In ancient times in Tanah Karo lived a simple family with two children. The first child of a man named Tare Iluh. The second is a daughter named Beru Sibou. Despite living in simplicity, their father was a hard worker. He worked hard day and night to support his family. Until finally due to working too hard, he fell ill and died.
After the death of the father, the mother worked hard to support her two young children. Because of working hard, the mother fell ill. The lack of funds for treatment made the pain worse and eventually died.
Tare Iluh and Beru Sibou are now orphans. The two of them are then taken care of by his aunt, sister of their father. Tare Iluh as a sister feels very sad about the suffering they are experiencing. After their parents died, now it is their aunt who is working hard to support them. Tare Iluh promised that one day he would work hard to earn a living for a better life.
"I promise, after I grow up, I will work hard to make a living for my family. I don't want to trouble my aunt. I want to make my only sister happy. " Tare Iluh said to himself.
As time went on, Tare Iluh, the eldest, had turned into a handsome adult man with a clean, radiant face. While Beru Sibou was transformed into a beautiful beautiful girl. One day Tare Iluh conveyed his wish to his aunt and sister Beru Sibou, that he wanted to migrate to the city. Tare Iluh wants to live independently. He promised one day he would repay the kindness of his aunt who had raised them from childhood.
Tare Iluh Going Away
"O my aunt, O my brother, I want to go to the city to make a living. Auntie has been caring for us for a long time, I want to make a living in the city so that one day I can repay your aunt's kindness." said Tare Iluh.
"If it is your will, Aunt cannot forbid Nak. Be careful in a foreign country. Aunt will always pray for you." said the auntie.
"I don't want to be left by brother, but what can I do. You have to promise you will come back as soon as you succeed." Beru Sibou was reluctant to give up his brother.
"Of course my sister. You will definitely come back. " said Tare Iluh.
Tare Iluh then left to go to the city with supplies prepared by his aunt. He felt very sad leaving his beloved sister and aunt, but as an eldest child, he felt responsible for providing a better livelihood for both of them. He does not want to continue to live in poverty.
Tare Iluh Playing Gambling
Arriving in the city, Tare Iluh then does everything he can to support himself. The wages for working are partially saved. However, he gradually felt the income he achieved was not worth the hard work. He was then tempted to play gambling. By risking the results of his work that is not much, Tare Iluh gambling. Luckily at that time he won gambling. This makes him addicted to gambling.
"For what I work hard all day but the results are not commensurate. While only by betting a little money on the gambling table, I can get a lot of money. I better just play gambling. " said Tare Iluh.
Since then Tare Iluh has become lazy to work. Every day he works only bet money at the gambling table. Until finally he was heavily in debt due to losing gambling. Because they were unable to pay their debts, Tare Iluh received a pasung or prison sentence by the local population.
Beru Sibou Meets An Old Man
Meanwhile in the village, after Tare Iluh died, Beru Sibou felt sad. He really wanted to meet the brother he loved. It has been weeks, months, and even years, that his beloved brother hasn't come home. Beru Sibou was worried about her brother's safety.
"Hi Beru Sibou, I have heard from other countries that your brother is a big gambler. He is currently in a pension for being unable to pay his debts. " said a villager.
After all this time his brother went overseas, news came from people in the village who said that Tare Iluh had turned into a gambler. According to the news, Tare Illuh is currently threatened with pasung punishment because he is heavily in debt. Hearing this news, Beru Sibou became even more sad. He can only cry every day.
"O my beloved brother, is it true that the villagers say that You are currently being put up in a foreign country?" Beru Sibou wailed.
One day, Beru Sibou ran into an old grandfather. The grandfather asked Beru Sibou why his face was sad.
"Why is your face sad, boy? What's the matter? Maybe Grandfather can help you." asked the old grandfather.
"I'm sad thinking about my brother. His name is Tare Iluh Kek. He is now in a land of people threatened with punishment because of being in debt. I would love to meet to help my only brother." said Beru Sibou.
"Oh, apparently you are Tare Iluh's sister. Grandfather has never met him, but he never heard his name. Grandfather heard that he is a gambler who also has a lot of debt." said the old grandfather.
"Right, Grandpa. Then do you know where my sister's country is?" Beru Sibou asked.
"I don't know, Grandpa also doesn't know where. Sorry, son. I can't help you, but if I may give advice, try Nak Beru to climb a tall tree then sing and call your brother's name. Who knows your brother can hear it." old grandfather gave him advice.
Beru Sibou also followed the advice of the old man. He looked for the tallest tree then climbed it. After arriving at the top of the tree, Beru Sibou sang while calling out her brother's name.
"Tare Iluh, my brother, where are you? Go home Sis. O residents of the country who put my brother in cage! I beg you to release him now. " Beru Sibou repeatedly called out to her brother.
But he also did not get results. After hours calling his brother's name, finally Beru Sibou felt exhausted. He decided to pray to the Almighty.
Sibu Beru Turns Into Palm Tree
"O my Lord! I want to meet my brother so I can help him. Let me pay his debts. I am willing to have tears, hair and my whole body used by the citizens of the land that punish my brother." Beru Sibou prayed.
The Almighty granted Beru Sibou's request. Beru Sibou finished praying, suddenly the wind was blowing hard followed by heavy rain with lightning striking the earth. It was then that Beru Sibou suddenly turned into an Aren tree. His body turned into a sugar palm tree that can produce fruit and fruit as food. Beru Sibou's tears turned into palm wine or roomie which was made into a drink by residents of the country. While the hair is used by residents as fibers to make the roof of the house.
Palm Sugar Tree
Palm sugar or palm is a multipurpose plant. Height can reach 25 meters with a width can reach 65 cm. The tapping water of the male flower bunch is called sap which is usually processed into palm sugar or brown sugar, processed into palm wine or sometimes the sap is also processed into vinegar even though now it has been pressed by factory-made vinegar, the fruit seeds can be processed into palm froth as a mixture of ice or compote, the leaves commonly used as the roof of people's houses in the countryside, the buds still buds called Kawung leaves can be used as cigarette leaves, palm fibers from a palm tree can be spun into ropes, while the lid can be made into a broom stick.Tuak produced by the sap of water has an important function for the social life of the Batak people. Aside from being a drink, usually tuak is used in traditional ceremonies of the Batak community, it can also be used to water several types of plants, or it is used as offerings for the spirits of people who have died.
In Tanah Karo, North Sumatra there is a folklore that tells about the origin of the palm tree. According to folklore, the sugar palm tree came from the body of a woman named Beru Sibou who wanted to help her brother, a gambler who was sentenced to pasung in a foreign land.
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