CERITA MALING KUNDANG

Dahulu kala di Perkampungan Nelayan Pantai Air Manis, hiduplah seorang janda bernama
Mande Rubayah dan anak laki-lakinya, Malin Kundang. Mande Rubayah sangat menyayangi dan
memanjakan Malin. Malin pun tumbuh jadi anak yang rajin dan penurut.

Ketika Mande Rubayah mulai menua, ia hanya bekerja sebagai penjual kue untuk memenuhi
kebutuhan hidupnya. Suatu hari, Malin jatuh sakit. Tubuh Malin mendadak panas sekali. Mande
Rubayah pun berusaha sekuat tenaga menyelamatkan Malin.

Berkat usaha keras ibunya sampai mendatangkan tabib, nyawa Malin berhasil diselamatkan.
Setelah sembuh, ibunya semakin sayang kepada Malin. Begitu pula dengan Malin, ia yang amat
menyayangi ibunya.

Kapal besar setahun sekali merapat ke Pantai Air Manis. Ketika sudah dewasa, Malin meminta
izin ibunya untuk merantau dengan kapal itu. Awalnya ibunya ragu. Tapi dengan berat hati,
akhirnya ia mengizinkan anaknya pergi.

Malin pun pergi berbekal tujuh bungkus nasi yang dibalut daun pisang dari ibunya. Malin juga
menenangkan ibunya bahwa tidak akan terjadi apa-apa kepada dirinya di perantauan.

Setelah kepergian Malin, hari-hari terasa berjalan lambat bagi Mande Rubayah. Ia selalu
memandang ke laut dan mendoakan anaknya agar selamat dalam pelayarannya.

Mande Rubayah selalu menanyakan kabar Malin setiap ada kapal besar yang merapat. Namun,
jawaban dari nahkoda dan awak kapal tidak ada yang memuaskannya. Malin pun tidak pernah
menitipkan barang atau pesan apa pun.

Doa Mande Rubayah yang tak putus-putusnya itu, terus dilakukan sampai ia semakin menua.
Tubuhnya mulai dimakan usia dan jalannya mulai terbungkuk-bungkuk.

"Ibu sudah tua, Malin. Kapan kau pulang?" rintih Mande Rubayah tiap malam. Namun, Malin
tak juga datang mengunjungi ibunya. Nahkoda kapal yang membawa Malin pun, membawa
kabar kalau Malin sudah menikah dengan gadis bangsawan.

Keyakinan Mande Rubayah diaminkan dengan kedatangan kapal megah. Penduduk

perkampungan menyambut gembira kapal itu. Mereka berkumpul di sekitar kapal itu karena
mengira itu milik sultan atau pangeran.

Mande Rubayah pun turut berdesakan di dekat kapal. Ia melihat sepasang muda-mudi di
anjungan kapal. Pasangan itu mengenakan baju berkilau dan tersenyum. Ibu Malin itu,
mengetahui bahwa lelaki muda itu adalah anaknya.
Ibu Malin mendahului sesepuh kampung untuk menghampiri Malin. Ia langsung memeluk erat-
erat seakan takut kehilangan anaknya lagi. Isak tangis Mande Rubayah pun pecah.

"Malin, anakku. Kau benar anakku, kan?" kata Mande. "Mengapa begitu lamanya kau tidak
memberi kabar?" katanya lagi. Malin terkejut disambut oleh perempuan tua dan berpakaian
compang-camping. Ia tak percaya bahwa perempuan itu ibunya.

Malin mengingat ibunya adalah perempuan tegar dan kuat menggendongnya ke mana saja
sehingga ia tak percaya dengan orang yang memeluknya. Malin tidak sempat berpikir karena
istrinya langsung mengatakan hal yang merendahkan.

"Wanita jelek inikah ibumu? Mengapa dahulu kau bohong padaku?" ucapnya sinis. "Bukankah
dulu kau katakan bahwa ibumu adalah seorang bangsawan yang sederajat denganku?"
tanyanya lagi.

Mendengar perkataan istrinya, Malin pun mendorong Mande Rubayah hingga terguling ke
pasir. Ibu Malin tidak percaya akan perlakuan anaknya. Ia jatuh dan berkata, "Malin, Malin,
anakku. Aku ini ibumu, Nak! Mengapa kau jadi seperti ini Nak?"

Malin tidak peduli perkataan ibunya. Ia tidak mau mengakui ibunya karena malu kepada
istrinya. Mande bersujud di kaki Malin dan hendak memeluk kakinya. Namun, Malin malah
menendangnya.

"Hai, perempuan gila! Aku bukan anakmu! lbuku tidak seperti engkau, melarat dan kotor!" kata
Malin kepada ibunya. Mande Rubayah pun pingsan. Ketika ia tersadar, pantai sudah sepi dan
kapal Malin sudah pergi menjauh.

Hati Mande Rubayah perih seakan ditusuk-tusuk. Ia tak menyangka anak laki-laki
kesayangannya, tega kepada ibunya sendiri. Ia menengadahkan tangan ke langit dan berdoa
dengan hati pilu.

“Ya, Tuhan, kalau memang dia bukan anakku, aku maafkan perbuatannya tadi. Tapi, kalau
memang dia benar anakku yang bernama Malin Kundang, aku mohon keadilanmu, ya Tuhan!”
ucapnya pilu sambil menangis.

