The Dandaung Snake

Ular Dandaung >> Edisi Indonesia

Folklore from South Kalimantan

A long time ago, there was a big kingdom in South Kalimantan. The people lived happily and peacefully. There were no poor people. The land was fertile and they always had great harvest. The kingdom was also peaceful. The king was wise and always protected his people. The king had seven daughters. Those seven princesses were very beautiful. The king and the queen really loved them. Their daughters were all still single.

It was a beautiful afternoon. The king and his family spent their time in the garden. Suddenly the chief soldier came. He told the king a very bad news.

“Your majesty! A giant bird attacked our kingdom. The bird is destroying the rice fields. It is also attacking the people. Many people are wounded,” said the soldier.

“We have to do something. Prepare the soldiers. I’ll command the attack,” said the king bravely. He then took his weapon and led the soldiers.

When the king and the soldiers arrived, they were very shocked. The bird was very big. It was very powerful and mean. The king did not want to wait any longer.

The king and the soldiers fought bravely. At first, they could not match the fight. However they all were very brave. Slowly the giant bird gave up. It was very tired and stopped its attack. The people were happy. For a moment they were safe from the bird.

A week later, the kingdom was restless again. This time a giant snake came to the palace. Amazingly the snake could talk like humans. The snake wanted to meet the king and his family.

“Your Majesty, my name is Dandaung Snake. I’m here to marry one of your seven daughters,” said the snake.

All the daughters were screaming. They all were afraid. However the king was silent and calmed. He knew he had to be very careful. He tried to find a solution.

“I cannot decide right now. We need to discuss. Come back tomorrow,” said the king.

He planned to prolong the time. Meanwhile he also had to ask his daughters. One by one the king asked them, but they all refused to marry the snake.

The king was hopeless. He was afraid the snake would attack his kingdom, he still had problems with the giant bird. It was because the bird was still alive and it could return and attack the kingdom and his people at any time.

Suddenly his youngest daughter came to him.

She said, “Father, I’m willing to marry the snake. I’m afraid the snake will be angry and attack our kingdom if nobody wants to marry him.”

The king was speechless. He was very touched with her youngest daughter’s sacrifice. Then he ordered his people to hold a great wedding ceremony for her youngest daughter and Dandaung
Snake.

The party was great. All the guests were proud with the youngest princess. When everybody was having fun, suddenly something strange happened.

Dandaung Snake slowly changed into a very handsome man. He looked into the youngest princess face and he said.

“Don’t be afraid. You have already helped me from the curse. A bad witch cursed me into a snake. Actually I’m a prince and I have great supernatural power.”

The prince went away. He knew the people were still afraid with the giant bird. The prince wanted to kill the bird. And finally he succeeded! The giant bird was dead. Everybody was happy. The king was also happy. He asked the prince to be the new king. Since then the kingdom was always peaceful. ***

The Borneo python (Python breitensteini)

The Legend of Blue Pond

Legenda Telaga Biru >> Edisi Indonesia

Folklore From Maluku

“Hey look over there! Water is flowing!”

A man pointed out to a direction. He saw something strange. Water was fl owing out of the big stones. The water was flowing into a lower ground. Slowly, the ground was full of water.

The water was clear and it was bluish.

“Look! It is blue! I have never seen bluish water like this,” said another man.

And then, he tried to taste the water, “The water is so fresh. Come on, let’s drink the water.”

Those people were villagers in Lisawa, Halmahera. They never saw water coming out of the stones before. It was very strange for them.

“We have to report this to the head of the village,” suggested one man.

They all agreed. Soon, the head of the village arrived at the pond. He was also surprised. The water was clear and bluish. He also wanted to know how it happened. He then asked all the elderly of the village pray to the gods and goddess.

They all prayed and finally they got the answer. The water was flowing from a girl’s tears. She was crying so badly until the tears was flooding the ground.

“Who is she? We need to know who the girl is! Ask all the villagers including their children to gather here,” said the head of the village.

Later, all the villagers gathered in the pond. They all brought their children.

However there were two families who did not bring their children. Those two children were teenagers. The boy was Magohiduruu and the girl was Majojaru.

