Legend of Dang Gedunai

Legend of Dang Gedunai
A Folklore from Riau, Indonesia

Obce upon a time in Riau, Indonesia, lived a kid named Dang Gedunai. He lived with his mother. His father passed away when he was a baby. Dang Gedunai was a stubborn kid. His mother was sad. He was her only child but he never made her happy.

“Mom, I want to go to the river. I want to go fishing,” said Dang Gedunai.

“It’s cloudy outside. Rain will soon fall. Why don’t you just stay at home?”

As always Dang Gedunai ignored her. He then went to the river. It was very cloudy when he arrived at the riverside. Soon it was drizzling but Dang Gedunai was still busy fishing. Later rain fell down heavily. Dang Gedunai finally gave up. However right before he left, he saw something shining in the river.

It was a very big egg. Carefully, Dang Gedunai brought the egg home. His mother was surprised to see him brought a big egg.

“What egg is that? Where did you find it?”

“In the river, Mom.”

“Be careful with the egg. You have to return it,” replied his mother.

As always, he ignored his mother’s advice. He planned to boil the egg and ate it.

In the morning, his mother was ready to go to the paddy field. Again, she advised him to put the egg back to the river. Dang Gedunai did not say anything.

When his mother left the house, he immediately boiled the egg. When it was cooked, he ate it. It was so delicious. He was so full then he fell asleep. He had a dream. A giant dragon came to him.

“You stole my egg. For the punishment, you will become a dragon!”

Dang Gedunai woke up. He felt very thirsty. Later his mother went home.

“What happened?”

“I don’t know. Suddenly I feel very thirsty. My throat is very hot.”

His mother then gave him a glass of water. It’s not enough. He drank another glass, then another glass, then another glass until there was not any water in the house. His mother asked him to go the pond. Dang Gedunai drank all the water until the pond was dried. But it was not enough. Then they went to the river.

Again it was not enough. Dang Gedunai knew his dream would come true. He would become a dragon.

“Mom, please forgive me. I ignored you. I ate the egg. It was a dragon’s egg. I will change as a dragon. I cannot live with you anymore. I will live in the sea. If you see big waves in the sea, that means I’m eating. But if the waves are calmed, then I’m sleeping,” said Dang Gedunai.

His mother cried. Then slowly Dang Gedunai left her. His mother then told the villagers not to go to the sea when the waves were big. Her son was eating.

Until now fishermen do not want to go fishing in the sea when the waves are big. They know the dragon is eating. They just wait until the dragon is finished eating and the waves are calmed.