Folktale from Indonesia

          LEGEND OF DESA SUNGAI JERNIH 
            
     Once upon a time in West Sumatra, a widow took her two children to a party. Her children, a boy and a girl, were very happy. They wore beautiful clothes to the party. they found 
delicious foods, and saw many guests in the party. The children were having a great time.  
There was also a traditional music show. The show crowded with people.  
The children asked their mother if they could see the music show which was located a few 
meters away.  
"                     Yes, you two may go there. But please remember, don't go to far", said the mother. The 
children ran to the stage where the music show was performed. They enjoyed the music. 
But they were bored just watching the show so they took a walk around the stage. They 
forgot their mother's message not to go too far.Suddenly they saw a pond. The water was 
very clear and fresh. Because the sun was very hot, they were tempted to play in the 
water. So they took off their clothes and jumped in to the water. They swam together 
happily. It felt so fresh!  
                       Meanwhile, the party was almost over. The mother remembered her two children. She felt 
so desperate because she could not find them. The day turned into night. The children 
were still missing. The mother cried and cried.She went home without her children.  
  
                      She fell a sleep after a long hour of crying. And she had a dream about her children. In 
her dream, she met an old woman. The old woman told her, "Your children are in the pond 
near the party house. If you want to see them, throw a handful of rice in to the pond. Your 
children will appear."  
  
                  As soon as she woke up, she quickly ran to the pond. She also had a handful of rice in her 
hand. When she reached the pond, she threw the rice in to the pond and she called her 
children's names. The dream was true! Two big fish with beautiful colours appeared in the 
pond. The mother cried when she saw them. Her children turned into big beautiful fish 
because they disobeyed their mother's message. The mother cried and cried again. All the 
people of the village cheered her up. But she was still very sad.  
  The village where the pond was located is now called Desa Sungai Jernih. It is called so 
because the water in the pond was very clear. Desa Sungai Jernih is located in northern 
part of Nagari Baso, in Kabupaten Agam, West Sumatra . The name of the village also 
reminds people today in West Sumatra that it is important to obey our parents.Today, the 
people of the village come to that pond because they think it is a sacred place.