The Jam Fruit TreeWinner of the Gratiean Memorial Prize for the best work in English Literature by a Sri Lankan for 1993 Hilarious, affectionate, candid and moving, this is the story of the Burghers of Sri Lanka... Who are the Burghers? Descended from the Dutch, the Portuguese, the British and other foreigners who arrived in the island-nation of Sri Lanka (and 'mingled' with the local inhabitants), the Burghers often stand out because of their curiously mixed features-grey eyes in an otherwise Dravid face, for instance.... A handsome and guileless people, the Burghers have always lived it up, forever willing to 'put a party'. Carl Muller, a Burgher himself, writes in this quasi-fictional, engaging biography of the lives of his people; they emerge, at the end of his story, as a race of fun-loving, hardy people, much like the jam fruit tree which simply refuses to be contained or destroyed. |
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Page 19
... wash the grinding stone and clean the fireplace . Listening to all this nonsense . You know what happened to Nellie , no ? Went to visit ship and how many fellows got round her . What you girls thinking of , I don't know . ' Cecilprins ...
... wash the grinding stone and clean the fireplace . Listening to all this nonsense . You know what happened to Nellie , no ? Went to visit ship and how many fellows got round her . What you girls thinking of , I don't know . ' Cecilprins ...
Page 42
... wash . After washing , keep dry in the shade , not in sun , and iron from inside , not outside . ' So that was how she did it ! Poor Maudiegirl knew she was very ill . And everybody was all mixed up in their affairs and Cecilprins was ...
... wash . After washing , keep dry in the shade , not in sun , and iron from inside , not outside . ' So that was how she did it ! Poor Maudiegirl knew she was very ill . And everybody was all mixed up in their affairs and Cecilprins was ...
Page 68
... wash his dirty soul and make all clean . Can hear him crying sometime and in very bad state , I tell you . How to tell what these young fellows nowadays up to , no ? Opel also praying in her room and asking to wash him clean and take ...
... wash his dirty soul and make all clean . Can hear him crying sometime and in very bad state , I tell you . How to tell what these young fellows nowadays up to , no ? Opel also praying in her room and asking to wash him clean and take ...
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Common terms and phrases
Anna baby beef Beryl bloody Bloss bottle bring British brothers brought buggers Burgher cake called Carloboy carried Cecilprins child Christmas church Colombo Colontota coming considered course court daughter door drink eggs Elaine Elsie Elva Eric everything eyes face Father fellow Florrie fruit gate gave George getting girl give hand head Iris keep kitchen knew lady Lane Leah legs letter listen live look Lord Mama manner marry Maudiegirl months morning mother moved never never mind nice night nodded Opel Papa poor railway road shouting Sinhalese Sonnaboy sort sure talk tell thing thought told took Totoboy tree turned Viva wait wedding whole wife woman write