Dugongs of Mahakam River (Pesut Sungai Mahakam)
From Indonesian Stories for Language Learners karya Katherine Davidsen dan Yusep Cuandani
Once there was a family that lived close to the Mahakam, a couple with two children, a boy and a girl. However, this happy family was shaken when the mother became ill, and finally died.
Sekali waktu ada keluarga yang tinggal dekat Sungai Mahakam, suami isteri dengan dua anak, putera dan puteri. Namun keluarga yang bahagia digoncang ketika sang ibu menjadi sakit, dan akhirnya meninggal.
Her family grieved for her greatly. Her husband’s spirit was broken, and he did not want to work anymore, instead staying inside the house all day. Then one day, there was a traditional celebration in their village, with singers and dancers to liven up the atmosphere. One of the dancers who was still young and beautiful managed to soothe the father’s sorrow. He fell in love with her and finally married her.
Keluarganya sangat berduka. Suaminya jadi patah semangat, dan tidak mau lagi bekerja, hanya mengurung diri di rumah. Sampai suatu hari, ada pesta adat di kampung mereka, dengan penyanyi dan penari untuk memeriahkan suasana. Salah satu penari yang masih muda dan cantik berhasil mengobati rasa sedih ayah itu. Dia pun jatuh cinta dan akhirnya menikahi penari itu.
At first the dancer was a good stepmother. But as time went by, she began to treat the children cruelly, such as only giving them a little food and often asking them to gather ironwood and meranti wood in the forest. One day, they could not find anything in the jungle and were too scared to go home. They spent the night there, in great hunger. Th e next day, they were helped by an old man who gave them food. Finally, they had the strength to return home. But when they arrived, there was nobody there.
Awalnya si penari menjadi ibu tiri yang baik. Tetapi lama-kelamaan dia mulai memperlakukan anak-anak dengan kejam, seperti hanya memberi sedikit makanan, dan sering menyuruh mereka mencari kayu ulin dan meranti di hutan. Sekali waktu, mereka tidak berhasil mendapatkan apaapa di hutan, sehingga takut pulang. Mereka pun bermalam di sana dengan keadaan sangat lapar. Esok harinya mereka dibantu oleh seorang kakek yang memberikannya makanan. Akhirnya mereka kuat pulang ke rumah. Tetapi saat tiba di rumah, ternyata sudah tidak ada orang.
Confused, the children asked the neighbors. Some said their parents had, in fact, gone off to look for the children. Th e children returned to the forest to look for their father and stepmother. Finally, aft er several days, the children found a small hut which appeared to be inhabited by their parents. Their father’s clothing was hanging on a chair. A bowl of porridge was still warm on the table. But their parents were not home. Suddenly, the children felt their bodies become hot, their heads round and their eyes smaller. Without knowing it, they were turning into dugongs! When their father came home and saw his children like that, he called his wife. But she had vanished. The children then threw themselves into the river to cool off, and from then on became dugongs of the Mahakam.
Bingung, anak-anak bertanya-tanya kepada tetangga. Ada yang mengatakan, orang tuanya justru pergi mencari anak-anak. Anak-anak kembali ke hutan untuk mencari ayah dan ibu tirinya. Akhirnya, setelah beberapa hari, anak-anak menemukan pondok kecil yang kelihatannya sudah dihuni orang tuanya. Baju ayahnya kelihatan menggantung di kursi. Semangkuk bubur masih hangat di meja. Tapi orang tuanya belum pulang. Tiba-tiba anak-anak merasa badannya menjadi panas, kepalanya bundar, dan matanya mengecil. Tanpa sadar mereka sudah menjelma jadi pesut! Saat ayahnya pulang dan melihat anak-anaknya begitu, dia panggil isterinya. Tapi isterinya itu sudah menghilang. Anak-anak pun menceburkan diri ke dalam sungai supaya sejuk, dan untuk seterusnya menjadi pesut Mahakam.