Task 3 M3 LA 1

Instructions

To make your understanding of Folktale texts better, read the texts and do the tasks underneath.

Text 3

THE UNFORTUNATE LEBAI (Mosque Servant) (Riau, Malay)
A Malay proverb says, “Any person who suffers a loss or falls to achieve his deal, not because of another person’s conduct but merely because of his own negligence is called Lebai Malang (the unfortunate Mosque Servant). He only looks disappointedly at another person’s good fortune. “That’s why he called Lebai Malang by the Malay people. Here is the story of one incident in the life of Lebai Malang, the unfortunate person.
There lived a Lebai Malang between two big villages inhabited by many people near a river. SO, one day, the two big villages were having ritual meals and inviting great and wealthy people including all the poor people so that the people of the two villages were all happy. When the people were gathering around for the ritual meal, Lebai Malang was coming too. He was invited by the two villages. In his way to the feast, he was tempted by greed, and said to himself, “I have been invited by people. The village upstream is closer, but they slaughter only one buffalo. Those of the village downstream slaughter two buffaloes. If I ask for the downstream village, I will get two horns and if I ask for the upstream village, I will get one horn, but the cooking is delicious, while the downstream village offers less delicious cooking. I know since I am used to eating in both places.”	1
Thinking that way, he went down the river rowing in a sampan. When he has rowed a certain distance downstream he remembered he would get two horns, upstream he would get one but with delicious cookings. And he returned upstream. Rowing upstream for a certain distance, he remembered the downstream village with the delicious meals. He did so twice or three times, and then he rowed upstream. In arriving, the Imam (leader) of the ritual meals was already reciting the prayer. So his share upstream was gone. Then he rowed seriously downstream. On arriving at the downstream village, the Imam was also already reciting the prayer. He, again lost his share.	2
So he said to himself, “I had better get my fishing line to catch fish for sale or side dish. And will take hunting dog. If I cannot catch any fish I can hunt mouse deer.”	3
So thinking, he rowed back to fetch the fishing line and some cold rice. So he wrapped himself some cold rice in a leaf sheath of areca palm with sauce of chili and shrimp paste condiment in a bamboo cylinder. And he put the dog in the back.	4
Upon reaching the fishing spot he did his fishing. He threw his line with a snail at the bait. When the fishing line was in the water, he felt hungry, and opened the puck of rice. While taking the chili sauce, he knocked the flask against the edge of the sampan. Suddenly, the chili was thrown out into the water. Lebai then dipped his hand into the water to get it and when he bowed his head and his hand was in the water, his dog jumped at the rice and ate it.	5
And so he lost all his wishes. Therefore, he has been called Lebai Malang up to now. His experience has been made into a Malay proverb. Anyone who behaves that way will be called Lebay Malang. That is how the story goes. Sources: National Library Manuscript No. V.D.W. 212 (Jakarta: Naskah Perpustakaan Nasional, n.d.)	6

Task 3

Fill in the story elements of “The Unfortunate Lebai” in the table below.

Setting	Character	Plot/events	Problem	Solution
Ø Two big villages, Ø a river, way to the feast, Ø Feast day, Ø closing time in the ritual, Ø  in the daylight.	Ø Lebai Malang, Ø His Dog, Ø Imams	Ø Lebai Malang was coming to a feast ritual day Ø He went down the river rowing in a sampan. Ø  When he has rowed a certain distance downstream he returned upstream. Ø  Rowing upstream for a certain distance, he remembered the downstream. Ø He did so twice or three times, and then he rowed upstream. Ø In arriving, the Imam (leader) of the ritual meals was already reciting the prayer. Ø Then he rowed seriously downstream. On arriving at the downstream village, the Imam was also already reciting the prayer. Ø He rowed back to fetch the fishing line and some cold rice. Ø When the fishing line was in the water, he felt hungry Ø Suddenly, the chili was thrown out into the water. Ø His dog jumped at the rice and ate it. Ø  He lost all	Ø He wanted to come to two ritual meals. Ø  He got no meals. Ø  His chili was thrown away and his dog ate his rice	Ø He rowed downstream and upstream twice. Ø He fished Ø He got nothing and still hungry