The Lazy Uder

The Lazy Uder
Folklore from Central Kalimantan

He always woke up in the afternoon. Then he went fishing on the river until evening. Uder never helped his wife. That’s why she always worked alone in the field. She never gave up giving him advice. But, Uder never listened to his wife. On one afternoon, Uder went fishing. He took some worms as bait. On the way to the river, he met his neighbor. “Hey Uder, where are you going?” “I’m going fishing,” said Uder. “What do you have for the bait?” “Some worms,” answered Uder. Then he continued walking. Then he met another neighbour. Again, the neighbour asked where Uder was going and what he had for the bait. Uder answered. After that, he met another neighbour. He also asked the same question. Uder was tired of answering. He was upset. So he decided to ignore everyone. While he was walking very fast, he met a group of monkeys. They could talk like humans. “Hey Uder, are you going fishing?” asked one of the monkeys. “Yes, I am.” “What do you have for the bait?” Uder was still upset with all those same questions. This time he could not take it anymore. “I’m going to use your mother for the bait!” said Uder. “Hey! Don’t make fun with my mother!” Those monkeys were angry. They took Uder. Then they tied him in a big tree. “ Please forgive me. I did not mean to make fun with your mother. I was just upset with all those questions my neighbours had asked me?” explained Uder. “Okay, we forgive you. We will free you, if you can tell us a place where we can eat fruits. We are hungry.” “Go across the river. There you can see a very big rambutan tree. You can eat those rambutans until all of you are full.” Then the monkeys freed him. Uder then ran as fast as he could. After he arrived home, he apologized to his wife and promised to be a good husband. ***

Read more...

A Buffalo and a Monkey

A Buffalo and a Monkey
Folklore from Central Kalimantan

IT was a very hot day. A monkey was walking by the riverside. He was very thirsty and hungry. He took some water and drank it. He was very happy. Then, he saw some banana trees. But they were across the river. The monkey could not swim so he was thinking very hard. Suddenly, "Aha!" said the monkey. He had an idea. Not far from him, a buffalo was drinking some water in the river. He came closer to the buffalo and told him his plan. "Hello, Mr Buffalo. Are you hungry?" "Yes, I am. I really want to eat some grass," said the buffalo. "I know a place where you can eat a lot of grass. It is across the river." "I know that place. It's a field. A farmer owns it. He will be angry if I eat the grass on his field," said the buffalo. "You are right. He is angry if he sees you eating the grass. If he does not see you, he won't be angry, right?" the monkey kept on persuading the buffalo. "Come on! Let's go now. We just have to be quiet and do not make noise," said the monkey. Actually, he wanted to trick the buffalo. He wanted to sit on the buffalo's back while they were crossing the river. "Ok then. But promise you won't be noisy," said the buffalo. The monkey immediately jumped to the buffalo's back. The buffalo's body was big. He did not have problem in crossing the river. After a while, they arrived at the farmer's field. Both of them immediately ate. "Mr Buffalo, I'm already full. Let's go back," said the monkey. "But I'm not full yet. Wait for a moment." The monkey was impatient. He was thinking how he could ask the buffalo to go back across the river. Then he had an idea. He made a lot of noise. It was very loud! The farmer heard the noise and he approached them. When he saw two animals were eating on his field, the farmer threw some stones. One big stone hit the buffalo's head. The buffalo's cried in pain. He immediately ran to the river. The monkey followed him and jumped on the buffalo's back. "Why did you make a lot of noise? You promised to keep quiet!" said the buffalo while they were crossing the river. "Now, I want to take a bath here. I want to clean up my wound." "But I cannot swim. If you take a bath here, I will be drawn," the monkey was panic."I don't care. You made me bleeding." The buffalo then rolled over his body. The monkey had to hold very tight. He was very scared. After the buffalo finished taking bath, then he crossed back to the riverside. The monkey was very wet. He was very weak and frightened. He apologized to the buffalo. And he promised not to do it again. (*)

Read more...

