PARABOT NINUN URANG SUNDA

Ku : MAMAT SASMITA

Ninun asal kecap tina tinun, kecap lemesna nepa, nyaéta carana nyieun lawon keur bahan nyieun papakéan. Ti iraha mimitina urang Sunda bisa ninun? Teu kapaluruh. Ngan lamun ditilik tina sababaraha dongéng atawa légénda, sigana kaweruh ninun téh geus aya ti baheula mula.

Siga dina dongéng Nini Antéh, kapan kecap antéh gé asalna tina kecap kantéh nu hartina bola atawa benang. Kitu deui dina légénda Sangkuriang, Dayang Sumbi nu keur kasorang lungsé, toropong paranti ninun murag, nepi ka Dayang Sumbi ragrag ucap, sing saha nu daék pangnyokotkeun toropong mun lalaki rék dijadikeun salaki, mun awéwé rék dijadikeun dulur, ari kurunyung Si Tumang, anjing jalu.

Sedengkeun légénda Sangkuriang geus aya ti jaman baheula kénéh, lantaran dina naskah Sunda kuna Bujangga Manik  gé geus nyebutkeun carita Sangkuring.

 Dina naskah Sunda kuna Sanghyang Siksakandang Karesian (1518), rupa-rupa lawon (sigana motifna) disebutkeun aya kembang muncang, gagang sénggang, sameleg, seumat sahurun, anyam cayut, segeji, pasi, kalangkang ayakan, poléng rengganis, jayanti, cecempaan, paparakan jeung réa-réa deui. Nu ngarti kana perkara lawon disebut pengeuyeuk (ahli tekstil).

Cék kapercayaan buhun nu ngageugeuhna dina alat tinun (gedogan, aya deuih nu nyebut pakara) disebut Pohaci Dewata Heuyeuk, nepi ka lamun rek ninun kudu nyieun sasajen heula, sangkan lawon nu dihasilkeunana alus tur kuat, jeung deuih parabot ninun téh teu meunang kaléngkahan, pamali.

Hasil panalungtikan arkéologi di Banten Girang kapanggih sababaraha hulu gintiran tina taneuh porang keur nyieun benang jeung jarum tambaga. Banten Girang salah sahiji palabuhan jaman Karajaan Sunda. Ieu teh mere tanda yen di Banten Girang dina abad X geus aya kamampuh nyieun pakean, malah geus jadi barang komoditi (Sarjiyanto, makalah, Produksi Pakaian di Banten Girang dina buku Dinamika Budaya Asia Tenggara-Pasifik, IAAI Jabar, 1998).

Luyu jeung perkembanganana téknologi nyieun pakéan aya tilu tahap nyaéta nyieun kantéh tina kapas atawa kapuk, ninun nepi ka jadi lawon, sanggeus jadi lawon tuluy dikaput nepi ka jadi pakéan.

Nu rék didadarkeun dina ieu tulisan mah rupa-rupa parabot ti mimiti meresihan kapas, nyieun kantéh atawa benang nepi ka jadi lawon.

1. Peténg

Alat paranti meresihan kapas nu rék dipaké keur nyieun kantéh. Kapas, komo kapuk mah sok aya sikina atawa runtah séjén nu kabawa, sangkan kapas alus dipakéna jadi kantéh kudu diberesihan heula.

Sabenerna nu disebut peténg téh ngan bagian nu siga gondéwa, gunana keur manteng tali nu dipaké ngeprukan kapas. Demi talina peténg disebut pondoh, tali ieu nu ngepruk-ngepruk kapas. Ari keur ngarorod kapas nu napel dina pondoh disebutna cetik. 

a. Peténg 

b. Pondoh  

c. Cetik

  

2. Hindesan

Gunana keur ngagiling kapas bari sakalian meresihan tina siki kapas nu masih kénéh napel, bisi aya kénéh sanggeus diberesihan make peténg. Ngagiling kapas téh sangkan urat-urat kapas nu laleutik jadi leuwih ngahiji tur urat-urat kapasna jadi sajajar, sangkan dina waktuna digintir, kantéh nu dihasilkeunana leuwih alus tur leuwih kuat.

