⏱ Read time: 8 minutes -
Summary:
Deep in the ancient, lush jungles of West Kalimantan (Borneo), there lives a beautiful but incredibly vain and lazy girl named Darmi. Every day, her poor mother works to the bone to feed them, while Darmi only cares about her looks. One day, while walking to the village market, Darmi's terrible vanity causes her to cruelly deny that the poor old woman is her mother, calling her a mere servant! Heartbroken and unable to bear the endless insults, the mother prays to the heavens for justice, triggering a terrifying storm and a dark curse that will change Darmi's life forever.
Storyteller's Note: To make this emotional folklore truly gripping for your listeners, use a high-pitched, arrogant, and bossy voice for Darmi, and a very slow, trembling, and sorrowful voice for the poor, heartbroken mother!
The Poor Widow and the Vain Daughter
Ceritasakti.com - In the vast, tropical island of Borneo, surrounded by rich traditions, there are many ancient tales passed down through generations that are full of profound life lessons.
One of the most legendary folktales, which is still whispered today, is the tragic story of a beautiful but terribly arrogant girl. It is famously known as the Legend of the Crying Stone.
Once upon a time, in an isolated, lush village deep within the jungles of West Kalimantan, lived a poor, elderly widow. She lived in a small, humble wooden hut with her only daughter, a girl named Darmi.
Darmi was blessed with an absolutely breathtaking appearance. Her skin was as flawless and pure as white porcelain, her long black hair cascaded beautifully down her back, and her smile could enchant anyone who saw it.
Unfortunately, her stunning physical beauty was completely opposite to the ugliness of her heart. Darmi was incredibly spoiled, incredibly lazy, and sickeningly arrogant.
Every single day, the poor mother had to work her fingers to the bone in the muddy rice fields from dawn until dusk. She slashed thick weeds and planted rice under the boiling sun, all just to afford a single plate of warm rice for the two of them.
Meanwhile, Darmi spent her entire day sitting lazily in front of her mirror, combing her shiny hair and admiring her own beauty. She absolutely refused to help her exhausted mother with even the simplest chores.
"Darmi, my sweet child, could you please help me hang the clothes to dry? My old body is so terribly exhausted today," the mother groaned one gloomy afternoon.
"Ugh, Mother! I absolutely will not!" Darmi snapped angrily, showing not a single drop of pity for her mother's sweat and tears. "If I go outside, my flawless skin will turn dark from the dust and the sun! Just do it yourself!"
A Walk to the Market and a Cruel Condition
One morning, the old mother asked Darmi to come down to the village market to buy some daily necessities.
At first, Darmi flatly refused. However, because she realized she had run out of her expensive beauty powders, she finally agreed—but with one incredibly cruel condition that deeply wounded her mother's heart.
"I will go to the market with you, but you must walk far behind me! I do not want anyone in the village to see us walking side by side!" Darmi stated arrogantly.
The poor mother, with a severely broken heart, could only nod slowly in silence.
And so, they began their long walk to the village market. Darmi walked gracefully at the front, wearing her absolute best silk dress, looking exactly like a majestic royal princess. Meanwhile, her mother hobbled slowly far behind her, wearing a dirty, patched-up dress and carrying a heavy, worn-out bamboo basket on her fragile back.
The Deadly Denials
As they passed through the busy village gates, every single eye was immediately drawn to Darmi's breathtaking beauty.
A mesmerized young village boy bravely approached her and asked, "Hello there, beautiful girl! Who is that pitiful, old woman in dirty rags walking behind you? Is she your mother?"
With a face full of absolute disgust and a highly condescending tone, Darmi answered loudly, "Of course not! Do not be ridiculous! She is merely my servant."
Throughout their entire journey, every single time a villager asked the exact same question, Darmi always gave the exact same cruel answer. She was far too disgusted and ashamed to admit that the poor, wrinkled old woman who had given birth to her was actually her mother.
A Broken Heart and the Heaven's Wrath
Hearing her own daughter's cruel denials over and over again, the old mother's heart shattered into a million unfixable pieces.
Hot tears rolled down her wrinkled cheeks uncontrollably. At first, she tried to patiently forgive her daughter's terrible behavior, but Darmi's endless insults tore her soul apart. Finally, the absolute limit of her patience was reached.
Suddenly, the old mother stopped walking.
She dropped her heavy bamboo basket and fell to her knees on the dusty dirt path. Raising her trembling, wrinkled hands toward the sky, she cried hysterically and prayed with a broken voice.
"O Lord Almighty, the Most Just! I can no longer bear this agonizing pain! My own daughter has cruelly insulted me and refused to acknowledge me as her mother. Please, O Lord, give her the punishment she truly deserves!"
The very second those words left her lips, the bright blue sky suddenly turned pitch black! Terrifying thunder roared deafeningly across the heavens. A violent, howling wind swept through the village, knocking over the market stalls!
A Regret That Came Too Late
Suddenly, Darmi screamed in absolute terror.
"Mother! What is happening to my feet, Mother?! Why are my legs so stiff? I cannot move them!"
Slowly, starting from the very tips of her toes and creeping up to her calves, Darmi's soft skin was magically transforming into solid, heavy gray stone! Absolute panic consumed the arrogant girl's mind. She instantly realized that the heavens had answered her mother's painful prayer.
"Mother! Please forgive me, Mother! Help me! I am your daughter, please!" Darmi cried hysterically, begging for mercy as the cold stone climbed higher.
But alas, the rice had already turned into porridge. Darmi's regret came far too late.
The terrifying curse continued to creep upwards, freezing her stomach, her chest, and finally covering her beautiful face. Within seconds, the breathtakingly beautiful girl had completely transformed into a cold, lifeless stone statue.
However, even though she had turned completely into solid rock, a strange miracle occurred. From the eyes of the gray stone statue, real human tears continued to flow endlessly, weeping in eternal regret.
That is exactly why, to this very day, the local people of West Kalimantan call it the Batu Menangis, or the Crying Stone!
The Moral Message of the Folklore
This tragic tale from Borneo is not just a bedtime story, it is a powerful warning for us all! There are three moral messages of this folklore:
Heaven at a Mother's Feet: No matter how smart, beautiful, or wealthy we become in the future, we must never hurt or disrespect our parents, especially the mother who lovingly raised us.
Beauty is Not Everything: Having a beautiful face means absolutely nothing if it is not balanced with a kind, beautiful heart. Arrogance and vanity will only bring terrible destruction to ourselves!
Regret Always Comes Last: We must always think incredibly carefully before we speak or act, because once a cruel word leaves our lips, time can never be turned back!
Questions About the Story
Why did Darmi lie about her mother?
In this educational bedtime story for kids, Darmi was incredibly vain and arrogant. She felt too ashamed to admit that the poor, dirty old woman walking behind her was actually her mother, so she cruelly lied and called her a servant!
Why did Darmi turn into stone?
Darmi turned into stone because her terrible insults finally broke her mother's heart. Her mother prayed to the heavens for justice, and a magical curse transformed the arrogant girl into the Crying Stone as a punishment for her cruelty.
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