THE CRYING STONE
By: Fitria salsabila from Bayt Al hikmah Language Center
Once upon a time, in west Kalimantan lived a poor old widow in a small village. She
only lived with her daughter. She had to work hard all day in the field to provide for both of
them. Her daughter, Darmi was very beautiful but also very lazy and arrogant. She never
helped her mother and didn't want to know what problem her mother had. Every day, she just
put make up and wore her best clothes. She always wanted to look rich and beautiful.
One day, the comb that she used was broken. She was annoyed and shouted to her mother.
“Mom.....I want to buy a new comb and new jewelry!"
“I can buy a new comb for you but not for new jewelry"
Hearing her mother's answered; Darmi was very angry and threatened to leave their house.
For the sake of her daughter's happiness, the old widow took the savings money that she had
been collected little by little.
The next day, the mother took her daughter to the market.
" Darmi, please accompany me to the market to sell some vegetables and buy a new comb
and jewelry for you." Said her mother.
“Alright, thank you, Mom.”
The mother was also happy although she had to spend her saving money as long as her
daughter could smile.
“Mom, I wanna go to the market with you. But I don't want to walk at your side; you have to
walk behind me."
On the way to the market, everybody admired the girl's beauty. But they were also
curious. Who was behind the beautiful girl, there was an old woman with a simple dress. The
girl and her mother looked very different. Then, there was a man came and asked Darmi.
Man: “Hello beautiful girl, who is the old woman behind you? Is she your mother?"
Darmi: "No, she is not my Mom. She is my servant. My mom is not ugly and old like her."
Darmi's mom was very sad to hear that, but she didn't say anything. She could understand
that her daughter was ashamed.
Darmi and her mother met other people again. They also asked who the woman
behind the beautiful girl was.
Man 2: "Hi, girl. Who are you? You are so beautiful"
Darmi: “I am Darmi, yes I am beautiful because I always treat my body"
Man 2: “By the way, who is the old woman behind you? Is she your mother?"
Darmi: "It is impossible! my mother is prettier than that old woman! She is my servant"
Darmi's mother was sad and offended, and then she said to Darmi
Darmi's Mom: "Darmi, how can you tell all people that I'm not your mother?"
Darmi: “Mom, I have to do that, because I don't want anyone to know that you are my
mother. We look so different."
Darmi always answered that her mother was her servant to many people who asked it.
At last, the mother cannot hold the pain anymore. She prayed to God to punish her
daughter.
Darmi's mom: "Oh God..... I cannot stand with this suffering anymore. I cannot face her
arrogance. Please give her proper punishment. Please, God, I beg you"
God answered her prayer. Suddenly, the sky turned dark and the thunder roared. Slowly, the
girl's leg turned into stone and the process continued to the upper part of the girl's body.
Darmi was panicked.
Darmi: "Mom ...! What's wrong with my body? Mom, please forgive me!" she cried loudly.
But it's too late. Her whole body finally became a big stone. Until now, people could
see tears dropping from her eyes. That was why people called it the Crying Stone or Batu
Menangis.
So the moral value of this story is, we must respect our parents, especially our mother,
because mother's prayer is God's will.