Ngaran babagian tina hindesan.

a.Alet                 b. Unjar 

c. Tanding (tali nu nguatkeun antara soko) 

d/e. Gulung 

f/g. Calingcing, disebut calingcing pédah siga buah calingcing, wangun buleudanana nu aya huntuan rada nyérong nepi ka mun diputerkeun salah sahiji nu kaduana ngilu kaputerkeun

h. Soko atawa saka          i. Hindesan          j. Dadampar atawa dumpal.

3. Kincir

Parabot paranti malet kantéh.  Kapas sanggeus beresih tur sanggeus digiling ku hindesan, tuluy dijieun kantéh atawa benang, alatna  disebut kincir. Kincir gé sok dipaké ngagolongan benang kana palet. 

Ngaran babagian tina kincir :

a. Ajug atawa tihang kincir                     b/c. Injén

d. Kalinden                                           e. Kisi

f. (teu kapaluruh naon ngaranna)             g. Ceuli lambing

h. Pangheuleut unjar                               i. Unjar

j. Alet                                                    m. Eunteung (éngkeng)

4. Undar (huwingan)

Jaman baheula mah supaya kantéh leuwih kuat sok maké darih (cai panggodogan beas atawa beas ketan),  kantéh nu geus meunang ngadarih dibérésan, dibébérésna dina undar.  (Dina buku De Inlanddsche Kunstnijverheid In Nederlandsch Indie, J.E Jasper dan Mas Pirngadie, 1912, undar disebut huwingan)

Ngaran babagian tina undar :

a. Suku                b. Tihang

c. Imah-imah        d. Tutunggul

e. Daun                f. Ayakan (wadah kantéh, bisa baé wadah séjén) 

5. Gedogan

Parabot ninun jaman baheula. Cék kamus Sunda Danadibrata, disebut gedogan lantaran sora nu keur ninun saperti sora suku kuda nu néjéhan balagbag. Kantéh nu geus bérés supaya jadi lawon tuluy ditinun dina gedogan, biasana nu sok ninun téh awéwé, malah bisa ninun téh jadi salah sahiji ciri keur awéwé sangkan boga ajén (binangkit).

Ngaran babagian tina gedogan :

a. Andir                b. Pancuh         c. Unjar atawa umpak atawa dadampar

d. Cakcak atawa gedogan             e. Panggulung atawa totogan

f. Galeger              g.Titihan            h. Limbuhan

i/j. Jingjingan         k. Baréra           l. Suri

m. Hapit               n. Caor              o. Tali caor

p. Rorogan          q. Taropong        r. Palet

Ngaran séjén nu pakait jeung ninun :

Lusi nyaéta benang kantéh nu manjang sajajar jeung suku nu ninun.

Pakan nyaéta benang kantéh nu manjang ti kenca ka katuhu nu ninun ( 90 derajat jeung lusi).

Pihanéan alat keur mémérés jeung manteng kantéh, nu engkena jadi lusi dina gedogan.

Tameuh atawa beubeur tameuh nyaéta lawon nu ditinun tina kantéh pasésaan, tibatan dipiceun sok tuluy ditinun.

Raraga, sakabéh alat tinun rajeun disebut raraga.

Tutuding nyaéta sabébék awi atawa kai keur ngait atawa menerkeun atawa nyokot barang, lantaran teu karongkong ku nu keur ninun.

Golodogan alat paranti manteng kantéh bari sakalian diberesihan maké sikat nu dijieun tina tapas.

Ngaran bagian-bagian tina gedogan, numutkeun R.Hidayat Suryalaga suwargi boga ajén filosofis diantarana :

Baréra alat keur ngarapetkeun hasil tinunan ngabogaan harti kasadaran hirup teh kudu loba tobat, keur ngaraketkeun diri jeung Nu Maha Kawasa.

