BATU BELAH BATU BERTANGKUP Written by Ahlam Pradu Illustrated by Nurainee Machae
BATU BELAH BATU BERTANGKUP Written by Ahlam Pradu Illustrated by Nurainee Machae
Once upon a time, a woman named Mak Tanjung resided in a little village and she raised her two children, Melur and Pekan, by herself. After her husband passed away, she carried on their way of life by weaving and fishing in rivers.
The Tembakul fish was much loved by Mak Tanjung, but it was rare and very challenging to catch this fish. After that, she caught the fish with her basket one lucky day while fishing in the mangrove river close to her home. She said excitedly, "Finally! I have been dreaming about eating this fish for so long!" , and she took her fish with feeling thankful as well as brought it home to her childrens.
Mak Tanjung, the eldest of the two siblings including Melur and Pekan, called out to her daughter Melur after she had completed cooking. She informed her, "I have divided the fish and the eggs into three halves, and keep one for yourself and feed the other to your younger brother, and let me have the last bit. If you want, take more fish, but save some of the fish roe for me”. Mak Tanjung instructed her daughter before leaving her kids alone with the food while she cleaned herself and took a shower.
Both kids instantly began gorging on the food since they were so ravenously hungry. Pekan, the younger sibling, ate his fish and eggs in a flash because he was so ravenously hungry. He began sobbing "I'm still starving! please provide me with more fish eggs” , Pekan said.
Mak Tanjung was heartbroken to learn that her kids had eaten all the fish eggs and left none for her when she returned to finish her lunch. “You... finished the food? Mak Tanjong said. "I'm sorry, but he kept begging for more, mother! and I had no idea what to do“ Melur said to her mother.
Nothing could make her mother disappointed to go away, even though she knew why her daughter had given her son the fish eggs. And she a unique part of the village they lived in was a mysterious rock that would open up to reveal a dark and deep cave.
As she approached the rock, it's dark halfway called to her from within, the rock yawned and opened its maw. Mak Tanjung entered the cave while under the influence of hypnosis, failing to see that her shawl had come undone and dropped outside. Mak Tanjung was completely gone when the rock closed its opening, leaving just her footprints and scarf.
When the two kids finally made it to the opening of the rock, they discovered their mother's shawl lying on the ground. They bawled hysterically and banged their hands against the rock's flat, solid surface as well as the shawl. By daybreak, the kids had given up and accepted their lot as underprivileged kids, and they would live to regret their short-sighted attitude.
Moral Lessons "Batu Belah Batu Bertangkup" is a didactic tale that imparts moral lessons to its audience, particularly children. The story teaches the values of honesty, integrity, trustworthiness, hard work, and the consequences of deceit. It serves as a vehicle for conveying cultural and societal norms, promoting ethical behaviour, and imparting important life lessons.
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