish thanked John for putting him back into the sea. Then john ran as fast as he could to get to Maya.
When John had finally gotten there he saw the golden motorcycle but no one was on it. Then he saw a paper on it. John assumed it was another note. So John took the paper and read it. It said:
“Sorry John, looks like there is only one place you can meet me. Come back to the village and go to Chippy the lizard’s orange tree.”
So as the note said. John would head back to the village. John took the golden motorcycle and rode back to the village. As he got there, John went to Chippy the lizard’s orange tree and knocked on the door. This time someone opened the door. It was Maya.
John was so happy to see Maya. John said: Maya I must ask this, what where you late for today? Maya said: Come inside and see. So John went into Chippy’s house and was shocked when everyone yelled: “Surprise!! Happy birthday John.”
John was so happy to find out that his friends didn’t forget his birthday. They were pretending all along.
John took his coconut hat and started knocking them together in a beat. And John and his friends partied all night while they enjoyed his favorite flavored cake, mango pineapple.
