NAMA : NURKAMALIA ASMAWARDANI
KELAS : VII D
SEKOLAH : SMP NEGERI 3 SINGKAWANG TENGAH
The Legend of Ruai Bird
ONCE upon a time, there was a kingdom in West Kalimantan. The King
had seven daughters. The queen had passed away. The king did not
want to remarry.
The seven daughters were beautiful. However, the youngest daughter
was the most beautiful. She was also the kindest. She often helped
other people. Her sisters were very much different. They were lazy. They
also had bad attitude. They were cruel to people.
The king knew about his daughters behaviours. He often advise his older
daughter to behaviours. He often advise his older daughters to behave
like the youngest daughter. Sadly, they never listened to the king's
advice. They hated their youngest sister because the king often praised
her good behaviour.
The older daughters often did terrible things to the youngest daughter.
They often hit her. She was very sad. She often cried. She could not tell
it to her father because her older sisters always intimidated her. They
would hit her even harder if she told their father.
One day, the king asked all her daughters to meet him.
"I'm going to the neighboring kingdom. I'll go for several months. While
I'm gone, my youngest daughter will rule the kingdom. Do you
understand?" asked the king.
"Yes, we do, Father, "said all the daughters.
The older daughters were angry. They very upset about their youngest
sister was asked to rule the kingdom.
After the king left, they planned something bad. They wanted to get rid of
their youngest sister. They pretended to be nice to her. The youngest
daughter was happy. Finally, her older sisters were nice to her.
The older sisters asked her to go fishing. They asked to go to Gua Batu
or a stone cave. There was a river flowing inside the cave. And there
were a lot of fish in that river.
The youngest daughter was so happy when they finally arrived at the
cave. She did not know that her sisters were going to do something bad
to her.
"Hurry up, let's go inside the cave. You can find a lot of fish inside the
cave," said the oldest daughter.
The youngest was so eager. As she went inside the cave, she did not
know that her sisters stayed outside the cave. They kept on asking her
to go inside the cave.
She kept on walking until she was lost! She was calling out all her
sisters, but they did not respond. She then understood that her sisters
did not want her to rule the kingdom anymore.
She was very sad. She cried. Suddenly an old man came. He was a holy
man. He was meditating in the cave. She changed her tears into eggs.
"Don't worry, I can help you. You can go back to the kingdom but you
have to change into a bird. I name you Ruai Bird. After that, Brood these
eggs. After they hatch, the birds will accompany you," said the old man.
She agreed. Slowly she changed into a beautiful bird. And after all the
eggs were hatched, they went back to the kingdom. They all stayed at
the tree near the kingdom. They all saw how the king punished the older
sisters.***
Betangkup Stone (A Legend from West Kalimantan)
Once upon a time, in a small village in Sambas, West Kalimantan, there lived a
widow named Mak Minah. She had three children, two sons, and a daughter. Her
son’s names were Utuh and Ucin. And her youngest child’s name was Diang.
Everyday, Mak Minah always went to the jungle to collect some fire woods. She sold
the woods in the market and used the money for their daily needs. She always
worked alone. Her three children were lazy and only liked to play. They never helped
her.
It was already late in the evening. Mak Minah did not feel well. After selling the
woods in the market, she wanted to go to the bed immedately. However dinner was
not ready yet. So she asked her three children to help her.
“Utuh, Ucin, and Diang… please help me prepare the dinner,” asked Mak Minah.
Those three children ignored their mother and continued playing in the front yard.
Mak Minah then forced herself to prepare the dinner. When it was ready, she called
her children to have dinner. This time they listened to Mak Minah. Sadly after they
finished eating, the children did not help their mother clean the dishes. Instead, they
played again.
Mak Minah cried. She was so sad. It was not the first time her children did not help
her and ignored her. She was so sick that she went to bed immediately.
In the morning, Mak Minah went to the riverside. There was a magical stone called
Betangkup Stone. The stone had magical power. It could open and close its body like
a sea shell. the stone could also talk to humans.
“Betangkup Stone, please help me. I cannot hold the pains anymore. I’m so sick and
my children did not want to help me. They always ignored me. Please swallow my
body,” begged Mak Minah.
“Well, If that’s what you want, get inside. I will open my body now.”
Betangkup Stone then opened its body. Mak Minah later went inside. Her long hair
was still outside of the stone.
In the meantime, Utuh, Ucin, and Diang woke up and felt hungry. Breakfast was not
ready so they were looking for their mother. The children went here and there to find
their mother. Finally, they were in front of the Betangkup Stone. They saw their
mother was inside Betangkup Stone’s body.
“Please open your body. Let my mother go outside,” scream Diang.
“No, I won’t! You are not good children. You always ignored your mother and never
helped her,” said Batangkup Stone.
“But we need her now…” cried Utuh.
“You need her now because you are hungry. You only listen to her when you want to
eat. But you never help her. You will never see your mother anymore!” said
Betangkup Stone.
Those three children cried loudly. They knew they were wrong. But it was too late,
they would never see their mother anymore. (end)
