Welcome, little adventurers! Once upon a time in the lush, magical land of West Kalimantan, a timeless folk tale was born. Filled with heartwarming lessons of kindness, patience, and love, this is the magical story of two brothers and a very extraordinary watermelon. Gather around, close your eyes, and listen closely as our magic storybook opens its pages...
Chapter 1: Two Brothers and Two Very Different Hearts
Once upon a sunny time, in the enchanting realm of Sambas, there lived a very rich merchant. He owned wide, green fields, a grand house filled with sparkling treasures, and soft silk pillows. But the merchant’s greatest treasures were his two grown sons, Muzakir and Dermawan.
Now, dear little friends, even though these two boys shared the very same home, their hearts were as different as night and day!
Muzakir, the older brother, loved gold coins more than anything else in the whole wide world. He would count his shining coins all day long, whispering to himself:
Muzakir: "Mine, all mine! Every little shiny coin belongs to me, and I shall never, ever share even a single crumb with anyone!"
Dermawan, the younger brother, was wonderfully gentle, kind, and sweet. Whenever he saw a neighbor looking sad or hungry, his cheerful heart yearned to bring them joy. He would often say with a bright smile:
Dermawan: "Happiness is best when shared! Sharing brings a sprinkle of sunshine to everyone’s day."
Chapter 2: The Father's Last Wish and a Big Choice
As the years gently flew by, the wise old merchant fell sick. Sensing that it was time for him to rest among the stars, he gathered his two beloved sons right by his bedside.
Father: "My dear boys, the time has come for me to say goodbye. I have divided all my land, gold, and possessions equally between you two. Promise me that you will love one another, live in sweet harmony, and never let greed darken your hearts."
With tears in their eyes, the brothers nodded. Soon after, the merchant closed his eyes forever. After a gentle period of mourning, the inheritance was split right down the middle, fair and square.
Muzakir quickly swept up his share, locked it inside a giant iron safe with three heavy padlocks, and sneered:
Muzakir: "Hah! I will lock all my money away where no poor beggar can ever ask me for help!"
Dermawan, on the other hand, opened his warm front doors wide to the poor, the sick, and the needy. He shared his food, bought clothes for shivering orphans, and helped struggling families build their little homes. But alas! Because Dermawan kept giving and giving without keeping anything for himself, his money began to melt away like sweet ice cream on a warm afternoon.
Eventually, Dermawan had to sell his grand house and move into a tiny wooden cottage with a tiny backyard garden. Yet, even without a single gold coin in his pocket, he remained as cheerful as a chirping bird.
Dermawan: "I may have a humble home, but my heart is filled to the brim with warmth and peace. Thank You, Dear God, for another beautiful day!"
Chapter 3: The Injured Sparrow and a Magical Gift
One bright morning, as Dermawan was sweeping his garden path, he heard a tiny, sad squeak. “Chirp... chirp...”
He looked down and saw a helpless little sparrow fluttering helplessly on the soft grass. Poor little bird! One of its tiny wings was hurt.
Dermawan: "Oh, poor little feather-friend! Do not be afraid. I will take good care of you."
With soft hands, Dermawan gently scooped up the bird. He made a cozy bed of dry cotton inside a little box, carefully bandaged its hurt wing, and fed it fresh water and tiny seeds every single day. Soon, the little bird was healthy, strong, and flying joyfully around the room!
Dermawan: "You are all healed now, little bird! Fly free into the big blue sky!"
The sparrow chirped happily, fluttered high into the sky, and flew away. But the story didn't end there! A few mornings later, the sparrow returned, carrying a shiny, magical seed in its beak. It dropped the seed right into Dermawan’s hand and chirped merrily before flying off.
Dermawan: "What a curious little seed! I shall plant it with love in my garden and water it every day."
Dermawan tucked the seed gently into the soil. Oh, how fast it grew! Sprouts shot up, leaves unfurled, and soon, a single, gigantic watermelon blossomed! It grew bigger than a pillow, bigger than a basketball, and smelled sweeter than honey!
When the watermelon was fully ripe, Dermawan brought out a knife to slice it open for supper.
CRACK!
Dermawan gasped! Out poured sparkling yellow gold coins, glistening diamonds, and precious gemstones, filling his whole kitchen with magical light!
Dermawan: "Oh my goodness! What a wondrous blessing! I must use this wealth to help even more people in need!"
Chapter 4: The Greed of Muzakir
News of Dermawan’s marvelous fortune spread across the town like wild breezes. Soon enough, it reached the ears of Muzakir, who was sitting in his lonely mansion counting his old gold.
Muzakir: "What?! My foolish brother became rich again from a magic watermelon brought by a bird? That is ridiculous! But if he can get gold, I want twice as much!"
Filled with green envy, Muzakir marched out to his garden with a wooden slingshot. He searched high and low until he spotted a tiny bird resting on a tree branch. THWACK! Muzakir hit the bird, breaking its leg, and then grabbed it up.
Muzakir: "Aha! Now you are hurt! Look how nicely I am going to bandage you up. Now hurry, get better quickly and bring me a magic seed, too!"
The frightened bird stayed in the cage until its leg felt better. As soon as Muzakir opened the cage, the bird flew away into the trees. A few days later, the bird returned and dropped a large seed into Muzakir’s greedy hands.
Muzakir: "Hahaha! Yes! Gold, gold, glorious gold is coming to me! Mine will be ten times bigger than Dermawan's!"
Muzakir quickly planted the seed and watered it constantly. Sure enough, a gigantic watermelon grew—even larger than a big wooden barrel!
Chapter 5: A Smelly Surprise and a Heart Restored
The day finally came! Muzakir invited all the townspeople to gather around his grand yard so he could show off his immense wealth.
Muzakir: "Gather around, everyone! Watch as I open this giant fruit and become the richest man in the entire kingdom!"
Muzakir raised a big sharp knife and sliced hard into the watermelon.
SQUISH! SPLAT!
Oh no! There was no sparkling gold inside. Instead, a gigantic fountain of smelly, slimy black mud and gooey dirt burst out! WOOSH! It sprayed everywhere, covering Muzakir from head to toe, ruining his fancy clothes, and splashing all over his fine mansion walls!
Muzakir: "Yuck! Eww! Help me! It stinks so badly!"
The townspeople held their noses, but they couldn't help laughing heartily.
Townspeople: "Haha! Look at Muzakir! That is what happens when you treat animals cruelly and act with greed!"
Crying tears of shame and washing off the stinky mud, Muzakir finally understood his big mistake. He ran to his younger brother’s house and bowed his head down.
Muzakir: "Oh, Dermawan, please forgive me! My greed and cruel heart brought this disaster upon me. I see now that money without love and kindness brings nothing but dirty misery."Dermawan: "Do not cry, dear brother. Come inside, clean yourself up, and let us share what we have together. It is never too late to open your heart."
From that sunshiny day on, Muzakir changed completely. He threw away his selfish ways, learned to care for animals with gentle hands, and shared his fortune with the poor alongside his kind brother. And so, both brothers lived happily ever after!
✨ Moral of the Story ✨
Pure kindness, generosity, and gratitude bring true joy and magical blessings to our lives. Greed, envy, and cruelty to living creatures will only bring trouble and unhappiness. Always share your blessings with a happy heart!
Thank you for reading the fairy tale of the Golden Watermelon from West Kalimantan! May its sweet lesson stay in your heart forever.
Follow the story of the Golden Watermelon in an interactive way! Help Dermawan care for an injured sparrow, plant its seed, and cut open the magical watermelon — then see what happens when Muzakir tries the same trick out of greed. Tap, hold, and drag to play through the story yourself!
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