CRYING STONE (BATU MENANGIS)
"Tralala... Trilili..." hummed Darmi quietly while combing her hair.
After finished combing her hair, she applied some powder on her face. "Hmm... No one can beat my beauty," she said while dressing herself up in front of the mirror. "Darmi... Please, help mother, child," said her mother suddenly.
"I am still busy, mother!" answered Damri.
"Child, mother must go to the farm. Please, help me to cook this fish," answered her mother.
"Huh... What if later the oil got on my hand? My flawless skin could get hurt," refused Darmi.
"You wont get splattered by oil if you are careful," answered her mother patiently.
"No! Anyway, mother should not go before frying this fish!" yelled Darmi. In the end, her mother was forced to obey Darmi's wish. Always like that, Darmi never want to help her mother.
Darmi was an orphans. Since her father passed away, her mother has to work hard to make their ends meet. She does all kinds of works without any shame. No wonder, her mother looked older than her real age. Her skin was dark and wrinkles, her hair was red because of sunburned.
Different with Darmi. Darmi has long dark hair and bushy. If exposed to sunshine, her hair was glittering. Her skin was flawless, and her cheek was flushed. Yet , Darmi was a lazy child. The most important thing for her was her beauty. She hopes, one day there will be a rich young man who will marry her, she was bored with her poor life.
"Motheeer... My powder finished!" shouted Darmi in one morning. Her mother who drew water from the well immediately approached her. "Why so early in the morning already shouting and yelling, child?"
"My powder finished. Go mother, buy for me in the market!" ordered Darmi.
"What kind of powder and where should I buy." asked her mother. "Ouch... Just like that also don't know? In the shop which adjacent with the fruit shop, mother," answered Darmi.
"There are many fruit sellers in the market? Which fruit seller?" asked her mother don't understand. "Ouuch!!! Alright, I will show you. Do remember the shop mother, so next time I ask you again, mother already know."
That day the market was very busy. "Be careful... Mother... Move aside slightly," whispered Darmi suddenly.
"What? Mother couldn't hear, child," answered her mother. "Move aside! Don't get too close to me. Mother walk behind me. I don't want people to see me walk with you mother," said Darmi crossly.
Her mother was so shocked. Her heart was so sick to hear Darmi's words. But she later then looked at herself. "Gee... My shirt was ugly and dull, indeed. I also had not showered yet, no wonder Darmi doesn't want to be near me," thought her mother. Finally, mother had to budge in. She walked behind Darmi.
Suddenly heard the voice of crying, "Hi, Darmi... Where are you going? Wow, It has been a long time since I met you." Darmi turned to look back. It turned out that he was the clothes seller where she usually buys hers. "I am going to buy powder. At the same time, I want to buy soap." answered Darmi. "Oh, it's very unusual you came with your mother?" asked the clothes seller again.
"Who did you mean?" asked Darmi pretended not to understand. "Oh, this old woman? She is not my mother, how come my mother like this? She is only my helper," answered Darmi.
Her mother was very shocked. "Apparently she is ashamed of me," said her mother in her heart. Although her heart was hurt, her mother was trying to smile and said to the clothes seller.
"Yes, I am her helper, indeed." Darmi then waved her hands to the clothes seller. she whispered to her mother.
"Good mother, keep admitting that you are my helper." Her mother only quiet and doesn't answer.
When they were picking powder, all of sudden the shop owner said. "Wow ma'am, how happy you were to have a child as beautiful as Darmi."
"Heh, vain for you to say. She is my helper, not my mother. How come you can't see our skin differences?" asked Darmi.
Once again, her mother's heart was hurt to hear Darmi said such a thing. But, her mother keep smiling and said to the shop owner, "Yes, I am her helper, indeed."
Finished buying the powder, Darmi and her mother went back home. On the way home, they were very thirsty. They then went to the stall to drink. Wow ma'am... your child is very beautiful girl. if only I have a son, I will certainly marry him to your daughter."
Her mother almost replied to him when Darmi preceded her, "Sir, I am not this woman's daughter. My mother is beautiful and fair like me, not like her. She is only my helper."
With irritated face, Darmi then pulled her mother's hands and went out from the stall. The stall owner could only gape. In his opinion, Darmi's face and her mother was very similar. It was just that Darmi's skin was a bit fairer.
"Mother, I am ashamed to walk with you. I don't want to go with mother anymore," said Darmi annoyed. Her mother started crying. She never thought that Darmi acted like that. "Oh, my god, please forgive my child. She forgot that I am the mother who carried and raised her. Please, wake her up and make her realize this mistake," prayed her mother in her heart. "Darmi, even how ugly I am, I am still your mother who carried and raised you up."
"I have never asked to be born by mother. I want a pretty, fair and rich mother. I also never asked mother to raised me!" yelled Darmi. "Gee, child... watch of what you say. Lest God angry to hear of what you say," said her mother. "Let Him get angry. I am also angry toward Him because gaving me such an ugly mother like this," annoyed Darmi.
Duerrrrrr... Suddenly, lighting strikes right after Darmi finished her words. Darmi and her mother were so shocked. Frightened, Darmi snuggled to her mother, "What was that, mother?" she asked. Her mother doesn't answer. In her heart she asked, "Was God angry hearing Darmi's words earlier?" Suddenly, the sky turned very black.
Lightning continued to strikes. Her mother hold Darmi and said, "Come on Darmi, quickly. We have to be home quickly. It looks like there will be a storm," said her mother.
Her mother wondered, why Darmi was not walk really that fast?
She then looked back.
"Darmi! What had happened to you?" shouted her mother. Appeared to her that Darmi was standing frightened while looking at both of her legs. "Mother, my legs... My legs... Why cannot move? It feels like a rock. Mother... Please, help me..." said Darmi weeping.
Her mother rushed up to Darmi and checked her legs. It is true, Darmi's legs have turned into rock. Her mother then crying uncontrollably. "Darmi, apparently the God was angry with you. You have insulted your mother and also blamed God. Ask forgiveness, child... Please, ask for forgiveness... " lamented her mother.
But it's too late. Not only legs, slowly all parts of Darmi's body turned into rock.
Darmi cried and said, "I am sorry, mother... I regretted that I have insulted mother." That was the last words that came out of Darmi's mouth. Now, all of her body had became rock. Her mother can only cried and hugged the rock. Now, the rock known as "Batu Menangis / Crying Stone".
"The moral message from The West Borneo province folklore is: Respect both of your parents, especially your mother. She had carried and raised you lovingly. Remember, even how ugly your father and mother, they are still your parents."
BATU MENANGIS
INDONESIAN FOLKLORE
The Indonesian Original Version Source:
