Bawang Merah and Bawang Putih - Indonesian

Hello, my name is Bawang Putih. I live in a sunny village in Indonesia, surrounded by bright green rice fields. Life became very difficult after my mother passed away, but I always remembered her words: to be kind, no matter what. This is the story of Bawang Merah and Bawang Putih, and how a little bit of kindness can bring the greatest magic.

After my father remarried, I lived with him, my stepmother, and my stepsister, Bawang Merah. While I always tried to be gentle and hardworking, my stepmother and stepsister were lazy and mean. They made me do all the chores, from cooking and cleaning to washing clothes in the river every day. My only friend was a magical fish in the river. He would swim right up to me and listen to all my troubles. One day, my stepmother and Bawang Merah got jealous of our friendship. They secretly caught my dear fish and cooked him for dinner. When I found out, my heart felt like it had broken into a million pieces. I gathered his little bones and buried them in our garden. The very next day, a beautiful tree with a golden swing grew in that exact spot, and it sang a soft melody whenever I sat on it.

One afternoon, while I was washing clothes, I accidentally dropped my stepmother’s favorite red scarf into the river. The current was so fast, it swept the scarf away in a flash. I was so frightened of my stepmother's anger. I knew I had to find it, so I walked for miles and miles along the riverbank, searching everywhere. At last, I came to a small hut deep in the forest where a kind-looking old woman lived. The old woman had found the scarf. She smiled at me and said, 'I will give this back to you if you help me with my chores for one week.' I was so relieved and happily agreed. For seven days, I swept her floors, cooked delicious meals, and helped the old woman without a single complaint. When the week was over, the old woman returned the scarf. She also offered me a gift: a choice between two pumpkins. One was very large, and one was very small. I was humble and didn't want to be greedy, so I chose the small pumpkin, thanked the old woman with a big smile, and went home.

When I arrived home, my stepmother and Bawang Merah scolded me for being gone so long. As I cut open the small pumpkin to cook it for our dinner, we all gasped. It wasn't filled with seeds at all. It was filled with sparkling jewels and shimmering gold coins that tumbled out onto the floor. Seeing the treasure, Bawang Merah became incredibly jealous and wanted a treasure of her own. She went to the river, threw a scarf in on purpose, and found the old woman's hut. But when the old woman asked her to do chores, Bawang Merah was lazy, rude, and complained constantly. At the end of the week, she greedily snatched the biggest pumpkin and ran home without even saying thank you. When she and my stepmother cut it open, they screamed. Instead of treasure, poisonous snakes and scary insects poured out and chased them far, far away from the village. With my newfound fortune, I lived a happy and peaceful life, and I never, ever forgot to be kind to everyone I met.

The story of me and Bawang Merah has been told for generations in Indonesia to teach children that kindness is a true treasure. It reminds us that good deeds are always rewarded, while greed leads to unhappiness. My tale still inspires puppet shows, dances, and books, sparking everyone's imagination and reminding us that a good heart is the most valuable thing in the world.