Story of Narrative Text Legend: Toba Lake
English Admin – This is a short example of narrative text, the legend of Toba lake. Narrative texts can be in fable, fairy tales, myth, or legend. Have you known the difference between myth and legend? I think you have known it. We are today not going to talk about what legend and myth are but we are giving you a short sample of narrative text in the form of legend.
Now we give you a very famous story among Indonesian people. This is the legend how Toba lake was formed. Because we are here to learn English text, the story will be completed with generic structure analysis. Here is the story!
The Legend of Toba Lake
Once upon time, there was a handsome man. His name was Batara Guru Sahala. He liked fishing. One day, he caught a fish. He was surprised to find out that the fish could talk. The fish begged him to set it free.
Batara Guru could not bear it. He made the fish free. As soon as it was free, the fish changed into a very beautiful woman. She attracted Batara Guru so much. He felt in love with that fish-woman. The woman wanted to marry with him and said that Batara Guru had to keep the secret which she had been a fish. Batara Guru aggreed and promised that he would never tell anybody about it.
They were married happily. They had two daughters. One day Batara Guru got very angry with his daughter. He could not control his mad. He shouted angrily and got the word of fish to his daugters. The daughters were crying. They found their mother and talked her about it.
The mother was very annoyed. Batara Guru broke his promise. The mother was shouting angrily. Then the earth began to shake. Volcanoes started to erupt. The earth formed a very big hole. People believed that the big hole became a lake. Then this lake is known as Toba lake.
Note on Narrative Generic Structure Narrative Text The Legend of Toba Lake
Most story in the form narrative genre will be arranged into the whole package structure like below:
1. ORIENTATION: The first paragraph presents information about the participant of the story. In literary term, the participant is called as character. Orientation commonly introduces information about WHO, WHERE and WHEN.
Once upon time, there was a handsome man. His name was Batara Guru Sahala.
2. COMPLICATION: Paragraph two explores the niche of the story. That is conflict among the characters of the story. This conflict will involve physical and psychological conflict. The conflict is actually the heart of any narrative text. It will drive the participant to make effort in solving the crisis.
Batara Guru got very angry with his daughter. He could not control his mad.
3. RESOLUTION: The last paragraph closes the story with solving the crisis. However it can be better or worse.
The mother was shouting angrily. Then the earth began to shake. Volcanoes started to erupt. The earth formed a very big hole.
Well, that’s all the story of Toba lake. As example of narrative text, the legend should show which one is the orientation, complication, and resolution. These three element are the core structure of any narrative text in English genre.