Here we present a folktale that has a lot of wisdom. You can tell this story to your child as a life lesson. Let's see together.
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| Image: https://visitgarut.garutkab.go.id |
The Origin of Bagendit Lake
Once upon a time, in a village in Garut Regency, West Java, lives a widow nicknamed Nyi Endit. She was a wealthy widow.
With her wealth, Nyi Endit can buy anything she wants. Many poor people in the village borrow money from Nyi Endit.
But Nyi Endit asked for a reward, that is, the villagers had to return the money with very high interest. If it's time to pay the debt, Nyi Endit will collect money from her borrower while bringing a bodyguard or a beater.
If there is a borrower who does not want to pay the debt on time, Nyi Endit's beater will do violence.
When it comes to the harvest, the fields belonging to Nyi Endit always produce a very abundant harvest. Nyi Endit's barn always has a lot of food reserves when faced of hunger.
But not so with the poor villagers. When the of famine arrived, many farmers were in trouble and some even suffered from edema.
The situation of the residents there is very different from the situation of Nyi Endit, a rich widow. She always has a party in her house, while many poor people went hungry. The villagers often call Nyi Endit by the nickname of the land leech.
Nyi Endit is Having a Party
Once upon a time of famine was sweeping the village. However, Nyi Endit was not affected by still having a party at her house.
When the party was starting, suddenly one of the guards approached Nyi Endit and said, “Sorry Nyi Endit, outside there is a beggar forcing me to enter. Looks like he wants to beg.”
“Drive the beggar away! Don't let him into the house.” Nyi Endit replied abruptly.
Suddenly the beggar broke into Nyi Endit's house. "You are really a greedy and cruel person, Nyi Endit. We are starving, the reason is famine, give us some food," said the beggar.
Nyi Endit became very angry to see the beggar so impudent to force him into his house without permission. "How dare a poor person like you say something like that, rude. Get him out of my house quickly!” shouted Nyi Endit.
Nyi Endit's exclusive guard dragged out the beggar. But unexpectedly, the beggar managed to paralyze Nyi Endit's bodyguard with just one blow. The guests were amazed at the beggar's magic.
"If you don't want to love a poor person like me, I'll show you something," said the beggar. He then took a tree branch, then stuck it to the ground. "If you are able to pull out this twig, then you are one of the noblest people in the world. If you can't pull it out yourself, you can order your bodyguard."
Nyi Endit ordered her guards to uproot the tree branch. But it turned out that the guards were not able to pull out the twigs that seemed to look fragile.
The beggar said again, "Apparently your bodyguard can't pull it off, now you can see me do it." The beggar was easily able to pull out the twig.
After being removed, it turned out that water came out so heavily from the hole of the former twig. After uprooting the twigs, the beggar suddenly disappeared somewhere.
Nyi Endit's ouse was Flooded
Then a strange thing happened. An earthquake shook Nyi Endit and her guests. They are very scared and ran out of the house.
It turned out that there was a very heavy rain outside the house. In an instant, Nyi Endit's house disappeared and was submerged by the floodwaters.
The village where Nyi Endit lives has now metamorphosed into a lake. The locals call it Lake Bagendit or Situ Bagendit.
It is said that in the lake, there is a large leech which is the incarnation of Nyi Endit. Thus ended the folklore of West Java, Indonesia.
Read the other: The Miracle Sound Coming Out from Human Body
Moral Message
This folktale teach us; stingy, greed for wealth, not loving others, arrogant, extravagant will bring disaster.
But on the other hand, if generous, polite, loving others, will bring blessings in life.
Warm regards.