The Legend of Lake Toba

Folklore from North Sumatra

LONG time ago, lived a poor young orphan in a fertile valley. Everyday he supported
himself by farming and fishing at the river not far from his home. The harvest of farmed and
fished used as the side food of his meals. So far, it's easy for him to get the fish from the river.
One afternoon, returning from the fields, he went fishing in the river. After a long time
fishing, he did not go get the fish. Such incidents never happened. Eventually he reeled in his
line and then decided to go home. But strangely when the rod is pulled, a fish suddenly snatched.
His heart was glad it was not around when it saw a very pretty goldfish hanging at the end of the
rope pole. The young man rushed home to cook the fish.
Arriving at the house, the man put a goldfish in a place and immediately prepare
firewood for cooking. It turns firewood possessed the young man had been exhausted. He
immediately came out to fetch firewood in his backyard. After taking a few pieces of firewood
she returned to the kitchen to cook.
The young man surprised when he got in the kitchen, he found carp have been lost. But
strangely near where the goldfish lay a few pieces of gold. Because of the confusion, the young
man then went inside his room. The young man very surprised when he saw a beautiful woman
in his room.
"Who are you, O beautiful lady? Where did you come from? Why are you in my house?
"Asked the astonished farmer.
"I was your catch carp earlier, while the gold coins on the table is the embodiment of my
scales." Replied the beautiful woman.
"Will you be my wife O beautiful lady?" Asked the young man shyly.
The woman looked down and was silent for a moment, then said, "Well, I'm willing to be
your wife, but with one condition you should not bring up my origin, the fish incarnation."
"Well, I agreed your requirement." Said the farmer as he nodded his head.
Soon they too were married. Time passes so quickly for this happy couple. They had a
son named Samosir. After the age of 6 years, he turned into a very naughty boy and difficult to
be advised. His mother often told him to deliver rice to his father in the fields, but Samosir
always rejected. His mother was forced to deliver his own rice for her husband at the field.
One day, as usual, Samosir told her mother to deliver rice to the fields. At first he did not
want to, but because his mother kept insisting he finally went to the fields to deliver rice to his
father. On the way to the field, Samosir was hungry and then eat the rice parcel for his father
until empty. Samosir left only the bones of fish and then wrap it back. When he arrived in rice
fields Samosir gave the parcel to his father. Because he's so hungry, Samosir's father directly to
unwrap the rice. Knowing the contents of the package only contains the bones of fish, then the
father scolding Samosir.
"Samosir!, what is this? Why in the parcel only contained fish bones? Have you eaten it?
", shout his father.
"Sorry dad, on the way my stomach feels hungry, so I ate your meal." Said Samosir with
fear.
The father was furious then slapped his cheek, and said that his son was a child fish.
"You are outrageous, son of fish!"
Samosir cried because his father slapped and ran back into the house. Arriving home,
Samosir asked her mother if he was completely son of a fish.
 "Mom ... is it true what my father said that I was his son of fish?"
The mother was shocked to hear his question. She tearfully hugged Samosir and said that
his father had broken his oath.
"Your father broke his oath to bring the origin of your mother. Now I must return to my
origin."
At that moment the sky became dark, flashing lightning followed by heavy rain. Samosir
and her mother disappeared without any trace, while the former place they stand spurted heavy
water. Not long after that, the place flooded to form a lake. While the father could not save
himself. He died, sinking into the lake.
People then call the lake as Lake Tuba. Meanwhile, a small island located in the middle
of the lake is called the island of Samosir.
The word tuba means ungrateful or has no good in returned. Over time, the community
gradually call it Lake Toba.

