Princess
Laiamon and Crocodile
(a
folktale from Kalimantan)
Laiamon was the daughter of Dayak chief. One day, she
went to the river to take a bath. She was swimming when a crocodile held her
leg.
a folktale from Kalimantan
“Oh, please don’t eat me!” cried Laiamon.
“Hohoho!” laughed the crocodile. “I won’t let you go.
I like eating pretty girls very much.”
Laiamon was aclever girl. She then said, “My father is
a chief. He is a rich man. He will give you anything you want if you set me
free.”
a folktale from Kalimantan
“Is it?” asked the crocodile.
“Yes,” replied princess Laiamon.
“OK,” said the crocodile, “tell your father to give me
a baby to eat every day.”
a folktale from Kalimantan
The crocodile let Laiamon go. Quickly, Laiamon swam to
the river bank and went home. She told what she had experienced to her father. Her
father then called his people to discuss what the crocodile had asked.
a folktale from Kalimantan
The next day, the chief and his people went to the
river. They bought a pig for the crocodile.
“Good morning, Crocodile,” said the chief.
“Do you bring a baby for me?” asked the crocodile.
“We have no babies in the village,” said the chief, “we
can only give you a pig this time.”
“Don’t lie to me!” the crocodile shanted.
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| a folktale from Kalimantan |
“All right,” said the crocodile.
The chief threw the pig into the river. The crocodile
quickly ate the pig.
a folktale from Kalimantan
“Hmmm, it’s very delicious!” said the crocodile. Not long
after that, this creature’s stomach ached. It moaned and groaned. Then it died.
a folktale from Kalimantan
“Father, how did you kill the crocodile?” asked
Laiamon.
“We have filled the pig with poison,” said the chief. “This
creature had killed many people. I’m proud of you, Laiamon. You could get away
from the crocodile. Remember my daughter, if you are brave, you can beat evil
things.”
a folktale from Kalimantan
which region of kalimantan is is from?
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