One woman told the villagers about them. The woman was Majoraru’s mother.

She told them that Magohiduruu and Majojaru were lovers. They planned to get married. A year ago, Magohiduruu left the village to fi nd a better life. He wanted to earn a lot of money before they got married.

A year passed by but Magohiduruu did not come back yet. She finally heard that Magohiduruu was dead. Majojaru was very sad. Everyday she was always sat down under a big tree. She spent her time crying. Majojaru was very sad. She did not believe that Magohiduruu had already died. She always cried. Her parents tried to comfort Majojaru, but she never listened to them. And one day Majojaru disappeared. She never returned to her home.

After they heard the story, all the villagers agreed to take care of the pond. And since the water was bluish, they named the pond as the Blue Pond.***

Water Drop

Galela Lake, North Maluku

Mah Bongsu and a Snake

From Snake to Prince: A Story of Compassion and Karma

Mah Bongsu dan Ular >> Edisi Bahasa Indonesia

Folklore from Batam

ONCE upon a time in Batam, lived an orphan named Mah Bongsu. She was a nice girl. Mah Bongsu was poor. To earn a living, she worked as a maid at a rich woman’s house, her name was Mak Piah. She had a daughter named Mayang. Mah Bongsu and Mayang were at the same age.

Mak Piah was a mean lady. She always asked Mah Bongsu to work hard, she often hit Mah Bongsu and sometimes she did not gave enough food to Mah Bongsu. Mah Bongsu was helpless. She could not do anything.

She was alone in this world and she did not have any other place to stay. Everyday she prayed to God. She wanted to have a better life. Mah Bongsu was washing the clothes in the river. Suddenly she saw a big snake swimming towards her. Mah Bongsu was scared. She wanted to run away. However, she saw the snake was wounded. It was bleeding. Mah Bongsu felt sorry to the snake. Carefully, she brought the snake home. She put the snake in her room and healed the wound.

When Mah Bongsu was healing the wound, a piece of the snake’s skin was removed. Mah Bongsu took it. Amazingly the skin turned into gold. Mah Bongsu was happy. Everyday the snake removed its skin and the skin always turned into gold. Mah Bongsu collected all the gold and save it. She wanted to sell it later. Mah Bongsu sold all the gold and she became a rich girl. She did not work for Mak Piah anymore. She was richer than Mak Piah. Mah Bongsu also helped all the poor people. She bought a big house and she brought the snake with her.

Mak Piah was very jealous. She was so curious. She wanted to know how Mah Bongsu got the wealth. Secretly, she went to Mah Bongsu’s house. She saw Mah Bongsu was healing a snake.

Later, Mak Piah asked her daughter, Mayang, to go to the river. She asked Mayang to find a wounded snake.

And when Mayang finally found a wounded snake, she brought it home. Sadly, the snake bit her and poisoned her. Mayang instantly died. Mak Piah was scared, she tried to run away. Just right before she left the house, the snake was able to bite her. And she also died then.

Meanwhile, the wounded snake at Mah Bongsu’s house was finally healed. Amazingly, the snake turned into a handsome man.

“ Thank you, Mah Bongsu.

Actually, I’m a prince. A witch cursed me into a snake . And thanks to you I changed into a man now. Because you already helped me, I want to propose you to be my wife. Will you marry me?” asked the prince.

Mah Bongsu was so happy. She accepted the proposal and lived with the prince. Since then people named the river where Mah Bongsu found her husband as Sungai Jodoh. It means the river of soul mate. ***

Moral Messages:

Here are the moral lessons of the story in English:

1. Kindness: Mah Bongsu shows kindness by saving and caring for the wounded snake, despite her own difficult situation. This teaches that kindness and empathy towards others can bring unexpected blessings.

2. Patience and Perseverance: Mah Bongsu is patient in facing the mistreatment from Mak Piah and continues to pray and hope for a better life. Her patience and perseverance eventually bring her happiness and success.

3. Karma: The story highlights the concept of karma, where Mak Piah and Mayang receive retribution for their bad deeds. It reminds us that evil actions will be met with appropriate consequences.

