The afternoon was clear. The children in Tampeuyan Village were playing outside. For the past few days, they had been cooped up inside because the rain had kept pouring. A clear afternoon like this was too good an opportunity to miss. Kosim ran as fast as he could, pursuing his friends. He only needed to touch one of them. Playing ‘It’ in the afternoon was a habit of those children. Every…
Once upon a time in Talang Siambul, Indragiri Hulu Regency, Riau Province, there lived a man and his wife. They were known as Mr. and Mrs. Sardim. They lived in a village along with other families. Their house was tiny. Its walls were made of tree barks and its roof was of palm leaves. It was built on a stilt, a common practice in the area, so that wild animals would not be able to attack the…
One night, our grandfather told us about a land. The land we know not yet. On the mainland of Sumatra, there was an area surrounded by mountains. It had cool air. When night approached, the area was misty white as if wrapped in cotton. In the morning, the dew-covered leaves looked wet. In a sloping valley the sound of gurgling water was heard from a stream. When exposed to sunlight, the clear w…
A mountain stood tall in the distance. White clouds covered its peak. Anyone who ever stood at the peak of that mountain would feel like they were floating (manglayang) above the clouds. That was why the local people called it Manglayang Mountain. Every people took care of the environment around Manglayang Mountain. They put a taboo on cutting the trees on and around the mountain. They only us…
Once upon a time in the Kingdom of Burinaga, reigned a wise and prudent king. Under his leadership the people in the kingdom could enjoy labor and had prosperous, safe, and peaceful life. Unfortunately for the king, his life was incomplete because he had not had a child, a successor for his throne. Many ways to seek the cause and to have a child had been done to no avail. “I wish I can have…
Once upon a time, when the earth was still full of wilderness, clear flowing rivers, and beautiful scenery, there was a great kingdom on the Land of Anoa ruled by a king called Lakinolipu. He was known for his integrity, and thus respected by his friends and opponents. During his reign, the people lived in peace and serenity. He never hesitated to find a way in solving the problems faced by h…
In a seaside village, its dwellers who mainly worked as fishermen had prosperous life. The sea provided them unlimited supply of fish. It was more than adequate for their own consumption, so they also sold it to other villages. The village was then known as fish producer. In addition to beautiful ocean, there was also a mountain called Mount Eriwakan in the village. The mountain possessed imme…
This is a story of a mother and her daughter, named Enten, who lived in a small hut, on a mungguk (hill) called Segasing Sebemban. The mungguk is in Tayan, Sangau Regency, West Kalimantan. It is located near the magnificent Tayan Palace and the so-called second longest bridge in Indonesia after Suramadu. Tayan is a hilly region with large branched river streaming through the valley. It is ble…
Sunny morning. The chirping of magpie marked people’s activity in Sebedang Village. Most of the villagers were on their way to their rice field. Some children came along helping their parents bringing farming supplies. Some of the children looked joyful chasing each other. What a bright morning in Sebedang Village! At the further end of the village, there lived a married couple named Tohari a…
The young man was stunned. He watched the watermelons, oranges, tomatoes, spinach, chili trees, and other plants were crumbled and scattered on the ground. It was as if a bunch of wild animals had been partying all night long there. "This is too much!" He said irritably. His face wrinkled with displeasure. Unconsciously he clenched his hands. He had lost patience with the destroyer. A few week…