Folklore for Kids: Snake Princess: The Tragic Indonesian Folktale of Simalungun

Chapter 1: The Beautiful Princess

Long, long ago, in a land called Simalungun in North Sumatra, there stood a great kingdom. It was ruled by a wise and gentle king, who had one daughter more beautiful than anyone had ever seen. Word of her beauty spread far beyond the kingdom's borders, all the way to the neighboring lands.

In one of those neighboring kingdoms lived a young king — handsome, noble, and still unmarried. When he heard of the princess's beauty, his heart was set. He wished to make her his queen.

Chapter 2: The Proposal

The young king gathered his most trusted advisors.

Young King: "Tell me truly — is it said that the princess of Simalungun is truly the most beautiful in the land?"

Advisors: "Yes, Your Majesty! Every traveler who passes through speaks of her beauty. She would be a queen fit for a king as noble as you."

And so it was decided. The young king ordered his finest treasures to be gathered — gold, sparkling diamonds, silk embroidered with jewels — gifts precious enough for a princess. With hope in their hearts, his envoys set off for the kingdom of Simalungun to ask for her hand.

Chapter 3: A Joyful Answer

The envoys were welcomed warmly by the princess's father, and a grand feast was held in their honor. When the time came, the envoys bowed before the king.

King: "Envoys of the young king, tell me — what brings you to our kingdom?"

Envoy: "Your Majesty, we have come on behalf of our king, who wishes to ask for the hand of your beloved daughter in marriage."

The old king smiled warmly.

King: "A marriage between our two kingdoms would bring us closer as friends and allies. I accept his proposal with a joyful heart."

Envoy: "Thank you, Your Majesty! This is wonderful news. Let the wedding be held two months from now, so that a celebration worthy of two great kingdoms may be prepared."

King: "Two months? Why so long?"

Envoy: "Because, my king, we wish to hold a celebration the whole land will remember!"

The king laughed and agreed, and the envoys hurried home to share the happy news. When the young king heard it, his face lit up with joy, and the whole kingdom began preparing for a grand and joyous wedding.

Chapter 4: The Princess's Happiness

Back in Simalungun, the old king walked into the garden, where his daughter sat quietly arranging flowers.

King: "My dear daughter, do you know why the messengers came yesterday?"

Princess: "No, Father. I do not know."

King: "They came to ask for your hand in marriage, on behalf of a young and handsome king. I have already accepted his proposal."

The princess blushed, her cheeks glowing even more beautifully than before.

King: "What do you think, my child?"

Princess: "If it pleases you, Father, then it pleases me too," she said, her eyes sparkling with happiness.

King: "Then take good care of yourself, my daughter. The wedding will be in two months."

Princess: "Yes, Father. I will."

Chapter 5: The Storm

A few days before the wedding, the princess went, as she always did, to bathe in the royal garden pool, accompanied by her loyal maids. She sat upon her favorite stone, letting her feet rest in the cool water, lost in daydreams of the handsome young king who would soon be her husband. Every now and then, she smiled softly to herself.

But suddenly, the sky darkened. A gentle breeze turned into a howling wind, and the trees shook violently.

Maid: "Your Highness, please, we must return to the palace at once! The storm is growing fierce!"

But the princess, lost in her happy thoughts, did not hear the warning.

CRACK!

A broken branch, torn loose by the wind, struck the tip of her nose.

Princess: "Ouch! My nose...!"

Chapter 6: The Broken Reflection

Trembling, the princess called for a mirror. What she saw made her heart sink — her once perfectly shaped nose was now flattened and scarred, bleeding from the blow.

Princess: (weeping) "No... this cannot be... I am no longer beautiful..."

Fear crept into her heart. She was certain the young king would take one look at her and cancel the wedding. Her parents would be shamed before the whole kingdom. Everything she had dreamed of seemed lost in an instant.

Overcome with sorrow and despair, the princess knelt beneath the storming sky and cried out to the heavens.

Princess: "O God Almighty... if I am no longer worthy... then punish me for my foolishness!"

Chapter 7: The Transformation

No sooner had she spoken than lightning split the sky. The wind roared louder than ever, and darkness swallowed the garden whole.

Slowly, a strange and terrible change came over the princess. Her legs became covered in shining scales, like those of a serpent. Then her arms, and finally her whole body, transformed before her maids' horrified eyes.

Maids: (running to the palace, breathless) "Your Majesties! Come quickly! The princess... her skin has turned to scales — just like a snake's!"

King: "What?! My daughter — covered in scales? This cannot be true!"

The king and queen rushed to the garden pool as fast as they could. But when they arrived, their daughter was nowhere to be seen. Instead, coiled upon the very stone where she used to sit, was a great serpent.

Chapter 8: A Sorrowful Farewell

King: (voice trembling) "Oh... my daughter... is this truly you?"

Queen: (tears streaming down her face) "My child... my sweet child... why has this happened to you...?"

The great snake lifted its head and flicked its tongue toward them, as though trying to speak — but no words came, only silence and sorrow. Slowly, the serpent turned away, slithered across the garden, and disappeared into the forest, never to return.

The king, the queen, and all the palace servants could do nothing but stand in stunned silence, their hearts heavy with grief. Their beloved princess was gone, transformed forever into a snake.

The Moral of the Story

The princess's fate teaches us an important lesson: we must always listen to the wise words of our parents and those who care for us. Had she heeded her maids' warning and hurried inside when the storm began, this sorrow might never have come to pass. And in her deepest despair, her own desperate wish — spoken without thinking — came true in the saddest way.

This is the tale of the Snake Princess of Simalungun. May this story bring wisdom to all who hear it.

Want to experience the legend of the Snake Princess interactively? Try the folktale game below — tap, drag, and hold to follow each chapter of the story, complete with voice narration!

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Friday, 23 April 2021

Snake Princess: The Tragic Indonesian Folktale of Simalungun