Malin Kundang

Once upon a time there lived a boy named Malin Kundang. He lived with his poor father
and mother. They lived in a village by the beach. The village was small and peaceful. Many of its
people had migrated to earn more money. Malin Kundang loved to play. Every day his only job was
to chase Burik, the only chicken his parents had. Unfortunately, every time Malin managed to catch
it, he always tortured the Burik.
One day, Malin Kundang's father migrated to another country. It was said that the other
country was very rich and making money there was very easy. Malin Kundang's father boarded a
ship with other people who wanted to migrate. He left his mother and Malin in the poor village. Day
after day passed. But there was no news from the father. The mother worked harder to survive.
At one point, Malin Kundang fell while chasing the Burik. Malin Kundang cried in pain
because his hand was scratched by a stone. The wound was quite large and bleeding. The mother
immediately treated Malin Kundang's wound. She lovingly took care of Malin. But although the
wound would heal, the scar would never disappear.
Days turned into months. Months turned into years. Years went by in a hurry. Unnoticed
now Malin had grown into a handsome and strong young man. He was getting bored living in the
lonely and poor village. He wanted to migrate like his father. Then Malin asked his mother for
permission to migrate to a foreign country. Her mother was sad because she was worried that Malin
would not return like her father. But Malin promised to become a rich man and bring her mother
along. Finally, his mother reluctantly allowed Malin to migrate.
Malin Kundang sneaked into a ship. He hid in a wooden crate. The ship set sail. But in the
middle of the sea the ship was intercepted by pirates. All the crew members were killed by the
pirates. Then the pirates took away all the valuables on the ship and left the ship adrift in the middle
of the sea. Malin Kundang survived because he hid in a chest. When he came out of hiding, the ship
was stranded in a large and crowded harbour.
Near the harbour was a rich and fertile village. Malin Kundang smiled even though his body
was weak and powerless from hiding in the wooden crate for so long. Malin Kundang worked hard
day and night. There was only one thing on his mind and that was the desire to become a rich man.
Finally, his determination and hard work paid off. He became rich and had a big ship with 100 crew
members. He also had a beautiful wife.
One day Malin Kundang invited his wife to sail on his luxurious ship. They docked in Malin
Kundang's hometown. News of Malin Kundang's arrival reached his mother's ears. With a cheerful
heart, the elderly mother shuffled to the harbour. She repeatedly shouted for Malin from a distance.
Malin Kundang's wife was astonished by the old lady who ran up to them. Her clothes were tattered
and her face looked old and shabby. Malin Kundang's wife asked who the old man was. Malin
Kundang was nervous because he didn't want his wife to know that he came from a poor family. He
told his wife that perhaps the old woman was just a beggar asking for alms.
"Don't you recognise me? I am your mother." the old man asked Malin Kundang. Malin
Kundang became angry and said, "My mother is dead. Don't claim to be an old beggar!" The
mother burst into tears and said, "I'm sure you're Malin my son. Look at the scars on your arms.
Only Malin Kundang my son has a scar like that." Malin Kundang got angrier and told his guards to
send him away. The mother continued to cry bitterly. Full of disappointment, the mother prayed, "O
God, if he really is Malin my son, give him a fitting punishment." Lightning suddenly boomed even
though the sky was clear. Malin slowly felt something strange. Her body felt increasingly stiff.
"Oh, oh, what's wrong with my body? No!", Malin shouted. Malin Kundang realised that he
was cursed. He fell down and kissed the ground. It was too late for him to regret his disobedience to
his mother.