A long time ago, there lived a farmer named Nusa with his wife and younger brother. They were hardworking farmers who depended on their rice fields for food. However, one year, the land suffered from a long drought—no rain fell, and their crops withered. The villagers grew desperate, for without water, there would be no harvest.
Seeing no other choice, Nusa decided to lead his family in search of a better place to live. They walked for three days and three nights until they finally arrived at a new land—a fertile valley with a large, flowing river. The land was rich, green, and full of promise.
The Mysterious Egg
Excited about their new home, Nusa went to search for food. As he wandered near the riverbank, he stumbled upon a massive egg, larger than any he had ever seen. Curious and starving, he decided to take it home.
"Look what I found! Let’s cook this," he said to his wife.
His wife and brother, however, hesitated. The egg was too large—it seemed unnatural.
"I'm not sure, Brother," said his younger sibling. "What if it belongs to a dangerous creature?"
"We don’t know what it is," his wife added. "Maybe we should leave it alone."
But Nusa was too hungry to listen. Ignoring their concerns, he cooked and ate the egg all by himself. With his hunger satisfied, he fell into a deep sleep.
The Curse Takes Hold
The next morning, Nusa woke up screaming in pain. His body felt strange, as if something was changing. His wife and brother rushed to his side, only to gasp in horror—his skin had turned into hard, glistening scales. His legs had fused into a long, thick tail. His body had grown massive.
Nusa had turned into a dragon!
He looked at his reflection in the river and let out a sorrowful cry.
"This must be because of the egg! I must have eaten a dragon’s egg!"
Realizing he could no longer live as a human, he pleaded with his family.
"Please, take me to the river. I can no longer survive on land."
With great difficulty, his wife and brother dragged his heavy body into the water.
"Forgive me," he said, his voice deep and mournful. "I was careless. I ignored your warnings, and now I must live the rest of my days in this river. Tell the villagers to always be cautious of what they consume."
With one final glance at his family, Nusa disappeared beneath the water.
The Rise of the River Dragon
Nusa, now fully a dragon, roamed the river, surviving on fish. But he was no ordinary creature—his hunger was insatiable. He devoured more and more fish each day, and soon, the fish in the river began to fear him.
"We must do something, or else none of us will survive!" the fish whispered among themselves.
One day, a clever little fish came up with a plan.
"Master Dragon," the little fish swam up to Nusa, his voice full of urgency. "There is another dragon in this river! He is much bigger and stronger than you. He says you are weak and unworthy to rule the waters."
At these words, Nusa’s pride flared.
"Another dragon? How dare he challenge me! I am the mightiest in this river! Where is he? I will fight him!"
For days, Nusa obsessed over his unseen rival. He swam up and down the river, looking for the enemy that did not exist. He stopped sleeping, always on high alert. His exhaustion grew.
Then, at the perfect moment, the little fish shouted, "Master! He’s behind you!"
Nusa whipped his giant body around—so fast that he saw his own tail moving behind him. His mind clouded with exhaustion and paranoia, he mistook his tail for the enemy dragon and attacked it viciously.
He bit down with all his strength—and screamed in pain!
"Attack!" the little fish yelled, and all the fish in the river swarmed at once, biting and tearing at Nusa’s weakened body.
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The Fall of the Dragon
Nusa, realizing he had been tricked, thrashed violently, trying to escape. But he was too tired. His strength faded, and his vision blurred. With one final, agonized roar, he drifted toward the riverbank.
His massive body slowly turned to stone, his scales hardening into earth. Over time, the villagers saw that his body had become an island in the middle of the river.
From that day on, they called it Nusa Island.
Moral Message:
"Be mindful of what you consume, for it may change your fate. And beware of arrogance—pride and carelessness can lead to one's downfall."
Nusa’s greed and recklessness caused his transformation. His pride blinded him to the truth, making him easy to deceive. In the end, his arrogance cost him his life. The story serves as a warning: wisdom, humility, and caution are key to survival.
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