Tiba-tiba, cuaca di tengah laut yang cerah berubah menjadi gelap. Hujan lebat turun. Badai dan
petir menghantam kapal Malin Kundang.

Badai yang datang tiba-tiba itu, menghancurkan kapal Malin Kundang hingga berkeping-keping.
Puing kapalnya terbawa sampai ke pantai. Pagi harinya, terlihat puing kapal Malin Kundang
yang terdampar telah menjadi batu.
Tubuh Malin Kundang pun turut menjadi batu. Ia dikutuk oleh ibunya karena durhaka. Di sela-
sela batu, ikan teri, ikan belanak, dan ikan tenggiri berenang. Ikan itu berasal dari tubuh istri
Malin yang mencari suaminya.

Itulah cerita Malin Kundang yang durhaka terhadap ibunya. Pesan yang bisa disampaikan ke
anak dari kisah ini adalah sayangilah orangtua ketika gembira atau sedih. Jangan lupakan jasa
mereka yang telah menyayangimu!
ENGLISH

THE STORY OF THE THIEF OF KUNDANG

Once upon a time in the Air Manis Beach Fisherman's Village, there lived a widow named
Mande Rubayah and her son, Malin Kundang. Mande Rubayah really loved and spoiled Malin.
Malin grew up to be a diligent and obedient child.

When Mande Rubayah started to grow old, she only worked as a cake seller to make ends
meet. One day, Malin fell ill. Malin's body was suddenly very hot. Mande Rubayah tried his best
to save Malin.

Thanks to his mother's hard work to bring in a healer, Malin's life was saved. After recovering,
his mother loved Malin even more. Likewise with Malin, he really loved his mother.

Once a year a large ship docks at Air Manis Beach. When he grew up, Malin asked his mother's
permission to go abroad with the ship. At first his mother was doubtful. But with a heavy heart,
he finally allowed his son to go.

Malin went armed with seven packs of rice wrapped in banana leaves from his mother. Malin
also reassured his mother that nothing would happen to him overseas.

After Malin left, the days seemed to go slowly for Mande Rubayah. He always looked at the sea
and prayed for his son to be safe on his voyage.

Mande Rubayah always asked how Malin was doing every time a big ship docked. However, the
answers from the captain and crew did not satisfy him. Malin never left any goods or messages.

Mande Rubayah's incessant prayer continued until she was getting older. His body began to be
eaten by age and his path began to bend.

"Mother is old, Malin. When are you coming home?" groaned Mande Rubayah every night.
However, Malin also did not come to visit his mother. The captain of the ship that brought
Malin also brought news that Malin had married a noble girl.

Mande Rubayah's belief was confirmed by the arrival of a magnificent ship. Residents of the
village welcomed the ship. They gathered around the ship thinking it belonged to a sultan or a
prince.
Mande Rubayah also jostled near the ship. He saw a young couple on the bridge of the ship.
The couple were wearing sparkling clothes and smiling. Malin's mother, knew that the young
man was her son.

Malin's mother preceded the village elders to approach Malin. He immediately hugged tightly
as if afraid of losing his child again. Mande Rubayah's sobs broke out.

"Malin, my son. You are my son, right?" Mande said. "Why did it take you so long to notify
me?" he said again. Malin was surprised to be greeted by an old woman and dressed in rags. He

couldn't believe that the woman was his mother.

Malin remembered his mother was a strong and strong woman carrying him anywhere so that
he could not believe the people who hugged him. Malin did not have time to think because his
wife immediately said degrading things.

"Is this ugly woman your mother? Why did you lie to me before?" he said sarcastically. "Didn't
you say before that your mother was a noble on the same level as me?" he asked again.

Hearing his wife's words, Malin pushed Mande Rubayah so that he rolled onto the sand. Malin's
mother did not believe in her son's treatment. He fell down and said, "Malin, Malin, my son. I
am your mother, son! Why have you become like this son?"

Malin did not care what his mother said. He did not want to admit his mother because he was
ashamed of his wife. Mande prostrated at Malin's feet and was about to hug his legs. However,
Malin instead kicked him.

"Hey, crazy woman! I'm not your daughter! My mother is not like you, poor and dirty!" said
Malin to his mother. Mande Rubayah fainted. When he woke up, the beach was deserted and
Malin's ship had gone away.

Mande Rubayah's heart ached as if it had been stabbed. He did not expect his favorite son, to
have the heart to his own mother. He lifted his hands to the sky and prayed with a heavy heart.

"Yes, God, if he is not my son, I forgive what he did earlier. But, if he really is my son named
Malin Kundang, I beg your justice, O God!” he said sadly while crying.

Suddenly, the weather in the middle of the sunny sea turned dark. It's raining heavily. A storm
and lightning hit Malin Kundang's ship.

The storm that came suddenly, destroyed Malin Kundang's ship to pieces. The wreckage of the
ship was carried to the beach. In the morning, it was seen that the wreckage of Malin
Kundang's ship which had been stranded had turned to stone.
Malin Kundang's body also turned into stone. He was cursed by his mother for being
disobedient. Between the rocks, anchovies, mullet and mackerel swam. The fish came from the
body of Malin's wife who was looking for her husband.

That is the story of Malin Kundang who was disobedient to his mother. The message that can
be conveyed to children from this story is to love your parents when you are happy or sad. Do
not forget the services of those who have loved you!