LEBAI MALANG

On the bank of a river in Central Sumatra there once lived a man, called Lebai, who made his living by teaching people to read the Koran. His house stood in a village which lay between two densely populated villages, the one north and the other south of the river.

It happened that one day two rich families in the two villages were giving a big party at the very same hour of the same day. Both families had invited prominent as well as poor people and Lebai got two invitations, as he was a religious teacher, in those days higly respected in the village.

On the morning of the feast Lebai dressed himself in his best and made for his boat, but before reaching it, a greedy thought struck his mind. He could not decide which village to visit fisrt.

"Upstream," he thought, "is closed by; the food is well cooked, and quite to my taste, but they have slaughtered only one water-buffalo. People there don't know me very well and they won't therefore pay much respect to me." According to the custom of the village inhabitants, respect was shown by offering a person the prepared head of a water-buffalo.

"On the contrary the village down stream knows me very well; however, it is farther off. Te family has slaughtered two buffaloes; it's likely I'll get two heads after the meal but they cannot cook very well." This he knew by experience, because he had once dined up stream asa well as downstream?

In the end he decided to row first to be nearby village up-stream. There were many boats on the river, bound north with people in colourful dresses and in high spirits, gaily singing and waving to each other, shouting loudly any time their boats of the river and was only halfway to the village upstream, he changed his mind. He thought: "It is a pity that they are giving a big feast on the same day. Why should I go first upstream? There will only be one buffalo head. Why should I not go downstream first? there will be two of them." He knew the family downstream better than the family down-stream were giving money gifts and other presents as well. Lebai lingered no longer, turned his boat and paddled downstream. When he was almost within reach of the village downstream, he passed people in boats rowing upstream.

"Where are you rowing to? We are all making for the north," they shouted to Lebai.
"They are right," Lebai thought. "Why should I go to the south when they are serving only skinny animals? The dishes are not well cooked and I can't eat to my heart's content." Then he swiftly made for the north.

But arriving upstream, he saw people leaving the feasts is over. The prayer has been finished." Poor Lebai! Gone was the head of the buffalo. There was for him nothing else to do but to race southwards, if he wanted to get the two heads and the other presents, in spite of the food not being cooked tastefully.

The day was far advanced and it was very hot. Lebai perspired and became very weary, but never mind; try he would. He did not lose all hope and rowed vigorously to the south as he had to reach the house quickly; besides, he had become very hungry. Alas! On treaching the house, he also saw people leaving the place and making for their boats. Here too the feast was over. Lebai could have cried in disappointment. Everything was finished, the heads as well as the presents and the money gifts he had frantically hoped for. Poor, poor Lebai! Gone was all he had desired!

He felt weak and with slow strokes of his oars he managed to reach his house. There awaited him a small bit of cold rice wrapped in pieces of banana leaves. Then he thought: "I'd rather go fishing; perhaps I can sell the fish, for eating with the rice, was usually kept, his fishing rod an his dog. If he was not able to catch some fish, he would go hunting for a deer with the dog.

Reaching a good spot for fishing, he fastened his boat, threw his line into the water and waited. After a while he could not endure his hunger any longer, as his stomach was aching. He opened his packed of rice and tapped the box on the side of the boat to get the fish out of it, but unluckily the boat suddenly tolled and the fish flew right into the water. Lebai jumped into the river in trying to catch it. His fingers fumbled for the fish but in vain! When came out of the water and tried to get into his boat, he discovered that the dog had eaten up the rice. Unfortunate Lebai! The day had not brought luck for him. People had been enjoying delicious food and a pleasant day but for Lebai the day had ended in great disappiontment. In his great sorrow he realised that he sholud not have asked for too much.

People in both villages heard obout his adeventures and after thet time he had the name Lebai Malang, meaning unlucky religious teacher. Even today the name Lebai Malang is applied to anybody who is in the same plight as Lebai Malang, meaning a person whose weakness of character lies his unability to decide.