La Dana and the Buffalo: Toraja Folktale from Indonesia

Chapter 1: The Clever Boy of Toraja

It is said that, according to folklore, long ago in Tanah Toraja, South Sulawesi, there lived a farmer's boy named La Dana.

La Dana was very smart and very sly. But the people in his village did not like him very much. Do you know why? It was because La Dana often used his cleverness to trick other people!

Chapter 2: The Funeral Feast

One day, a person in the village passed away. In the Land of Toraja, there is a special tradition. When someone dies, the family they leave behind holds a great funeral feast and slaughters buffalo.

La Dana and his friends were invited to the ceremony.

Friend: "La Dana, come along! Let's go to our neighbor's funeral feast."

La Dana: "Yes, my friend. Let's go there together!"

So off they went, side by side.

Chapter 3: An Unfair Share

After the feast, the family followed tradition and shared the buffalo meat with everyone who had come. La Dana and his friend each received a portion.

But La Dana looked at his portion and frowned. He had received only the hind legs of the buffalo. His friend had received all the rest of the buffalo's body!

La Dana: "Oh dear! How can I get only the legs, while my friend gets the whole body? This is not fair. I must find a way!"

La Dana scratched his head and thought and thought. Then, suddenly, his eyes sparkled. He had an idea!

Chapter 4: La Dana's Clever Idea

La Dana hurried to his friend.

La Dana: "Friend, I have a wonderful idea! What if we trade our buffalo meat for a live buffalo? Then we can take care of it until it grows big and fat. When it is fat, we can slaughter it and have a much bigger feast!"

Friend: "What a good idea, La Dana! You are such a smart boy. Come, let's find someone who will trade a live buffalo for our meat."

The two friends set off to look for someone with a live buffalo. At last, they found a man who was happy to trade.

The buffalo they received was rather small. Still, the two friends were very pleased.

Chapter 5: Waiting for the Buffalo to Grow

Day after day, La Dana and his friend took good care of their buffalo. They gave it fresh grass and cool water.

But after a while, La Dana began to feel impatient. He kept thinking about how delicious buffalo meat would taste. One day, he went to his friend's house.

La Dana: "Friend, let's slaughter our buffalo now!"

Friend: "Not yet, La Dana. Let's wait until our buffalo is nice and fat."

La Dana pretended to think for a moment. Then he came up with a sneaky plan.

La Dana: "Then how about this? We will cut only my share, the hind legs of the buffalo."

Friend: "Oh, La Dana, you are being silly! If we cut off the hind legs, the buffalo will surely die. Please be patient until it is fat. I promise I will give you the front legs later."

His friend sounded a little bit cross. But La Dana was secretly delighted.

"Hee hee! Now I will have the front legs AND the hind legs!" he thought happily.

Chapter 6: The Pestering Begins

A few days later, La Dana came knocking at his friend's house again.

La Dana: "Friend, shall we slaughter the buffalo now?"

His friend shook his head. He still refused, but he promised to give La Dana more of the buffalo if only he would be patient.

But La Dana was not one to give up! Back and forth he went to his friend's house, again and again, never getting tired of pestering him.

Chapter 7: The Whole Buffalo

One more day, La Dana came once again.

La Dana: "How about it, friend? I have waited so long to taste this buffalo meat. Come on, let's slaughter our buffalo now!"

Friend: "Oh, La Dana! Can't you wait just a little longer for the buffalo to get fat? Here, take the whole buffalo! Just please stop bothering me!"

His friend had grown so tired of La Dana's endless begging that he gave up and handed over the buffalo.

La Dana was thrilled! He happily led the live buffalo all the way home.

And that is how La Dana, the clever but cunning boy, used his wits to outwit his own friend.

About This Folktale

The folktale of La Dana and His Buffalo comes from Tanah Toraja, South Sulawesi. It tells the story of a clever but sly farmer's boy who uses his wits to trick his own friend.