Malin Kundang

Let me tell you the story about a boy and his mother. This boy is a very famous person in my country. No body knows his face but everybody knows his name. The boy was called Malin Kundang. Why Malin Kundang famous? Was he an Indonesian Idol? We’ll find out here.

The story began when Malin Kundang was a boy. He lived with his mother. He didn’t have father anymore. Some people said he’s dead and some people said he left for sailing and never came back. And because the father did not around, the mother had to work for the family. Sadly for the mother, even though she worked hard, still could not make worth living for her son. They still lived poorly and her health was not great either. Malin kundang realized their condition. He was sad. He could not let his mother worked hard in sickness so he asked permission from her to go abroad.

“Where are you going, Malin?” his mother asked.

“I am going to sail, mother. Like our neighbor, he sails and sells many things abroad. Then he comes back with a lot of money. Do you see things he brought?” Malin said excited. “I can be rich too. And you don’t have to work anymore. Please mother, give me permission to sail. It’ll only need couple years then I’ll come back here.” Malin hold his mother’s hand, begged her for permission.

His mother could not say no to her loved child. She knew Malin wanted it so much. When she said yes, he was pranced all over the room.

Malin left by merchant ship belonged to his wealthy merchant neighbor. He worked as one of the ship’s crew. It was very great. He loved the sailing. They sailed from one island to another, met strange people, heard strange languages, experienced adventures and sold things. During the time, he learned about trading from his merchant. Malin was a smart boy. He understood quickly. But the lessons finished when they met pirates at the sea.

The pirates attacked the merchant ship. When they closed enough, they jumped to merchant ship with weapons in their hands. The merchant’s crew tried to fight back but the pirates were too strong. Just in sort time, the merchant’s crew was defeated. They killed all the men and took the goods along with them, then burned the ship and sink it down.

Oh no. Was Malin killed too?

Don’t worry, the story doesn’t finish yet. Our celebrity lived. He hid in a place or pretended dead, I’m not really sure. The pirates thought no one lived and then they left the crime place. Malin hang on a piece of wood, tried to save his life. For couple days he was floating in the sea. His head was getting dizzy. He was cold and tired. His hands could not hold his body anymore. His vision started blurry and then he passed out.

Was he dead? Shark ate him?

No no. The man was not dead easily. He survived. He got cast away at a beach. He was unconscious when the local villagers found him. Soon he stayed with them, made friends with them and then married with one of their daughter. Malin’s wife came from the wealthy family and had a high status in the social community. Apparently that made him shame to admit that he was poor and he was nobody in the social community. So he lied to his wife and her family. He lied about who he was. He said he was alone and no parents.

Malin then started to sail again. With helps from his wife, he traded goods like his merchant used to do. After couple years, he succeed to build his trades business. He had few merchant ships with hundreds crews. He was rich. His dream came true.

One day, Malin sailed to his hometown. With his big ship, he tied up to the dock. He brought lots of goods to sell. Everybody in the dock was fascinated with his ship and his goods. Malin - the new wealthy merchant - suddenly became famous. Everybody talked about him and then the talks were heard to an old woman’s ears.

“Is it true what you say?” the old woman asked the story teller.

“Yes. It’s true.”

“Who was the merchant’s name?” she asked again.

“It’s Malin, ma’am. Malin Kundang.”

The woman was surprised. The words were just said charged her body with full of energy.
“That’s my son.” She yelled. The woman hurried to the dock. She wanted to meet his son that she missed so much. The day that she waited for long time had come. The day where her son would come home. God answered her pray. She met her son again.

At the dock, the woman’s head turned around. Her eyes were looking for a face of her son. When she saw two persons at the ship, she got stood. She saw her son with a beautiful woman. She called Malin but he did not hear. She called him louder and tried to get to the ship. But then two guards blocked her way.

“Who are you? “ One of the guards asked.

“I’m Malin’s mother” the old woman said.

Malin heard the noise. He came closer.

“What is going on?” he asked .

“This old lady said she is your mother, sir.” The guard explained.

When he saw the old woman, he got surprised. He recognized the old woman as his mother. She was older then he remembered. Her hair turned grey, her skin was wrinkle and her cloth was dirty and torn. Compare to him, it’s like sky and earth. She looked like beggar.

And now look what money can do to you.

“She’s not my mother” Malin said and turned his face from her.

“I’m your mother, Malin. Don’t you remember me?” she said. Her tear started to float in her eyes.

“No. you are not my mother. I don’t have beggar mother.” Malin yelled to her.

“Go away and don't come back.” he evicted the old woman.

“You are rebellious son, Malin. You are shame to admit your own mother because I’m dirty and poor. You are blinded by your wealth.” her mother cried, hurt and angry. “I cursed you into a stone. Let God be my witness” .

Suddenly, the sky turned to dark and sound of thunder cracked everyone ears. The sea billowed. The big waves came from the sea and threw Malin’s ship and his people to the ground and crashed it.

Malin got shocked. He realized his sin to his mother. “I’m sorry mother.” he kowtowed, begged her for forgiveness. But everything was too late. God didn’t give second change to Malin. He and the pieces of his ship turned into stones. That’s the power of mother’s words. Very powerful. Trust me. I’ve been there. So be careful when you had fight with your mother, you could be the next stone.

By the way, you can see the famous Malin Kundang and the pieces of his ship rock at Aia Manih beach, south Padang, West Sumatra.