by Lesley-Anne
Melody flung down a Rainbow Riot and another smoke lion emerged. At the same time, she switched the torch off. The tent was immediately enveloped in smoke and darkness. Seizing the opportunity, Danny and Melody ducked out. By the time Sang Nila Utama’s eyes had adjusted to the dark, he found himself in an empty tent.
Danny, Melody and the Sinister Spyder sneaked away from the beach and made a break for the jungle. As they stopped to catch their breaths at the clearing, Danny removed the mask and the voice activator.
“How did it go?” asked the Sinister Spyder anxiously. “Did it work?”
Melody stared at Danny and a huge smile broke out on her face. “The wavy blue streaks are gone!” she rejoiced. “That means we’ve succeeded! Singapore is saved! WE DID IT!
The Sinister Spyder’s moustache twitched gleefully. Melody threw her hands in the air and whooped. Danny did a victory dance. He bounced up and down, clapped his hands and waggled his bottom.
“I can finally go back home to 2135!” cried Melody happily. She noticed the Sinister Spyder looking at her hopefully. Now that his watch was gone, he needed Melody to timetravel. “Don’t worry,” said Melody graciously. “I’ll bring you back with me too.” The Sinister Spyder heaved a huge sigh of relief.
“BUT,” added Melody sternly. “You must promise never to harm Singapore again!”
The Sinister Spyder nodded sheepishly. “I promise,” he said.
It was already dawn. The rising sun brightened the jungle. Its warm yellow and orange rays shed light on the ongoing celebration.
Danger Dan and Gadget Girl have done it! They have restored the past and secured the future for generations to come. They have even won over the Sinister Spyder! Their amazing partnership has saved the country! Danger Dan and Gadget Girl— Singapore’s best Superhero Duo!
Their long and exhausting time-travelling adventure is almost at an end. All that remains is the journey back through the jungle.
“I think this calls for some Energy Fizz Wizz,” said Melody, reaching for her bottle. She shook out three transparent pellets. “Just take it without water for an extra kick!”
Each of them took an Energy Fizz Wizz. Danny popped his into his mouth.
Danny’s Energy Fizz Wizz bubbled up in his mouth. He felt as if he had just drunk a big gulp of lemon-lime soda. Once again, a burst of energy surged through Danny. His veins tingled and every muscle in his body was raring to go.
Stimulated by the Energy Fizz Wizz, the three of them trekked through the jungle with extra vigour. Fortunately, they didn’t bump into any more cockroaches, birds or spiders along the way. In no time at all, they reached the spot where Melody had brought Danny through the time portal.
The Sinister Spyder stood a few steps away to let Danny and Melody say their goodbyes. For someone who used to be a villain, he really was quite understanding.
“So Danny,” said Melody. “This is goodbye, for the last time.”
“Yeah.” Danny looked down at his feet awkwardly. He wasn’t sure how he felt about this being his last adventure. Now that it was over, he wished he could prolong the experience. Without putting Singapore in peril, of course.
“You did a qwintastic job!” said Melody brightly. “Even though you can’t tell anyone, you’ll always know that Singapore is indebted to you.”
“Yeah!” Danny cheered up a little. He added shyly, “Couldn’t have done it without you. You’re a great partner.”
“So are you,” laughed Melody. She stuck out her hand. “Goodbye, Danger Dan.”
Danny shook Melody’s hand warmly. “Goodbye, Gadget Girl.” Stepping aside, Melody used her finger to outline an archway, which gave out a blue glow. She gave Danny a gentle push through the portal.
Danny found himself back in the train just as the recorded voice announced: “Dhoby Ghaut”. His mind was in a whirl but there was no time to think. The train doors opened and he was swept along with the crowd rushing to transfer trains on the North-South line. It was only when he had boarded the next train with his family that he could ponder over his latest escapade.
Danny looked fondly at his parents and his three sisters standing in the train. He was relieved they all existed. Even Candy. He pulled out the lion mask from his bag and gazed at it. What an adventure! He was very glad that Singapore was safe but he was really going to miss Melody. Bird quirk and all.
Just then, he noticed something black in the corner of his bag. He took it out and gasped. It was Melody’s grappling hook watch! There was a note attached to it:
Danny felt a strange mixture of emotions. He was sad, moved and thrilled all at the same time. He turned the note over. There was another neatly handwritten line: “Ps Try not to destroy anything.”
