The Courage of Samba’ Paria: A Folktale from West Sulawesi
A long time ago in Mandar, West Sulawesi, lived a beautiful girl named Samba’ Paria. She lived with her younger sister in a hut. Their hut was in the jungle. They both lived alone. Their parents had died. Samba’ Paria loved her younger sister very much. They always helped each other.
One night they had a dinner. Suddenly someone knocked the door.
“Who is that?” asked Samba’ Paria.
“We are the soldiers and the king. We are lost in the jungle. We are hunting here,” said one man.
Samba’ Paria then opened the door. There were some soldiers and the king! Samba’ Paria was very nervous. She did not know what to do. She was speechless.
“May we come in?” asked the king.
“Yes, you can,” answered Samba’ Paria.
And when the king was inside the house, he was amazed by Samba’ Paria’s beauty. He never saw a beautiful girl like her. The king fell in love with her. However he had a bad plan. He wanted to kidnap Samba’ Paria and brought her to the palace. He was thinking and fi nally he had an idea.
“I want to drink water from the waterfall. And I want your sister to go to the waterfall and bring me the water,” said the king.
In a hurry, the sister went to the waterfall. Right after she left, the king immediately asked the soldiers to take Samba’ Paria. She tried to release herself. But it was useless.
The soldiers were too strong. She knew she could not escape, so she grabbed some leaves and put them one by one on the way to the palace.
Later, the younger sister arrived at home. She was so confused. No one was at home . The door was open. She was crying and screaming her sister’s name. Suddenly she saw some leaves on the ground. She followed the leaves and finally she arrived in the palace.
“Kakak Samba’, are you there? If you are in the palace, please show me yourself in the window,” asked the sister.
The king heard that. Actually Samba’ Paria was locked in the room and she could not show herself because the room did not have any windows. The king wanted the sister to think that Samba’ Paria did not want to see her anymore. So he put a cat in the window.
The sister was surprised to see a cat in the window. She thought her older sister did not want to see her anymore. So she went home crying.
Samba’ Paria was also sad. The king asked her to marry him. But she did not want to. Days and nights she was locked in the room. She was always thinking about her younger sister.
She knew her sister needed her very much. Samba’ Paria prayed to God. She asked God to help her escape from the palace. God heard her prayer. In one night, she was able to escape! She ran very fast and finally she arrived at home.
The two girls hugged each other. They were crying. This time they cried because they were very happy. Samba’ Paria knew the king would follow her. So the two girls set a trap. She prepared some chilies and later she was grinding them. Finally, she mixed it with water. She wanted to throw the water to king’s face.
And it worked! And when the king arrived at their home, Samba’ Paria threw the water to the king’s face. The king’s screamed in pain. He fell and his head hit a big stone. He died instantly. Since then Samba’ Paria lived peacefully with her younger sister. ***
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Moral Story: The Importance of Family, Bravery, and Resourcefulness
Here are the key points that convey the moral message:
1. Family Bonds and Loyalty: The strong bond and love between Samba’ Paria and her younger sister highlight the importance of family support and loyalty. They care deeply for each other and are willing to go to great lengths to protect one another.
2. Bravery and Determination: Samba’ Paria shows remarkable bravery and determination. Despite being kidnapped by the king, she remains resolute and seeks a way to escape and reunite with her sister.
3. Resourcefulness and Ingenuity: Samba’ Paria's resourcefulness is evident when she leaves a trail of leaves to guide her sister to the palace and later sets a trap to protect herself and her sister from the king. Her quick thinking and ingenuity help them overcome the danger posed by the king.
4. Justice and Consequences: The story also imparts a lesson about justice. The king’s ill intentions and wrongful actions ultimately lead to his downfall, emphasizing that evil deeds have consequences.
Overall, the tale teaches that strong family bonds, bravery in the face of adversity, and clever problem-solving can help overcome challenges and lead to a peaceful life.
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