The Symphony of Three Siblings

Scenes 12 frames

0102030405060708

All 12 frames

09101112

The story as narrated

Look closely at a house with three children, and you will discover a world of distinct roles and unwritten rules. Let's examine a classic family trio: the eldest boy, the middle girl, and the youngest girl. Together, they form a chaotic symphony of childhood. Consider the firstborn boy. He is the ultimate fruit of abundant love, but his childhood effectively ended the moment he learned to walk. Somehow, he has become a mother-figure to his own mom and a responsible big brother to his dad. The poor soul feels like he has been working a stressful job since kindergarten. Born into this world just to earn a living, he carries a heavy burden. There is no room for failure here. Engineer, doctor—whatever the prestigious path may be, he absolutely has to make it happen, come what may. As for the middle child, a quiet girl, she practically arrived via a passing stork. She grows up happily in her own little world, singing and playing by herself. With Uncle Pourang and Auntie Shadoneh as her true kin, she doesn't need much attention from the bustling household. In fact, you can never quite tell where in the house she actually is. She expects nothing from anyone, and her birthday seems to come around only once every three years. With her thick-lensed glasses perched on her nose, she is known to neighbors simply as so-and-so's kid. Then comes the youngest child, the baby girl of the family, who suddenly appears as if she fell straight out of the chimney flue. At first, she seems a bit sooty and ugly, but then, all at once, she becomes the undisputed angel of the house. The strict rules of the eldest do not apply to her. It doesn't matter if she ever studies or opens a book, just as long as she is there cracking jokes. She is totally impulsive, cheeky, wacky, and wonderfully wild. She arrives solely to become the glowing, joyful light of the home. Three children, representing three entirely different universes under one roof. The serious worker, the invisible independent, and the wild entertainer. It is exactly this bizarre combination that makes the family complete. Without the eldest, there is no foundation. Without the middle, there is no peace. And without the youngest, there is no laughter.

Recipe