BAWANG MERAH AND BAWANG PUTIH
Once upon a time, in a village there lived a family that consisted of Ayah (Father), Ibu (Mother) and a
beautiful teenage girl who was called Bawang Putih (Garlic). They were a happy
family. Although Bawang Putih’s father was only an ordinary trader, yet they
lived harmoniously and peacefully. However, one day Bawang Putih’s mother got
seriously ill and eventually died. Bawang Putih was in deep grief and so did
her father.
In those village
also lived a widow who has a child called Bawang Merah (Onion). Ever since
Bawang Putih’s mother passed away, Bawang Merah’s mother often visited Bawang
Putih’s house. She frequently brought food, help Bawang Putih tidied the house
up or only accompanied Bawang Putih and her father chat. As a result of that
Bawang Putih’s father thought that maybe better if he married with Bawang
Merah’s mother so that Bawang Putih won’t feel lonely again.
With Bawang
Putih’s consideration, so Bawang Putih’s father married with Bawang Merah’s
mother. At the beginning, Bawang Merah and her mother were extremely nice toward
Bawang Putih. Nevertheless, their true colour gradually started to come into
light. They often scolded Bawang Putih and gave her heavy work when her father
was at trading. Bawang Putih has to do all the housework, meanwhile Bawang
Merah and her mother were only sitting around. Of course, Bawang Putih’s father
don’t know about it at all, because Bawang Putih never told him.
One day, Bawang
Putih’s father fell ill and finally passed away. From that moment on, Bawang
Merah and her mother were increasingly powerful and pretty ruthless toward
Bawang Putih. Bawang Putih was almost never rested. She has to be up before
dawn, prepare some water for bath and breakfast for Bawang Merah and her mother. Later,
she has to feed the livestock, water the garden and wash the clothes in the
river. Then, she still needs to iron, tidy up the house, and still many other
works. Yet, Bawang Putih always do the works joyously, because she hopes
someday her step-mother will love her like her own biological child.
This morning
just like usual, Bawang Putih brought small hand basket that contained clothes which
was going to be wash in the river. Singing quietly, she went along the footpath
of the edge of the small forest where she ordinarily go. That day, the weather
was very bright. Bawang putih immediately washed all the dirty clothes which
she brought with her. Because she was so engrossed, without Bawang Putih
realizing it one of the garments has drifted away taken by the flow. Unfortunately,
the dress that had been drifted by the curret was her step-mother’s favourite
clothes. When she realized that, her step-mother’s clothes had already been
drifted too far away. Bawang Putih tried to trace the river looking for it,
however she couldn’t find it successfully. Despairingly, she went back home and
told her mother about it.
“What the hell
are you doing!” snapped her step-mother. “I don’t want to know that, bottomline
is you must search that clothes! And, don’t dare to come back home if you
haven’t found it yet. Understand?”
Bawang Putih was
forced to follow her step-mother’s wishes. Soon she went along the river, the
place where she washed her clothes earlier. The sun was already high, but
Bawang Putih hasn’t found her mother’s clothes yet. She put her concentration
on her eyes, she inspected every range of the branches which overhanging into
the river thoroughly, who knows her mother’s clothes stuck in there. The sun was
already set and after walked for a long long way, Bawang Putih saw a shepherd
who was bathing his buffalos. So bawang Putih asked: “O; good uncle, have you
seen red clothes had been drifted away passing by here? Because I must find and
bring it back home.” “Yes, I saw it earlier, child. If you chase it quickly,
perhaps you can catch it,” said that uncle.
“Alright uncle,
thank you!” said Bawang Putih and run hastily back. Days started to be dark,
Bawang Putih started to be hopeless. Soon the night will come. From far away,
appeared the glow of the lamp which comes from a hut in the edge of the river. She
immediately approached the house and knocked it. “Excuse me...!” said Bawang
Putih. An old woman opened the door. “Who are You, child?” asked that grandma.
“I am Bawang
Putih, grandma. Earlier, I was looking for my mother’s clothes which drifted
away. And now, benighted. Can I stay here tonight?” asked Bawang Putih. “Of
course, you can child. Was the clothes you’re looking for red colour?” asked
grandma. “Yes, grandma. Is... grandma find it?” asked Bawang Putih.
“Yes. Earlier
those clothes was stucked in front of my house. Alas, whereas I like those
clothes,” said grandma. “Alright, I will return it back, but first you must
accompany me here for a week. Have been a long time, I didn’t chat with anyone,
how?” requested grandma. Bawang Putih thought for awhile. That grandmother
looked lonely. Bawang Putih felt pity. “Alright grandma, I will accompany
grandma for a week, provided that grandma didn’t get bored with me,” said
Bawang Putih smilingly.
Bawang Putih
stayed for a week with that grandma. Everyday Bawang Putih helps grandma to do
her household work. Of course, that grandma felt happy. Finally, its already a
full week, then grandma called Bawang Putih. “ Child, it’s already a week that
you stayed in here. And I am happy because you’re a diligent and dutiful child.
Therefore, according to my promise, you can bring your mother’s clothes back.
And one more thing, you can choose one of those two yellow pumpkins as a gift!”
said grandma. At first Bawang Putih refused being given presents but grandma
constantly forcing her. At last, Bawang Putih chose the smallest pumpkin. “ I
am afraid, I am not strong enough to bring the big one, “ she said. Grandma
smiled and took Bawang Putih untill in front of the house.
When she got
home, Bawang Putih handed-over her step-mother’s red clothes meanwhile she went
to the kitchen to cut her pumpkin.What a surprise Bawang Putih when those
pumpkin were splitted, it turned out that inside of it contained loads of
jewelleries. She screamed out delightedly and told her step-mother and Bawang
Merah about this magic things on which they took the gold and diamonds greedily
right away. They forced Bawang Putih to tell them how can she gets those gifts.
Then, Bawang Putih told them frankly.
Hearing Bawang
Putih’s story, Bawang Merah and her mother were planning to do the same thing,
but this time Bawang Merah who will do it. In short, finally Bawang Merah
arrived in the old grandma’s house in the edge of the river. Like Bawang Putih, Bawang Merah also been
asked to accompany her for one week. Unlike the diligent Bawang Putih, for the
whole week Bawang Merah was only idling around. Even if there were things had
been done, the result were never good enough because it always been done clumsily.
In the end, after a week the grandma allowed Bawang Merah to go. “Is not
grandma supposed to give me a pumpkin as a presents because I’d been keeping
you company for a week?” demanded Bawang Merah. Grandma forcefully ordered
Bawang Merah to select one of the two pumpkins which were being offered. Bawang
Merah quickly took the larger pumpkin and without saying thank you, she went
away.
When she arrived
home, Bawang Merah immediately met her mother and showed the pumpkin which she
brought very excitedly. Because they were afraid if Bawang Putih will ask
for her share, they asked Bawang Putih to go to the river. Then they impatiently
opened the pumpkin. It turned not jewellery which come out from the pumpkin,
but rather the poisonous animals like snakes, scorpions, and so on. These
animals attacked Bawang Merah and her mother until they got killed. That was
the reward for greedy people.
BAWANG
MERAH DAN BAWANG PUTIH
Cerita
Rakyat Riau, Sumatra
The Indonesian Version Original
Source:
No comments:
Post a Comment