Legenda Danau toba

Cerita rakyat dari Sumatera Utara

Dahulu kala, tinggal seorang yatim piatu yang miskin di lembah yang subur. Setiap hari
ia menghidupi dirinya dengan bertani dan memancing di sungai tidak jauh dari rumahnya. Panen
hasil pertanian dan memancing digunakan sebagai makanan sampingan dari makanannya. Sejauh
ini, mudah baginya untuk mendapatkan ikan dari sungai.
Suatu sore, kembali dari ladang, dia pergi memancing di sungai. Setelah lama
memancing, dia tidak pergi mengambil ikan. Insiden seperti itu tidak pernah terjadi. Akhirnya
dia berputar dalam barisannya dan kemudian memutuskan untuk pulang. Namun anehnya ketika
batang ditarik, seekor ikan tiba-tiba menyambar. Hatinya senang karena tidak ada ketika melihat
ikan mas yang sangat cantik tergantung di ujung tali tambang. Pria muda itu bergegas pulang
untuk memasak ikan.
Setiba di rumah, lelaki itu meletakkan ikan mas di suatu tempat dan segera menyiapkan
kayu bakar untuk dimasak. Ternyata kayu bakar yang dimiliki pemuda itu telah habis. Dia segera
keluar untuk mengambil kayu bakar di halaman belakang rumahnya. Setelah mengambil
beberapa potong kayu bakar, dia kembali ke dapur untuk memasak.
Pemuda itu terkejut ketika dia sampai di dapur, dia menemukan ikan mas telah hilang.
Namun anehnya di dekat tempat ikan mas meletakkan beberapa keping emas. Karena
kebingungan, pemuda itu kemudian masuk ke dalam kamarnya. Pria muda itu sangat terkejut
ketika dia melihat seorang wanita cantik di kamarnya.
"Siapa kamu, hai wanita cantik? Dari mana asalmu? Kenapa kamu ada di rumahku?"
Tanya petani yang heran.
"Aku adalah ikan mas tangkapanmu sebelumnya, sedangkan koin emas di atas meja
adalah perwujudan sisikku." Jawab wanita cantik itu.
"Apakah kamu akan menjadi istriku O wanita cantik?" Tanya pemuda itu malu-malu.
Wanita itu menunduk dan terdiam sesaat, lalu berkata, "Yah, aku bersedia menjadi
istrimu, tetapi dengan satu syarat kamu tidak boleh mengemukakan asal usulku, inkarnasi ikan."
"Yah, aku menyetujui persyaratanmu." Kata petani itu sambil menganggukkan
kepalanya.
Segera mereka juga menikah. Waktu berlalu begitu cepat untuk pasangan bahagia ini.
Mereka memiliki seorang putra bernama Samosir. Setelah berumur 6 tahun, ia berubah menjadi
bocah yang sangat nakal dan sulit untuk dinasihati. Ibunya sering mengatakan kepadanya untuk
mengirim beras kepada ayahnya di ladang, tetapi Samosir selalu menolak. Ibunya terpaksa
menyerahkan berasnya sendiri untuk suaminya di ladang.
Suatu hari, seperti biasa, Samosir menyuruh ibunya untuk mengirim beras ke ladang.
Awalnya dia tidak mau, tetapi karena ibunya terus bersikeras akhirnya dia pergi ke ladang untuk
mengirim beras kepada ayahnya. Dalam perjalanan ke ladang, Samosir lapar dan kemudian
memakan bungkusan nasi untuk ayahnya sampai kosong. Samosir hanya menyisakan tulang ikan
dan kemudian membungkusnya kembali. Ketika dia tiba di sawah, Samosir memberikan
bungkusan itu kepada ayahnya. Karena dia sangat lapar, ayah Samosir langsung membukanya.
Mengetahui isi bungkusan itu hanya berisi tulang-belulang ikan, lalu sang ayah memarahi
Samosir.
"Samosir !, apa ini? Kenapa di bungkusan itu hanya berisi tulang ikan? Sudah kamu
makan?", Teriak ayahnya.
"Maaf ayah, dalam perjalanan perutku terasa lapar, jadi aku memakan makananmu." Kata
Samosir dengan ketakutan.
Sang ayah geram kemudian menampar pipinya, dan mengatakan bahwa putranya adalah
anak ikan.
"Kamu keterlaluan, anak ikan!"
Samosir menangis karena ayahnya menampar dan berlari kembali ke rumah. Setibanya di
rumah, Samosir bertanya kepada ibunya apakah dia benar-benar anak ikan.
"Bu ... benarkah yang dikatakan ayahku bahwa aku adalah anak ikannya?"
Sang ibu terkejut mendengar pertanyaannya. Dia menangis memeluk Samosir dan
mengatakan bahwa ayahnya telah melanggar sumpahnya.
"Ayahmu melanggar sumpahnya untuk membawa asal ibumu. Sekarang aku harus
kembali ke asalku."
Pada saat itu langit menjadi gelap, kilatan petir diikuti oleh hujan lebat. Samosir dan
ibunya menghilang tanpa jejak, sementara bekas tempat mereka berdiri menyemburkan air yang
deras. Tidak lama setelah itu, tempat itu banjir membentuk danau. Sementara sang ayah tidak
bisa menyelamatkan dirinya sendiri. Dia meninggal, tenggelam ke dalam danau.
Orang kemudian menyebut danau itu sebagai Danau Tuba. Sementara itu, sebuah pulau
kecil yang terletak di tengah danau disebut pulau Samosir.
Kata tuba berarti tidak berterima kasih atau tidak memiliki manfaat dalam pengembalian.
Seiring waktu, masyarakat secara bertahap menyebutnya Danau Toba.