Fairy tale "Si Lancang"

 Folklore from Kampar, Riau Islands, Indonesia

In ancient times, in the Kampar area, which is now called Riau, there lived a poor widow and her child, named Lancang. The life of the poor widow and her son was quite difficult, because they only worked as farm laborers, so they often had shortages. This situation makes Lancang dream of becoming rich when he grows up.

Time passed, now Lancang has started to grow and become an adult man. He asked his mother for permission to go abroad, looking for a better life. The mother actually doesn't want her child to leave, but she also wants her only child to have a better and more decent life. So, with a heavy heart, his mother let Lancang go. The mother advised that in the future, Lancang would always remember his mother and his hometown. The mother also advised Lancang not to become a disobedient child. Lancang also made a promise to his mother. The mother was moved when Si Lancang worshiped her knee to ask for blessings. His mother then provided him with a packet of lumping dodak, Lancang's favorite cake.

Finally, Lancang went to another country by boarding a merchant's ship. In a foreign country, Lancang works odd jobs. But he worked very diligently, so that the merchant who was his master was very sympathetic to him. His life became very lucky. Gradually, because of this good impression, Lancang was married to one of the merchant's daughters. Of course, this raised Lancang's status and life. Now Lancang has finally entered the category of rich people.

Si Lancang now runs his in-laws' business. Because of his diligence and tenacity, the business he manages is now growing rapidly. And when his in-laws died, he was the one who inherited most of their assets.

As years passed, Lancang was now a well-known rich merchant and owned many merchant ships. He also has 7 wives. They all came from rich merchant families. His seven wives have beautiful faces. His wealth is abundant, and he has a high position in society.

Apparently, his wealth and position made Lancang forget his mother who was waiting in his hometown. Lancang has forgotten his origins, he has forgotten that he still has a mother who lives abandoned and poor.

One day, Si Lancang sailed to Andalas. On that voyage he brought his seven wives. With them they also brought luxurious supplies and entertainment equipment in the form of music. The ship he was on stopped in the Kampar area, which is none other than his hometown. The musical instruments they brought played loudly. Silk cloth and various gold and silver decorations were displayed. Everything was prepared to add to the impression of luxury and wealth of Si Lancang. Lots of people came to see the magnificent ships that stopped at the pier, including Lancang's mother.

Seeing Lancang standing on the deck of the ship, his mother became very happy, because now Lancang's dream of becoming a rich man had come true. The mother suspected that Lancang had come home to see her. Feeling moved, she rushed to welcome the arrival of her only child. Because of her poverty, she only wore an old shawl, a worn sarong and a kebaya full of patches.

Without thinking, the mother ran up to the deck of the ship and immediately looked for Lancang. The ship's sailors did not believe that she was their master's mother. They rudely threw the old mother away. But the woman didn't want to move. He insisted on asking to be reunited with his only son Si Lancang. The situation caused a commotion.

Hearing the commotion on the deck, Si Lancang came to the place, accompanied by his seven wives. How shocked Lancang was when he saw that the ragged woman was his mother. Si Lancang felt disgusted when he saw his mother. He didn't want his seven wives to know that this old woman was his mother. Lancang's mother said, "You are Lancang... my son! Oh… how I miss you!”

Hearing that greeting, Lancang arrogantly dismissed it. This disobedient child shouted, "How could I have a poor mother like you? Sailor! Get rid of this crazy woman!"

The mother was shocked by Lancang's treatment.

"Lancang, my child, I am your mother... why are you doing this to me?" said the mother with deep sadness.

Lancang feels embarrassed. Suddenly he ordered the ship's sailor to throw the old woman out of the ship.

"The sailor... take this old woman away... I don't want my luxury ship to be littered with beggars... I don't know any lowly beggars like her," said Lancang.

Receiving bad treatment from her only child, the mother's heart was broken into pieces. The old woman felt hurt. Arriving home, the mother took her inheritance in the form of a coconut palm and a rice pounding mortar. With tears in her eyes, she prayed to the Almighty to punish this disobedient child, while twirling and shaking her heirloom.

"Oh my Lord... punish that disobedient child."

Her prayer was answered. Instantly, the sky turned dark, heavy rain fell accompanied by hurricane winds. Lightning and thunder intertwined. Lancang's ships were hit by a typhoon, scattered and destroyed. Not only was the ship smashed to pieces, his belongings also flew everywhere.

The ship's cargo of silk cloth floated and fell in a pile in the area now called Negeri Lipat Kain, in the Kampar Kiri area. The gong flew and was thrown in the Kampar Kanan area, and fell near Lancang's mother's hut, in a river which is now called the Ogong River. The pottery broke, flew and fell in the area now called Pasubilah. And the ship's flagpole was thrown and fell into a lake, which is still called Lake Si Lancang. If the flagpole of the Si Lancang ship suddenly appears on the surface of the lake, this is a sign that flooding will occur in the Kampar River. It is said that the flood was the tears of Si Lancang who regretted his actions because he disobeyed his mother.

This is the fairy tale "Si Lancang" which has been told from generation to generation in the area of origin. The moral message of this fairy tale is that a child must respect and love his parents sincerely, under any circumstances.