Legend of the Crying Stone | West Kalimantan Folklore | Archipelago Story

Summary

A hardworking mother and her vain, disobedient daughter live on a remote hill. The mother, struggling to provide for them after her husband's passing, is constantly belittled by her daughter, who only cares for her beauty and material desires. Despite her mother's sacrifices, the daughter continues to disrespect her, even mocking her appearance in public. In the end, the daughter's arrogance leads to divine retribution, and she is turned into stone, leaving the mother heartbroken. The tale highlights the consequences of vanity, ingratitude, and disrespect toward those who love and care for us.

Takeaways

• 😀 The story is set on a hill far from settlements, where a hardworking farmer mother lives with her lazy, spoiled daughter.
• 😀 The mother works hard growing vegetables and selling them at the market, as her husband is no longer around.
• 😀 The daughter is very beautiful, with long, thick hair and neat bangs, but her behavior is far from admirable.
• 😀 She is lazy and spends her time admiring herself in front of the mirror, refusing to help her mother with work.
• 😀 The daughter frequently demands things from her mother, such as jewelry and a new comb, but the mother can only afford what she earns.
• 😀 After the daughter’s comb breaks, she becomes angry and demands a new one, threatening to leave the house if her wishes aren’t met.
• 😀 The mother uses her savings, which she had been collecting little by little, to fulfill her daughter’s demands and take her to the market.
• 😀 The daughter rejects the mother’s company in public, embarrassed by her appearance and treating her with disdain.
• 😀 After insulting a young man who offers to help her, the daughter continues to distance herself from her mother, even when surrounded by young men complimenting her beauty.
• 😀 In a moment of deep emotional pain, the mother prays to God, asking for punishment for her daughter's disobedience, leading to the daughter turning to stone.
• 😀 The daughter’s transformation into stone is irreversible, and the mother holds her daughter’s stone form in her arms, filled with regret and sorrow for her ungrateful behavior.

Q & A

What is the main conflict in the story?

The main conflict in the story is the daughter's ingratitude and disrespect towards her hardworking mother, leading to a series of escalating tensions between them. The daughter is spoiled, lazy, and selfish, which ultimately results in her transformation into stone as a divine punishment.

Why does the daughter refuse to help her mother with the vegetables?

The daughter refuses to help her mother with the vegetables because she is spoiled and does not appreciate the hard work her mother puts into supporting them. Instead, she spends her time admiring herself and expecting her mother to fulfill her material desires.

How does the daughter react when her mother can only afford to buy a comb and not jewelry?

The daughter becomes angry and threatens to leave the house. She demands new jewelry but shows no gratitude for the comb her mother can afford. This highlights her entitlement and lack of empathy.

What is the significance of the daughter’s behavior towards the young man in the market?

The daughter's rude behavior towards the young man who tries to help her symbolizes her arrogance and inability to recognize kindness or respect others. She insults the young man instead of appreciating his gesture, reflecting her selfish nature.

How does the mother react to her daughter's treatment of her in public?

The mother is deeply hurt by her daughter's insults and behavior, but she chooses to remain silent. She is devastated by her daughter’s public humiliation of her, which leads her to pray for divine intervention.

What motivates the mother to use her savings to fulfill her daughter’s wishes?

The mother’s motivation to use her savings stems from her love for her daughter. She is willing to sacrifice her hard-earned money to make her daughter happy, even though the daughter has shown no appreciation for her sacrifices.

What does the transformation of the daughter into stone symbolize?

The transformation of the daughter into stone symbolizes the consequence of her disobedience, ingratitude, and disrespect towards her mother. It represents the irreversible nature of her moral downfall and spiritual decay.

Why does the daughter apologize to her mother just before turning into stone?

The daughter apologizes in a moment of desperation and realization as she feels her body turning to stone. She understands the severity of her actions and expresses regret, but it is too late for forgiveness or reversal of the punishment.

How does the mother react after her daughter turns to stone?

The mother is devastated and full of regret. She embraces the stone form of her daughter, continuing to mourn the loss of her child, realizing too late the consequences of her daughter’s disobedient behavior.

What moral lesson can be learned from this story?

The moral lesson of the story is that ingratitude and disrespect towards loved ones, particularly parents, can have dire consequences. It emphasizes the importance of appreciating and respecting the sacrifices others make for you, as well as the potential consequences of taking them for granted.