Once upon a time, in a village on the banks of the Kapuas River, there lived a widow who had two beautiful daughters, Bawang Merah and Bawang Putih.
Bawang Putih’s biological father died long ago.
Shallots and Garlic have very different and contradictory characteristics and temperaments.
Bawang Putih is a simple girl who is humble, diligent, diligent, honest and kind.
He always helps his mother with household chores.
Meanwhile, Bawang Merah is a girl who is lazy, arrogant, likes to be luxurious, greedy and spiteful.
Bawang Merah’s bad character is getting worse as a result of her mother always pampering her.
One day, Bawang Merah’s mother fell ill.
He called Bawang Putih and said, “My daughter, mother is old and sickly. I want you to promise to always love and care for your sister, Bawang Merah.”
Bawang Putih nodded while shedding tears. “Mother, Bawang Putih will always love and care for her sister,” he said.
Mrs. Bawang Putih smiled and closed her eyes.
He breathed his last breath.
Bawang Putih was very sad about her mother’s departure.
He promised to always love and care for his sister.
Since his mother’s death, Bawang Merah has become even worse.
He always scolded and shouted at Bawang Putih.
He told Bawang Putih to do all the household work, while he just lazed around in his room.
One day, Bawang Merah told Bawang Putih to go to the forest to look for firewood.
Bawang Putih also went to the forest.
He walked along a quiet path.
Suddenly, Bawang Putih saw a grandmother who was sitting under a tree.
The grandmother had long, white hair, and her eyes were sharp like a hawk’s.
“Hi, Miss,” said the grandmother. “What are you doing here?”
“I’m looking for firewood,” answered Bawang Putih.
“May I come with you?” asked the grandmother.
Bawang Putih nodded.
He also invited the grandmother to come with him.
They walked together in the forest.
Bawang Putih told about her difficult life.
The grandmother listened patiently.
After walking for some time, they arrived at a small hut.
The grandmother invited Bawang Putih to rest in her hut.
“I will give you a gift,” said the grandmother. “Give me an onion, and I’ll give you anything you want.”
Bawang Putih also gave a red onion to the grandmother.
The grandmother smiled and said, “Now, close your eyes and ask for whatever you want.”
Bawang Putih closed her eyes and said, “I want to live happily with my sister.”
The grandmother nodded. “May your wish come true,” he said.
Bawang Putih opened her eyes and saw that the grandmother had disappeared.
He went home feeling happy.
Since then, Bawang Putih and Bawang Merah’s lives have changed.
Bawang Merah became diligent and kind.
He always helps Bawang Putih with household chores.
One day, a prince came to the village.
He fell in love with Bawang Putih and married her.
Bawang Putih and the prince lived happily ever after.
Additional information about the culture and history of the location
The exact origin of the story of shallots and garlic is not yet known for certain, but it is thought to originate from the Malay region of the archipelago.
Some sources state its origins as follows:
Riau: This is the most common claim.
Many versions of the onion and garlic story are found in Riau and its surroundings, with details and distinctive cultural characteristics.
Malay in general: Similar stories with similar themes and moral messages are found in various Malay regions, including Malaysia, Singapore, and Brunei.
This supports the possibility that this story originated from Malay oral traditions in the past and migrated to various regions as the Malay people spread.
Outside influence: Some researchers mention the possibility of influence from other folk tales with similar themes, such as the story of Cinderella from Europe or the “Short-Tongued Sparrow” from Japan.
However, the essence of the story and cultural details in shallots and garlic still show Malay characteristics.
So, although the exact origins cannot be ascertained, we can conclude that the story of shallots and garlic belongs to the Malay community in the archipelago, with the possibility of originating from Riau and spreading to various other regions.
This story has become an important part of the treasures of Indonesian folklore and continues to be told from generation to generation.