Danger Dan grins. “Yes, Gadget Girl.”
It was 2 January 2121, at Qwindang Qwirbau Hospital. The New Year decorations were still up on the maternity floor, lending a festive air to the wards.
In the delivery room, a little girl had just been born. A digital clock on the wall displayed the time: 9.21pm. The new mother gazed down adoringly at the baby in her arms. The baby gave a musical gurgle.
“What a delightful sound!” laughed the mother. “I think I’ll call you...Melody.”
According to historians, Sang Nila Utama, a prince of Sumatra, first came to Singapore in 1299, when it was still known as Temasek. While hunting, he spotted an animal with an orange body, black head and a white chest. His Chief Minister told him it was a lion. The Chief Minister was clearly mistaken because there have never been any lions in Singapore. He probably saw a tiger but that too is puzzling because Sang Nila Utama would have been familiar with tigers. Whatever it was, we’re thankful the Chief Minister didn’t say orangutan. Or pontianak!
Sang Nila Utama named the city “Singapura”, which means “Lion City” in Sanskrit. He ruled Singapura for 48 years and even had a palace built on top of today’s Fort Canning Hill. He died in 1347. Some believe that he was buried at the foot of Fort Canning Hill. Maybe if you go to Fort Canning Hill at night, you’ll catch a glimpse of his ghost. Just kidding!
Did you know that Singapura was a mighty kingdom in the 1300s? After Sang Nila Utama, Singapura was ruled by five kings. It was a major and bustling port for trading ships from countries such as China and India. But its glory didn’t last long! Singapura was overrun by invaders in 1398 and its last king, Iskandar Shah, fled to Malacca. After that, Singapura was forgotten. Luckily, Raffles showed up in 1819 and revived it. Danger Dan made sure of that (hint: read Danger Dan Spooks the Peculiar Peranakan Pirate).
The first National Day Parade (NDP) was held on 9 August 1966, one year after Singapore’s independence. Since then, the NDP has been one of the most popular events in Singapore. If you can’t get tickets, just watch it on TV! The flypast first appeared at the 1970 NDP and remains a crowd-pleaser (besides the fun packs, of course!)
The pontianak is a mythical creature in Malay and Indonesian folklore. It is a female vampire, a ghost with long hair. The pontianak was believed to prey on men and was greatly feared. She was so frightening that she was featured in many Malay horror films. There is actually a city in Indonesia named Pontianak! It was named after a spirit which supposedly haunted the city’s first Sultan. We hope Melody had nothing to do with it.
About the Characters
Name
Danny aka Danger Dan
Age
11 (but often behaves like he’s eight)
Distinctive feature
Big ears
Signature items
Fantasy Squad comic book. Red sling bag.
Likes
Anything cold and sweet. All of Melody’s gadgets. Comic books and superheroes.
Dislikes
His three older sisters. Vegetables in any form. Cockroaches, especially big, flying ones.
Strengths
Imaginative. Brave. Acts quickly in any situation.
Weakness
Doesn’t think before he acts. A magnet fo
r trouble (and danger).
Name
Melody aka Gadget Girl
Age
14 (in the year 2135)
Distinctive feature
Silvery voice
Signature items
Silver hair clip (actually a mega computer which also conveniently keeps her hair in place). Grappling hook watch.
Likes
Gooey Gooberberry Gummies in all flavours except Coconut Explosion. Virtual jetpack tennis.
Dislikes
Danny being annoying. Birds.
Strengths
Smart. Usually calm (unless with Danny). Able to think under pressure.
Weakness
Terrible aim. Sometimes a little bossy.
Name
Michelangelo aka the Sinister Spyder
Age
21 (in the year 2135)
Distinctive feature
Impressive moustache
Signature items
Spider-like watch (a time machine)
Likes
Messing up Singapore’s history
Dislikes
Spiders
Strengths
Avoiding capture
Weakness
A ferocious temper
About the Creators
Monica Lim and Lesley-Amic book. Red sling nne Tan are a motherdaughter writing team (in that order). If Lesley-Anne could have a super power, she would choose the ability to stop time, so that she can study and write books in no time at all. Monica’s preferred super power is mind control, so that she can make Lesley-Anne stop dreaming about time freezes and get back to work.
