⏱ Read time: 8 minutes -
Story Summary:
This classic folklore tells the story of two brothers with completely opposite personalities, Sabar and Angkuh. When the kind-hearted Sabar receives a magical stone mortar that grants any wish, his arrogant brother's jealousy leads to a greedy theft. The story ends with a valuable lesson about greed and explains the mythical origin of why the ocean water is salty.
Two Brothers Like Earth and Sky
Ceritasakti.com - Once upon a time, two brothers lived in a small hut near the beach and the edge of a dense forest. Despite coming from the same family, their personalities were completely opposite.
The older brother, known as Angkuh, had a very arrogant, harsh, and greedy nature. On the other hand, the younger brother, named Sabar, possessed an incredibly gentle and loving heart.
Day after day, Sabar constantly received bad treatment from his older brother. Feeling unable to live under such pressure any longer, Sabar finally made a huge decision.
He asked his beloved wife to leave his brother's house and build an independent, more peaceful life together.
A New Home in the Savannah
After walking through the dense forest for seven full days, they arrived at a beautiful, vast savannah.
Mesmerized by the cool breeze under a shady tree, Sabar said, "My wife, after this long journey, I think this place is perfect for our new home."
The next morning, armed with wood and tall grass, they built a simple little hut. In this new place, they lived peacefully by farming the land.
Once a week, Sabar would walk half a day to the nearest village to trade his harvest for rice, clothes, and a little salt—which was a highly expensive luxury item at the time because it had to be mined from the earth.
The King's Party and a Mysterious Old Man
One day, while stopping by the village, Sabar accidentally heard that the King was holding a birthday party at his palace behind the hill.
All citizens were expected to come wearing their best clothes and bringing beautiful gifts. Upon arriving home, he shared the news of the celebration with his wife.
Hearing this, their faces turned sorrowful. Instead of having nice clothes or luxurious gifts, they were currently struggling just to eat every day. Their crops had recently been completely destroyed by a massive rat infestation.
Despite his sadness, the next day Sabar still went to the forest to gather dry branches so his wife could cook their remaining rice. On his way home, his steps suddenly halted.
He saw an old man in tattered clothes, looking like a beggar, resting his chin on a wooden walking stick.
A Trade for a Magic Mortar
"Hey young man, why are your steps so lazy and your face so sad?" the old man greeted him out of nowhere.
"The King's birthday is in a few days, Grandsire. Unfortunately, my wife and I are very poor and have no proper clothes, let alone a gift to bring," Sabar answered honestly.
The old man nodded slowly and handed him a clay jar. "Take this jar full of honey. Go to the foot of the mountain and find the tallest tree with thorny fruits."
"There is a cave there with an opening just the size of a human. Trade this honey jar for a stone mortar," the old man advised before finally walking away.
The Dwarfs' Secret Hideout
Sabar hurried to follow the instructions. As soon as he found the thorny tree, he saw a cave entrance almost entirely covered by wild plants.
From inside, the loud sound of laughter and chattering could be heard. With careful steps, he bravely entered and found a group of dwarfs inside.
His presence instantly startled them. "Hey, be quiet! I smell the incredibly delicious aroma of honey," exclaimed one of the dwarfs.
A chubby dwarf looked at Sabar and asked, "Are you the one bringing the honey in that jar, Sir?"
"Yes, I am. I would like to trade it for the stone mortar that you have," Sabar answered politely.
The Rule of the Magic Mortar
The dwarfs immediately gathered to discuss. Tempted by the delicious honey, the dwarf leader finally spoke.
"Alright... leave the honey jar and take our beloved Magic Stone Mortar. Live happily and never return here again, kind Sir."
As Sabar exited the forest, the old man reappeared and gave his final piece of advice.
"If you turn it to the right, that mortar will produce anything you ask for. To stop it, turn it to the left. Guard that mortar well," the old man said before vanishing into the trees.
A Miracle That Invited Jealousy
At home, his wife began to worry waiting for her husband who hadn't returned until dark. Shortly after, Sabar arrived carrying dry branches on his back and something in his hands.
Without saying much, he placed the mortar on a woven mat and turned it to the right. "Come out, rice... come out, rice," he said.
It was truly magical! Steaming hot rice poured out of the mortar. He tried again, "Come out, delicious salted fish... come out, delicious salted fish," and instantly, delicious food filled their sight.
That night, they ate with overflowing joy. Over time, the magic mortar completely changed Sabar's fate. He asked for a luxurious house complete with a horse stable and beautiful furniture.
A Greedy Brother in the Shadows
Because of his generous heart, he invited all the villagers, including his brother, Angkuh, for a grand feast at his house.
Seeing his younger brother's immense wealth, Angkuh's heart burned with jealousy. His eyes wildly investigated every corner of the house.
At midnight, when all the guests were fast asleep from eating too much, Angkuh, who was still awake, secretly spied on his brother.
He saw Sabar go to the side of the horse stable, lift the mortar from a large barrel, and whisper, "Come out, gifts for the guests..."
Shocked beyond belief, Angkuh immediately sneaked back into the house. "Haha... so that magic mortar is what made him suddenly rich! I must have it!" he muttered cunningly.
A Theft That Led to Disaster
The next morning, after the gifts were distributed and the guests went home, Angkuh whined to his brother.
"My kind brother, allow me to stay one more night in this luxurious house of yours because I miss you so much," he pleaded. Sabar, who never suspected a thing, happily agreed.
Right when the night grew late and the whole house was asleep, Angkuh sneaked out. He stole the magic stone mortar, jumped onto his brother's horse, and rode away as fast as lightning.
He fled far away until he reached a beach with a vast, open ocean. Intending to escape so his brother could never track him down, he saw a wooden boat moored on the sand.
Hugging the stone mortar tightly, he rowed the boat to the middle of the ocean with all his might.
The Unstoppable Salt
In the middle of the boundless ocean, Angkuh's stomach began to growl with hunger. He turned the stone mortar to the right. "Come out, bread... come out, bread!" he commanded.
Bread instantly popped out, and he devoured it until he was completely full. Not satisfied, he asked for his favorite food.
"Come out, anchovies and salt... come out, anchovies and salt!" he shouted with sheer joy. Instantly, anchovies and salt spewed out non-stop.
However, in his immense satisfaction, Angkuh was suddenly struck by an overwhelming panic. He just realized that he didn't know how to stop the mortar!
The salt and anchovies kept piling up into a mountain, adding massive weight to the small wooden boat.
The Origin of the Salty Sea
Finally, the boat sank to the bottom of the deep ocean, taking the greedy Angkuh, the anchovies, and the Magic Stone Mortar with it.
Because it was never turned to the left, the mortar continued to spin to the right, endlessly pouring out salt underwater.
And that is the origin story of how the ocean water is believed to have turned as salty as salt, filled with anchovies and various other fishes.
The Moral of the Story
This classic folklore teaches us a highly valuable lesson about the dangers of greed and arrogance. Angkuh's jealousy ultimately led to his own tragic downfall.
Sabar, on the other hand, shows that kindness, patience, and a generous heart will always bring unexpected blessings and true happiness in life.
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