Sabai nan alun

Once upon a time, there was a happy family in Nagari Padang Tarok, West Sumatra. They had one daughter and one son. The husband was named Rajo Babandiang and his wife was named Sadun Saribai. Their children's names were Sabai Nan Aluih and Mangkutak Alam. Sabai was a beautiful and fearless girl; she was good at cooking and other homemaking duties. Moreover, she was smart, diligent and skilled in a martial art that is called ‘silek’. In contrast, her brother Mangkutak Alam was a lazy son. He always engaged in recreation and sometimes gambled as well. Rajo Babandiang always adored his children and even though Mangkutak Alam was a slothful person, he loved him very much.

      Close to Nagari Padang Tarok was Kampung Situjuh. In this place there was a rich man who was named Rajo Nan Panjang. He was a wealthy and powerful person, but was cunning and guileful. He knew that Sabai was a beautiful girl and he wanted to marry her. Then, he sent his man to express his love to Sabai Nan Aluih. Of course Rajo Babandiang refused Rajo Nan Panjang's proposal because he did not want his daughter to have such a dreadful husband. As a result, Rajo Nan Panjang became irritated. He got angry and he wanted to fight with Rajo Babandiang. (It is an old custom to answer the fight for the sake of prestige both of their family). Consequently,  Padang Panabuan, a mountain area between Nagari Padang Tarok and Kampung Situjuh was the location they chose to fight each other

      Once they made the agreement, there was fighting between Rajo Babandiang and Rajo Nan Panjang in Padang Panabuan, but the combat was unfair. Rajo Nan Panjang was crafty. Before fighting, he planned to have a person watch the fight when it seemed like he would be conquered, he ordered his person to shoot Rajo Babandiang from far away in the hiding place. As he assumed, Rajo Babandiang dominated the fight, then his man acted on their plan. As a result, the bullet struck Rajo Babandiang and he died. 

      Fortunately, there was a shepherd who was watching the fight. He reported to Sabai and her mother the death of Rajo Nan Panjang. Of course, this bad news made them gloomy. Sabai decided to avenge the death of her father while Mangkutak Alam did not care and was busy gambling. Swiftly, Sabai went to Padang Panabuan alone, she met with Rajo Nan Panjang who still persuaded her to be his wife. Again Sabai reject his offered and said that she could not accept that Rajo nan Panjang’s had killed her father. Suddenly she grasped the gun that was held by Rajo Nan Panjang’s staff and killed  him, as a result he died. Sabai demostrated that as a woman, she could defend her family. An adage that stated woman are weak and always cry was insignificant for Sabai. She was willing to fight for her family’s prestige. She was able to do what she needed to do.

Adobted : http://www.ling.hawaii,edu/