James Tan is an illustrator living in the western part of Singapore. He likes to draw animals and loves cats. He enjoys reading and drawing, garnering inspiration from daily life and travelling. James’ most heroic acts involve saving snails from being crushed by joggers and cyclists when he goes for walks.
Also in the series
Danger Dan Confronts the Merlion Mastermind
Danger Dan Tackles the Majulah Mayhem
Danger Dan Spooks the Peculiar Peranakan Pirate
Danger Dan Traces the Perilous Poison
Also by Monica Lim
The Good, the Bad and the PSLE
BONUS
Danger Dan Awards
Melody: Welcome to the first-ever Gadget Girl Awards!
Danny: Oi! It’s the Danger Dan Awards! Haven’t you noticed the books are named after me? Anyway, these are the best-est, amazing-est, fantastic-est awards taken from the adventures of all five books in my series!
Biggest Stars
Nominees:
1 Amy and her Big Mouth
2 Betty and her Big Brain
3 Candy who is just...BIG
Danny: HEY! Why are my sisters nominated and not me? *sulks*
Melody: *opens envelope* And the winner is... oh, it’s a tie!
Winner
1 The STARfish (Book #1)
2 The NDP “stars” (Book #2)
Most Advanced Gadget
Nominees:
1 Grappling hook watch
2 Rainbow Riot (Book #2)
3 A stick
Melody: A stick??
Danny: Well, it saved the Queen! Oh wait… (hint: read Book #4!)
Winner
The Sinister Spyder’s spider watch
Most Terrifying Character
Nominees:
1 Blacktip reef shark (Book #3)
2 Nightmare cockroach (Book #2)
3 The Sinister Spyder
Danny: *opens envelope* The winner is... YIKES! It’s my Social Studies teacher!
Winner
Mrs Yip (Book #4)
Most Embarrassing Incident
Nominees:
1 The Great Turtle Escape (Book #1)
2 Fizzed Wizzed Dragon Dancers (Book #4)
3 The Naked Chicken (Book #3)
Danny: Aren’t all chickens naked? *opens envelope* Hey, Melody, you won!
Winner
Pontianak Melody
Best Fashion Statement
Nominees:
1 Fantasy Squad’s circus disguise (Book #4)
2 Melody’s air-con jacket...inflated (Book #1)
3 Danny’s wet look (Book #2)
Danny: *whining* Who nominated me?
Melody: *opens envelope* The winner is... wait, how is that even fashion?
Winner
The Sinister Spyder’s magnificent moustache
Best Nut
Melody: What nonsensical award is that?? I nominate Danny!
Danny: Oi! I nominate the coconut!
Melody: A coconut is not a nut!
Danny: *indignant* Neither am I!
Melody: We shall see! *opens envelope* The winner is...Nutty Peanut Butter!
Danny:These awards are nutty!
Winner
Nutty Peanut Butter (Book #3)
Scariest Animal
Melody: Definitely the owl! Or maybe the chicken!
Danny:No way! It’s the cockroach!
Melody: *opens envelope* The winner is... the spider?
Winner
The Spider
Danny:Why are none of the winners from the nominees? Who on earth is the judge for these awards?
Melody: *groan* Looks like the Sinister Spyder just can’t stop interfering!
Danny: Anyway, everyone knows the real star of the series is ME. So I’m giving myself the Ultimate Danger Dan Award! Thank you, my loyal fans, for reading my books and tuning in to this wacky award ceremony!
Have you enjoyed reading about
Danger Dan’s adventures in old Singapore? Here’s a treat for you!
In this bumper issue, Danger Dan explores the streets of Singapore all the way from the time of Sang Nila Utama (the official version this time!) right up to our nation’s independence. How does he do this, you ask? Well, he has Gadget Girl with him! He can time-travel!
But wait! There’s more!
Danger Dan and Gadget Girl also investigate intriguing areas seldom found in your history books (shhhh!), like cinemas, airports, sports and of course, food! Join the superhero duo as they unearth quirky and long-forgotten secrets.
Find out fascinating facts like:
▼ Which animals have escaped from the Singapore Zoo?
▼ How long was the very first MRT ride?
▼ Where can you see a tiger car? (And what on earth is a tiger car??)
And most importantly:
▼ When was the first PSLE held?
The answers to these burning questions and much more will be revealed in Danger Dan’s new unofficial guide to Singapore’s past!