Caor, alat keur nyarandena nu ninun tur keur mantengkeun kanteh boga harti sareat hirup mah ukur nyarande kana papasten.

Galeger, keur pamageuh alat ninun, boga harti hirup kudu pageuh kana tekad.

Hapit paranti ngagulung lawon nu geus anggeus ditinun, boga harti eta teh hasil amal ibadah.

Jingjingan, tempat paranti ngasupkeun lusi, boga harti kudu tafakur atawa kontemplasi.

Sumber bacaan :

-          Kamus Sunda Danadibrata

-          Kamus Sunda LBSS

-      De Inlanddsche Kunstnijverheid In Nederlandsch Indie (Jilid II), J.E Jasper dan Mas Pirngadie, 1912.

-      R.Hidayat Suryalaga, makalah, MAKNA ALAT TENUN TRADISIONAL MENURUT PADANGAN HIDUP URANG SUNDA, seminar Pameran Alat Tenun di Museum Jawa Barat - Bandung, 15 Juli 2003.

-      Gambar-gambar tina buku  De Inlanddsche Kunstnijverheid In Nederlandsch Indie( Jilid II), J.E Jasper dan Mas Pirngadie, 1912

-      Sarjiyanto, makalah, Produksi Pakaian di Banten Girang,IAAG Jabar 1998 

ILANG DANGIANG

Oleh : MAMAT SASMITA / Pegiat Rumah Baca Buku Sunda.

Artinya dangiang menurut kamus bahasa Sunda Danadibrata yaitu sebangsa mahluk halus (dedemit) yang besar pengaruhnya sehingga terasa oleh manusia. Masih dalam kamus yang sama disebutkan bagi urang Sunda arti dangiang yaitu semacan daya tarik atau sesuatu yang menarik hati umpamanya manusia yang hatinya bersih dan mempunyai nilai (wibawa) suka disebut besar dangiangnya. Sedangkan kata ilang artinya sama dengan hilang, dengan demikian artinya ilang dangiang bisa disamakan dengan hilang kewibawaan.

Sejalan dengan itu didalam buku Babasan jeung Paribasa (Ajip Rosidi, Kiblat 2005) arti ilang dangiang yaitu leungit komarana (hilang wibawa) dengan dijelaskan bahwa dangiang biasanya diterapkan ke sebuah tempat yang dianggap suci atau keramat, sedangkan bila diterapkan kepada manusia,  dangiang itu artinya wibawa akibat pengaruh kekuatan batin yang bersih.

Lain lagi pendapat Godi Suwarna seperti tercermin di dalam fiksi mini bahasa Sunda yang berjudul  Ringkang Sang Dangiang (http://fikminsunda.com) , dangiang lebih diartikan sebagai pulung atau sesuatu yang datang dari langit yang memberi tanda kepada siapa kekuasaan akan datang ke genggamannya.

Di dalam karya sastra Sunda ungkapan ilang dangiang atau leungit dangiang diantaranya ditemukan di dalam sajak dan novel, seperti pada sajak Sangkuriang karya Hasan Wahyu Atmakusumah (Kanjutkundang, Balai Pustaka, 1963) dan sajak Sang Prabu Ngalimba karya Yoseph Iskandar (Tumbal, Rachmat Cijulang,1982), sedang dalam novel, ada di dalam cerita Mantri Jero karya R.Memed Sastrahadiprawira (Balai Pustaka, 1958).

