The Legend of Jodoh River

         A long time ago, in Batam Island there lived a poor and nice orphan girl named Mah Bongsu. She had to work as a maid in a rich woman’s house, named Mak Piah. Mak Piah had a daughter named Mayang who was at the same age as Mah Bongsu and a husband named Buntal.

Mak Piah was a mean lady. She always asked Mah Bongsu to work hard. She also often hit her. Sometimes Mah Bongsu didn’t get enough food. She was helpless because she didn’t have any other place to stay. Every day she prayed to God to give her a better life.

One day, Mak Piah asked Mah Bongsu to wash her clothes.

“Mah Bongsu! Mah Bongsu! Come here quickly!

“Yes, Madam.” Said Mah Bongsu

“Wash my dress to the river, now!”

Then, Mah Bongsu took the dress and went to the river. When she was washing the clothes, she saw a big snake swam towards her. “Wait a minute, what is that? Oh no, snake!!!” screamed Mah Bongsu. But the snake wasn’t agressive. It swam as it showed a wound on its back.   “Oh My God, how poor the snake is...” Mah Bongsu felt sorry for the snake. She lift up the snake carefully and took it home. She put that snake on her bed and healed the wound until the snake was healthy again.

          The snake became bigger and peeled its outer skin, Mah Bongsu picked that skin and burnt it. The smoke became bigger and bigger. Amazingly when the smoke towards the Land of Singapore, suddenly appeared much gold, diamond, and money. When it towards Bandar Lampung, appeared many beautiful tapis fabric. When it towards India, appeared many expensive Sari fabric.

Mah Bongsu was very surprised. But then she became happy. She collected that treasure every time she burnt the snake’s skin. Within 2 months, Mah Bongsu became richer than Mak Piah. She didn’t work as a maid again. She bought a big house and lived there with the snake.

Many people wondered why suddenly Mah Bongsu became rich, especially Mak Piah’s family. Mak Piah said that maybe Mah Bongsu raise tuyul. But Buntal, her husband denied it. He tought that maybe Mah Bongsu stoled their money and property. People became more curious. To investigate the origin of Mah Bongsu property was not easy. Some of the villagers had been investigating their curious but can not find the secret.What is important now, we are not harmed, said Mak Ungkai to neighbors. Even Mak Ungkai and his neighbors would like to thank Mah Bongsu, because Mah Bongsu always give a help for poor and orphans. They called Mah Bangsu a generous girl.

Mak Piah felt unrivaled. She was also jealous. After she investigate almost every night, she found out that Mah Bongsu became rich because of a snake. Then she asked Mayang, her daughter to bring a wound snake from the river. So Mayang went to the river and found it. But she didn’t know that the snake is poisonous. Then she took it home. Mak Piah was very happy.

“Good job, Mayang. Now, heal that snake’s wound and put that snake beside you when you sleep.” Said Mak Piah

“Okay, Mom.”

After that, Mak Piah lock Mayang’s room with Mayang and poisonous inside it.

A few hours later, Mayang scereamed. “Mom!!! This snake want to bite me! Open the door! Help me!”

But Mak Piah just said, “Don’t be scare! It just want to play with you. Serve that snake with your best. We will be richer than Mah Bongsu. Hahaha..”

Unfortunately, Mayang was bitten by the snake. When there was no more noisy from Mayang’s room. Mak Piah unlock it and enterred. She was very shocked when she saw her daughter died. There was much blood on Mayang’s body.  When the piosonous snake was trying to bite Mak Piah, she ran out of the house. But before she reach the door. The snake bit her. Mak Piah died.

Meanwhile, the wound of Mah Bongsu’s snake was healed. Mah Bongsu even more loved her snake. But when she wanted to give food and drink to her snake, something made her really shocked. The snake can talked like a human!

“Don’t be afraid. Please take me to the river tonight.” said the snake

At night, they arrived at the river. The snake said, “ Mah Bongsu, I wanna say thank you for helping me. You are very kind and beautiful. And now I realized that my journey isn’t worthless because I have found my soulmate. It’s you Mah Bongsu. Will you marry me?”

Mah Bongsu still shocked. She even confused. She was speechless. Once again, the snake peeled its outer skin and at the moment, it changed into a handsome and gallant young man. The magic snake’s skin tranformed into a beautiful and luxurious building. At this time, the village is named Tiban, from word “ketiban” which means getting luck or happiness. While the river is named Jodoh River, because people believe that it’s a place where the soulmate will meet.

Finally, Mah Bongsu married with that such a handsome young man. The wedding party was held 3 days and 3 nights. Many people came and congrated them. They lived happily ever after.

                              THE END

NAME : RIZKY AULIA RYALFIN

CLASS : 9.1