Sangi the Hunter

Sangi the Hunter
Folklore from Central Kalimantan

A long time ago in Central Kalimantan, a great hunter named Sangi lived. Every time he went to the jungle to go hunting, he brought a lot of animals home. Sangi lived with his family on a riverside.
As always, Sangi went to the jungle. He saw some footprints of a wild hog. He slowly followed the footprints. The footprints ended in a big tree. Sangi thought the hog was behind the tree. Slowly he walked around the tree then he was really amazed. He saw a big dragon was trying to swallow a wild hog. The hog was so big that the dragon could not swallow it easily.
After several times trying to swallow, finally the dragon gave up. Suddenly, the dragon looked at Sangi. He was really shocked! He wanted to run very fast. He thought the dragon would eat him alive.
Though Sangi had tried to run, his feet could not move at all. The dragon slowly came to him. Then they were face to face. When the dragon was exactly in front of him, it turned into smoke. When the smoke was gone, there was a handsome man.
He said, ''Eat that wild hog. This is your punishment for seeing me try to eat.''
''I can't. I am a human. I cannot eat a wild hog that big,'' said Sangi.
''Yes, you can. If you are a dragon, you can eat that hog,'' said the man.
Then Sangi changed into a dragon. After that, he ate the hog. Later, he changed back as a human.
''What happened to me? Why could I change as a dragon?'' said Sangi.
''It also happened to me years ago. I did what you did. I saw a dragon ate then the dragon made me a dragon. It is great to be like us. We are half dragon and half human. You can change to be a dragon or human anytime you like. Besides that, you can be forever young. I'm more than 100 years old but I still look young right?'' said the man.
He continued, ''There is one condition that you have to do. Don't tell anyone that you are a half dragon and half human. If you did, you could be a dragon forever and unable to change back as human,'' said the man. After that, he disappeared.
Since then, Sangi had two lives, one as a dragon and one as a human. He also looked young although he was really old. People always asked the secret, but he never told them why he could look young forever.
On his 150th birthday, people could not stand it anymore. More and more people asked him. Sangi gave up. He told them that he was actually half dragon and half human. People were laughing at him. They did not believe that.
''I am a dragon!'' screamed Sangi. He was upset because they did not believe him.
Right after Sangi finished saying that, his body was shaking. Slowly he changed as a dragon. People were scared. They were running away.
Sangi was really sad. He regretted for telling them his secret. He knew he could not live in the village with his family anymore. He went to the river and lived there. Since then, people named the river Sangi River. ***

Read more...

Siuk Bimbim and Siuk Bambam

Siuk Bimbim and Siuk Bambam

A Folktale from Central Kalimantan

Siuk Bimbim and Siuk Bambam are brothers. They are orphans. Their parents died when Siuk Bimbim was a baby. Siuk Bambam always takes care of his younger brother, Siuk Bimbim. They help each other and never quarrel.
It's the late afternoon. Siuk Bimbim and Siuk Bambam want to the dinner. "We don't have enough food. I have to go to the barn now," says Siuk Bambam.
"But, don't go too long. Please come back soon," says Siuk Bimbim.
"Don't worry. Lock the door and never open to anyone except me, OK?"
Siuk Bambam then leaves. Actually he wants to take his brother goes with him to the rice barn. But it's very far. He doesn't want his younger brother to be tired.
Besides that, he can go there faster by walking quikly.
Meanwhile, Siuk Bimbim is sleeping. He is very tired. Suddenly, he wakes up. He hears someone knocks the door. The sound is very loud. Siuk Bimbim is very scared. When he looks outside through a window, he sees a giant the front of the door. He is shocked. The giant then breaks the door and enters the house. Siuk Bimbim then runs. He runs and runs until he gets very tired. He feels he cannot stand up anymore. Then he is fainted.
After a while, Siuk Bambam comes home from the rice barn. He is shocked when he sees the house is in a mess. He is calling his brother, "Siuk Bimbim, whre are you?" No one answers Siuk Bambam gets more shocked when he sees some footprints. They are not his brother's footprints. They are the giant's footprints!
Siuk Bambam gets much panicked. He looks for his brother everywhere.
Suddenly he sees his brother under the tree. Siuk Bimbim is unconscious. Siuk Bambam then takes him to a well. It's a magic well. It can cure any disease. He gives some water to his youger brother. Ater a while, Siuk Bimbim cured. Siuk Bimbim is very happy. He hugs his younger brother and takes him home. ***

Read more...