1. A Tale for the Tide

      By the sea, beneath the setting sun.

      “Today, I found a legend,” I said to the tide, my voice bubbling with excitement.

      “Is that so? Tell me,” the tide whispered back.

       Long ago, this is how legends always begin, isn’t it? 

2. Once Upon a Time

      Once, Ubin Island was a desolate yet tranquil oasis, lush and fertile. The hills rolled softly, trees swayed gently, and flowers danced in the breeze.

      One day, a white egret flew from the distant North. She was drawn deeply to the green serenity of the island.

      “Why must I toil and wander during my brief life?” the egret pondered. “What joy it would be to settle on this beautiful isle!”

      So, with a heavy heart, she bid farewell to her companions. With her long, pointed beak, she marked a rubber tree.

      “Next year, when you fly south, remember to visit me. I shall wait near this rubber tree…… ” she told her friends.

      The egret decided to dwell on the island. Surrounded by the sea, she faced a cruel irony, as there was no fresh water to drink. Each time thirst struck, she flew to the marshes of the Malay Peninsula. It was a great inconvenience.

      Determined, the egret vowed to dig the first well on Ubin. Day by day, she pecked at the earth, tirelessly lifting clumps of mud and dropping stones into the waves without rest.

      Little did she know, her strange endeavor caught the eyes of fishermen casting nets in the Singapore Strait. Curiosity drew them to her small island.

      They found the rubber tree with its mark. The sap flowed thick and milky. Thus, they learned the art of rubber tapping.

      They also traced the disturbed soil where the egret worked, delving deeper until they uncovered the solid granite beneath. From there, they built a quarry, and the rumble of stone blasting echoed across Ubin Island, twice each day.

      Centuries passed. The egret had long since transcended to a spirit. By the mining lake’s edge, you might spot a shimmer of her silhouette, dancing.

      In the stillness of night, the sound of water might trickle from the hills. On a day of wandering, you may stumble upon the well she once dug. When you do, tell me—does the water still taste sweet, clear, and cool? 

3. The Tide’s Wrinkles

      After the tale, the tide pondered deeply, folding itself in the creases of its waves……

      —Who told you the story?

      —The rubber grove?

      —The broken bridge?

      —The old well? The abandoned quarry?

      —The winding, muddy path?

      …… 

4. The Tide’s Whispers

         The tide continued to wrestle with its thoughts……

         —In your city, above you there is blue sky, at night there are stars, and after rain, a rainbow. Isn’t it so?

      —Singapore and Ubin Island are just a bay of green waters apart, right?

         —They share the same blue sky, don’t they?

     —At Singapore's shores, you can also speak to me of the world, can’t you?

         —Yes, but why the same and yet different?

         —When will you tell me another legend, a city’s legend? 

5. Later On

      To hear a city’s tale and search for its essence, the rolling tide sent me back to Singapore……