4. Reward for Kindness: Mah Bongsu's kindness in caring for the snake eventually earns her great rewards, including wealth and love from a prince. This teaches that acts of kindness will always be appreciated and repaid with goodness.

5. Sincerity: Mah Bongsu helps the snake without expecting anything in return. Sincerity in helping others is an important value that can bring true happiness.

6. Not Judging by Appearances: Mah Bongsu does not let the snake's frightening appearance stop her from helping. This teaches us not to judge something or someone solely based on their appearance.

This story teaches that kindness, sincerity, patience, and empathy are important values that will always bring goodness into our lives.

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The Salty River

The Miracle of the Salt Water Well: A Tale of Faith and Transformation

Sungai Asin >> Edisi Indonesia

Folklore from Central Kalimantan

A long time ago in Sepang Village, Central Kalimantan, lived a widow named Emas. Her husband died when her daughter was a baby. Her daughter’s name was Tumbai. The villagers in Sepang Village were poor.

Though they were poor, the villagers always worked hard. Fortunately there was a well in the village. So they always had enough water to live.

Tumbai was a very good daughter. She was diligent and obedient. She always helped her mother and listened to her mother’s advice. She also liked to help other people. That was why everybody knew her.

Tumbai was not only famous for her kindness, but she was also famous for her beauty. She was very beautiful! Many young men fell in love with her. One by one, they proposed her to be their wife. However, Tumbai always refused the marriage proposal. She was confused. So she prayed to God to give her guidance.

Finally she got the answer. In her dream, an old man asked her to marry a man who could change the well from fresh water into salt water. When she woke up, Tumbai was very confused.

She thought it was difficult for a man to change the fresh water into salt water. Fresh water did not have any taste. It was different from sea water which is salty.

When Tumbai told her mother about her dream, her mother was also confused. However, she knew that her daughter was very good and wouldn't lie to her. Her mother had a feeling, probably God was going to help them from poverty.

Her mother then made an announcement that Tumbai would marry a man who could change the fresh water in the well into salt water. Everybody was laughing. They thought Tumbai and her mother were crazy.

But it did not stop those young men to try. They really wanted to marry Tumbai. So they all tried to change the fresh water into salt water. But they all failed.

One day a man came. He lived in the riverside of Barito River. He had supernatural power.

“Ma’am, I’m here to marry your daughter,” said the man to Emas, Tumbai’s mother.

“Do you know the test?” asked Emas.

“I do. I will change the fresh water into salt water,” said the man.

The man then sat down next to the well. He was meditating and prayed to God. All the villagers were circling the man. They all were curious.

After a while, the man finished meditating. He stood up and asked the villagers to taste the water from the well.

It worked! He succeeded in changing the water. Tumbai was happy. She fi nally found her dream husband.

And her mother was right. After the water was salty, the villagers were not poor anymore. They changed the salty water into salt. They sold it and they had money.

The salty water was flowing from the well to the Kahayan River. Until now people still taste the salty water in Kahayan River. They also think that the legend really happened. ***

Moral Messages 

This story carries several moral messages:

1. Perseverance and Hard Work: Despite living in poverty, the villagers in Sepang Village continuously worked hard to survive and provide for their families.

2. Kindness and Obedience: Tumbai’s character demonstrates the importance of being kind and obedient. Her virtues made her beloved by all, highlighting that good character traits are recognized and valued by others.

3. Faith and Divine Guidance: Tumbai’s dream and her mother’s belief in it illustrate the significance of faith and seeking divine guidance in difficult times. Trusting in higher powers and their plans can lead to miraculous outcomes.

4. Community Support: The villagers' collective curiosity and willingness to witness the supernatural man's attempt signify the strength of community and support. Working together and supporting one another can lead to incredible achievements.

5. Transformation through Innovation: The man's ability to change fresh water into salt water and the resulting prosperity of the village show that innovative solutions can transform lives and bring about positive changes in the community.

6. Belief in the Extraordinary: The story emphasizes that believing in the extraordinary and not dismissing unconventional ideas can open doors to remarkable possibilities and change the course of one's life.

These messages collectively underscore the power of faith, perseverance, kindness, and community in overcoming challenges and achieving success.

Kahayan River