Charter 17 Kite fighting

The word Kite fighting brings back many,many happy memories for Fabian and kid brother Francis.Initially when the kite flying season drew near Fabian and brother, together the Chong brothers,Bruce and Ivan,they were always chasing after loose kites.

Come kite season many enthusiasts will fly their kites to fight other kites in the air.Beautifully painted kites will donned the sky,but watch out for these kites were flown with sharp glass lined threats.So sharp that these can easily cut off opponents kites in the sky.

Kites will be flown at the steering of the flier from the ground at the direction the wind were blowing.A good kite cn performed many stunts in the air like diving to opponents kite and once in contact the flier from the ground can make the kite to turn in small circles,thus cut deep onto opponents threat.The last episode was to see whose threat was sharper and the skill of the flier was also in demand to see who was champion.

The losing kite will be cut off and fly away aimlessly out of control.Should that happened the kite belonged to no one and finder can claim ownership of.Thus began the kite chase.Dozen of boys will run after it,so were Fabian and gang.Bruce was tall and a very god runner and was many a times the first to reach these loose kite.

Once near to the loose kite he will dash up and jumped for it.If the kite was caught by him he claimed ownership of it by shouting,"Jangan Husek"in Malay that meant "Don't touch""It is mine"Sometimes many others also caught up with that kite at the same time and when this happened the poor kite will be torn into many pieces.Every one thus end up empty handed and a good laughed.

Actually it was never the securing of the kite that thrilled us,it was the chasing of it.There were so much fun and excitement in the chased.It was actually very thrilling running through all sort of environments,many a times injure by falling and cuts by sharp glasses of broken bottles and rusty fencing.Although many returned empty handed but every one were happy whatever the out come.

Later the Chong Brothers and Fabian switched on to making their own kites and glassed threats for kite fighting.But alas producing glass lined threats were quite laborious as first the had to pound glass into fine powder.They elected the glass of bulbs as it was thin and softer to pound ,as well as these were apparently sharper if lined on to threats.

To allow the fine glass powder to adhered closely to the threats used,"cow skin"gum had to boiled in water.In order that the threats be smooth as well as sharped egg white was added to it when the gum was cooled enough.With the fine powder of glass finally added and well steered,the threat rolled in a ball was dipped into that mixtures.

The threat will then be carefully lined in bands from pole to pole,care must be under taken to see that threat do not have excessive of the mixtures in it failing which the threat will be rendered useless for kite fighting.When properly dried the threat will be rolled up with a milo can for easy used and maintained.

Fabian was also an excellent kite maker.Those days dry bamboo strips were readily available from old baskets.Bamboo sizes were cut and shaved to uniform weight all round.A soft and light paper was used to make the kits.With ease Fabian make a few good flying kites.Well,he also taught his brother Francis how to make them.

On one occasion Francis was flying his kite at the field at the Chong's quarter without any hindrance,when suddenly his kite was being pursued by another kite from way back.That kite was diving fiercely at Francis's kite.Francis tried to dick that and turned hos kite down with another dive.

The other kite was relentless and kept on with more furious dives.Fabian seeing his brother in trouble rushed in to assist him,but Francis refused his offer to help and pushed Fabian away.Just as he was pushing Fabian away his kite caught the wind to move upwards,the opposing kite by then had reached Francis's kite.

A kite fighting thus began with the opponents having the upper hand,turning ion menacing manner cutting into Francis's threat and forcibly cut in.Poor Frnacis 's kite was caught going up to meet that force and that force above had the better cut edge and cut off Francis 's threat.Thus his kite flew off loosely and lost forever.

Poor Francis getting angry shouted at his brother,"It is all your fault,you stupid interfering bull".
"No,no,its not my fault,its your own fault for you do not how to fight with your kite",replied Fabian.
"I don't care,you must pay for my kite",shouted Francis.Bruce seeing this said,"Alright,Fabian will make you a new kit,alright?"
"Not alright,I want two kites",Francis replied.
"No lah,do not be so greedy one enough lah",said Bruce.
"Alright,but I want it now,understand?"cried Francis.
Poor Fabian had no other alternative,had to make another kite to replace Francis's lost.

To be continued when free.