indonesian Legend
leafy stone
Once upon a time, in the coastal area of Maluku, lived a grandmother with two young grandchildren. The first grandchild was 11 years old, while the youngest was 5.
Both children were orphaned because their parents had died while searching for fish in the sea. Now, the two children are in the care of the grandmother.
To meet the needs of life, the grandmother worked to collect forest products and look for fish on the beach. The results are never enough for them to eat. Fortunately, the neighbors were often kind enough to give food to the grandmother to eat with her two grandchildren.
One day, the sea water seemed to recede, the waves also looked calm. Conditions like this are usually a sign that many crabs are stranded around the beach. The grandmother also took her two grandchildren to the beach to catch crabs.
“Cucuku, let's go to the beach looking for crabs,” invite the grandmother.
How happy the two children were, especially the youngest. He ran and jumped with excitement.
“Horeee... horeee.. !” the youngest.
Arriving at the beach, they also began to install some bubu (tools for catching crabs) in a number of places. A short time later, a bubble that Grandma had installed obtained a large crab trapped inside. The grandmother told her two grandchildren to go home first.
“My grandchildren, go home first. Bring and boil the big crab for our lunch later,” said the grandmother, “Capitannya left for grandma.”
“Good, Grandma,” replied the first grandson.
The two children returned home happy. That day, they will enjoy a delicious meal. Arriving at home, the big crabs from their catch were immediately boiled. After cooking, the crab they eat with boiled sweet potatoes. They eat very well. According to the orders of the grandmother, the two children left the crab claws.
After eating, the two children went to play until the day before noon. When they returned home, their grandmother did not return from the beach. Meanwhile, the youngest who had just arrived home suddenly felt hungry again.
“Sister, I'm hungry. I want to eat again,” whine the youngest to his brother.
“Didn't you eat? Why ask for more food?” ask brother.
“I'm hungry again. I want to eat crab claws,” the youngest again whining.
“Do not, the crab claw is for grandma,” prevent the sister.
Although the older brother had advised him many times, the youngest was still whining. Because of pity, the brother was forced to take a piece of crab claw. The youngest finally stopped whining. However, after eating, he again asked for the other crab claw. My sister gave it to him too.
“Cucuku., grandson..!” he shouted with a hoarse voice.
“Iya, Nek,” replied the eldest as he approached his grandmother, “What's the matter, Nek?”
“Where did the crab claw that grandma ordered earlier?” ask the grandmother.
“Ma... sorry..., Grandma!” answer the firstborn nervously, “Capit crab spent by the Bungsu. I've been trying to advise her, but she keeps crying asking for the crab claw.”
How disappointed the grandmothers heart was to hear that answer. He was really angry that his two grandchildren were not paying attention to his message. Without saying anything, the grandmother left the house. With a feeling of sadness, he walked towards a hill. Arriving at the top of the hill, he then approached a large stone that was shaped like a leaf. People call it a leafy stone. In front of the stone, the grandmother sat down and shed tears.
“Ohai, stone. Swallow me!” exclaim that granny, “There is no point in me living in this world anymore. My two grandchildren won't listen to my advice anymore.”
The stone did not move in the slightest. When Grandma said her request for the third time, then the stone opened its mouth.
With one suck, the grandmother was immediately drawn into the stone stomach. After the grandmother was swallowed, the mouth of the stone clenched back. Since then, the grandmother lived in the belly of the stone and never came out again.
Meanwhile, his two grandchildren were restlessly looking for their grandmother. When they arrived at the top of the hill, they only found the cloth belonging to their grandmother decomposed slightly among the leafy stone.
“Grandma, don't leave us!” crying the firstborn.
“I'm sorry, Grandma. I promise I will not disappoint grandma again,” said the youngest with great regret.
The firstborn then asked the stone to swallow them.
“Oahai, leafy stone. Swallow us!” exclaim the firstborn.
Although the two children begged many times, the leafy stone still did not open its mouth, until finally the two children fell asleep nearby. The next day, both of them woke up and again mourned the departure of the grandmother. At that moment, there happened to be a neighbor of theirs who was passing by at that place.
“Hai, why are you guys here?” I asked him when he saw the two kids.
The firstborn told him everything that had happened to his grandmother. Because the grandmother would not return, the neighbor took the two children home and took care of them. The two children felt very sorry for their treatment of their grandmother. However, they made it a valuable lesson so that the two children also grew up to become virtuous humans.
