I always look for the opportunity to tell my children stories from the Malay folklores. You know, si Tanggang, Batu Belah Batu Bertangkup and so on. But this being a very advanced time, my children usually wants proof and therefore after watching Grey’s Anatomy last Tuesday, opportunity to re-tell the story about si Tanggang appeared and I grabbed it.
The said chance was given by the telly and mind you, who wouldn’t believe the telly, the most integral part of our lives, eh ?
Anyway, after a very satisfying Grey’s Anatomy (that McSteamy is sexier than McDreamy… but never fear I have McRashdan at home.. so okaylah….), the telly showed a preview of next week’s episode. There for all and sundry to see was a boy who was encased in what looked like cement, surrounded by baffled doctors/surgeons.
All three of us (Babah, U-um and myself) looked in shock, trying to decipher what we saw. “Is it cement ?” Was one question. “He fell in a hole of a rock ?” and so on.
“What happened, Mummy ?” Asked the very impatient Umar. “Is that cement ?”
“Yeah, probably….” I answered before I got an epiphany (can I say that ?) and changed my story.
“Ohhh…. I think I know what is going on here… That is batu, not cement. I think he is the American version of Si Tanggang….” At his puzzled look, I explained, “Si Tanggang is the story of this poor boy who went across the sea to find work. He wanted to help his poor parents but after he got rich and married a princess he felt ashamed of his poor parents. He started making up stories about how his parents were actually rich but conveniently dead.
One day though the ship that he and his wife were on stopped at his old village. His parents got to know that their Si Tanggang was on it and decided to row a boat to the ship to meet him. They were very excited. The son that they love and miss so much has returned. The mom made lepat pisang which was Tanggang’s favorite food. The old father rowed the boat but when he got there, Si Tanggang pretended that he didn’t know them. He was so embarrassed because their clothes were torn and dirty.
They called him, “Tanggang. Ni mak dan ayah ni. Mari lah…”. He said, “Siapa kau ? Aku tak kenal kau…” His parents were shocked but then they thought maybe because they haven’t seen each other in a long time Tanggang had forgotten how his parents looked like.
So his mother said, “Ini mak, Tanggang… turun lah… Mak nak peluk Tanggang…..” Tanggang got very angry because his wife had heard what his parents said. So he angrily told them, “Tipu ! Mak bapak aku dah mati….” His parents cried when he said that, especially his mom. They were so broken hearted but it was their son, they have to make an attempt again.
His mom tried to climb the ladder to get on the ship. “Tanggang, ni mak bawak lepat pisang kegemaran kau ni… ambik lah…..” She said, one hand holding the ladder the other hand proffering the goodies to him. But Tanggang had other ideas. He quickly said, ‘Aku mana makan lepat pisang… Aku makan Happy Meal saja !!’ and he kicked his mom before she got onboard. The mom fell back in the boat and his father started rowing back to shore.
Tanggang’s mother got up, crying all the while. She was humiliated, angry and sad. She then said, “Anak derhaka ! Tak mengenang budi !!” At this point she got very pissed off she said what all mothers try not to do. She cursed her son. “Aku sumpah kau jadi batu !!” As soon as she said that, the sky clouded, darkened and began to rumble. Suddenly lightning struck and hit Tanggang.
When the smoke was gone everybody gasped. Tanggang had turned into stone. Allah had heard his mother’s cries and granted her wish.
I stopped for dramatic effect.
“I think that boy was rude to his mother….” I suggested.
“Mom….” Umar quivered. “You told me that story already…..” He looked thoughtful. “But… kenapa kepala dia tak jadi batu ? Si Tanggang tu kan his whole body turned into stone….”
Aiseh.
“Well… that is because Allah wants him to tell the story… as a warning to all other children…. So now he can talk and tell naughty children to listen to their mothers if they don’t want to turn into stone like him……”
He heh…
The said chance was given by the telly and mind you, who wouldn’t believe the telly, the most integral part of our lives, eh ?
Anyway, after a very satisfying Grey’s Anatomy (that McSteamy is sexier than McDreamy… but never fear I have McRashdan at home.. so okaylah….), the telly showed a preview of next week’s episode. There for all and sundry to see was a boy who was encased in what looked like cement, surrounded by baffled doctors/surgeons.
All three of us (Babah, U-um and myself) looked in shock, trying to decipher what we saw. “Is it cement ?” Was one question. “He fell in a hole of a rock ?” and so on.
“What happened, Mummy ?” Asked the very impatient Umar. “Is that cement ?”
“Yeah, probably….” I answered before I got an epiphany (can I say that ?) and changed my story.
“Ohhh…. I think I know what is going on here… That is batu, not cement. I think he is the American version of Si Tanggang….” At his puzzled look, I explained, “Si Tanggang is the story of this poor boy who went across the sea to find work. He wanted to help his poor parents but after he got rich and married a princess he felt ashamed of his poor parents. He started making up stories about how his parents were actually rich but conveniently dead.
One day though the ship that he and his wife were on stopped at his old village. His parents got to know that their Si Tanggang was on it and decided to row a boat to the ship to meet him. They were very excited. The son that they love and miss so much has returned. The mom made lepat pisang which was Tanggang’s favorite food. The old father rowed the boat but when he got there, Si Tanggang pretended that he didn’t know them. He was so embarrassed because their clothes were torn and dirty.
They called him, “Tanggang. Ni mak dan ayah ni. Mari lah…”. He said, “Siapa kau ? Aku tak kenal kau…” His parents were shocked but then they thought maybe because they haven’t seen each other in a long time Tanggang had forgotten how his parents looked like.
So his mother said, “Ini mak, Tanggang… turun lah… Mak nak peluk Tanggang…..” Tanggang got very angry because his wife had heard what his parents said. So he angrily told them, “Tipu ! Mak bapak aku dah mati….” His parents cried when he said that, especially his mom. They were so broken hearted but it was their son, they have to make an attempt again.
His mom tried to climb the ladder to get on the ship. “Tanggang, ni mak bawak lepat pisang kegemaran kau ni… ambik lah…..” She said, one hand holding the ladder the other hand proffering the goodies to him. But Tanggang had other ideas. He quickly said, ‘Aku mana makan lepat pisang… Aku makan Happy Meal saja !!’ and he kicked his mom before she got onboard. The mom fell back in the boat and his father started rowing back to shore.
Tanggang’s mother got up, crying all the while. She was humiliated, angry and sad. She then said, “Anak derhaka ! Tak mengenang budi !!” At this point she got very pissed off she said what all mothers try not to do. She cursed her son. “Aku sumpah kau jadi batu !!” As soon as she said that, the sky clouded, darkened and began to rumble. Suddenly lightning struck and hit Tanggang.
When the smoke was gone everybody gasped. Tanggang had turned into stone. Allah had heard his mother’s cries and granted her wish.
I stopped for dramatic effect.
“I think that boy was rude to his mother….” I suggested.
“Mom….” Umar quivered. “You told me that story already…..” He looked thoughtful. “But… kenapa kepala dia tak jadi batu ? Si Tanggang tu kan his whole body turned into stone….”
Aiseh.
“Well… that is because Allah wants him to tell the story… as a warning to all other children…. So now he can talk and tell naughty children to listen to their mothers if they don’t want to turn into stone like him……”
He heh…