Inilah petikannya:

bongan kiwari geus taya wanci nu mustari / réa teuing sangkuriang / geus musna beurang / alam geus ilang dangiang / tinggal peuting anu panjang / cul hanca ngadukduk acong-acongan / cul raga muru-muru nu can karuhan (Sajak Sangkuring)

Duh Prabu / Pajajaran geus lila ilang dangiang / leungiteun tapak / leungiteun udagan

Duh Prabu / Tatar Pasundan uyu-ayap / nataran Sajarah nu paburisat / leungiteun lontar / leungiteun wangsit (Sajak Sang Prabu Ngalimba )

Pasar nu sakitu raména jadi runtang-rantin, lantaran kurang nu dagang, sepi nu barang beuli, kawantu jelema téh boloampar ngajalankeun pausahaan; saban poé saban peuting téh ngan abring-abringan baé, ngiring-ngiring kapala, ngaronda. Padaleman ngadak-ngadak leungit dangiangna (novel Mantri Jero)

Nampaknya dari ketiga gambaran tersebut semuanya mengedepankan tentang ilang dangiang yang bertautan dengan bukan orang tetapi lebih kepada tempat yang (bisa jadi) dianggap keramat.

Seandainya nama tempat yang dianggap keramat itu adalah Indonesia, (dan sungguhnyalah  Indonesia itu keramat, bukankah kemerdekaannya ditebus dengan jiwa, dengan darah dan air mata, ketika mengibarkan sang saka kita juga harus menghomat, ketika Indonesia Raya berkumandang kita juga harus berdiri tegak menghormat, ketika mengenang para pahlawan kita juga harus larut dalam doa) ketika gegap gempita saat revolusi 1945 untuk merebut kemerdekaan, para pemimpin bersuara dalam pidato heroik dengan penuh harapan menyongsong masa depan penuh gemilang. Rakyatpun siaga, sanggup mengorbankan harta, raga dan jiwa untuk melepaskan diri dari penjajahan. Rasa optimis menyeruak ke setiap penjuru hati putra bangsa, optimis menatap masa depan yang lebih baik. Padahal keadaan di tahun 1945 itu sangat layak untuk pesimis karena rakyat masih banyak yang tak bisa membaca, tak bisa menulis. Ekonomi morat-marit. Para pemimpin berkantor di ruang darurat, berhawa panas dan berkeringat, bersarung berpakaian lusuh. Senjata cukup dengan bambu runcing, para tentara berseragam seadanya. Jalan becek, kampung kumuh, dari Jakarta ke Bandung bilangan hari. Bisa makan oyék (juga biasa disebut onggok yaitu semacam ampas ubi jalar) saja itu sudah sangat beruntung.

Kini, di usia kemerdekaa ke-enam puluh tujuh tahun, menyeruak rasa pesimis, pidato para pemimpin lebih banyak menangkis tuduhan miring bernada curhat, para rakyat terombang ambing ombak ketidakpastian, masa depan sepertinya hanya fatamorgana. Padahal keadaan sekarang sangat layak untuk optimis karena rakyat lebih banyak bisa membaca bisa menulis, bisa mendengar bisa melihat. Jalan panjang tak bergelombang, berbeton dan beraspal licin. Dari Jakarta ke Bandung berbilang jam. Para tentara para polisi penjaga keamanan berseragam rapih bertabur bintang berwarna emas. Para pemimpin berkantor di gedung jangkung barhawa dingin menyegarkan, berdasi berpakaian necis.   

Barangkali, sekali lagi barangkali, inilah kila-kila atau tanda-tanda bahwa Indonesia sedang ilang dangiang, para pemimpin sedang leungit komarana. Sehingga banyak kejadian TKI atau TKW digebukin di negri orang, pulau dicaplok, patok batas negara bergeser, kesenian dan kebudayaan diakui negara tetangga, naskah kuno diperjual belikan, benda artefak di musium dicuri, kejahatan dengan kekerasan merebak, pendidikan menjadi komoditi, proses hukum hanya jadi sandiwara, tontonan yang gegap gempita.

Sungguh mengherankan setiap pejabat negara selalu mengatakan telah melaksanakan tugas dengan baik, sesuai dengan prosedur, tetapi di lapangan sepertinya masih jauh panggang dari api. Berita korupsi menjadi santapan sehari-hari, penyelewengan kekuasaan dimana-mana, malah ada berita hampir saparuhnya kepala daerah berindikasi korupsi.

Bung stop bung. Stop akrobat dan obral kata-kata, stop silat lidah apalagi apabila sedang  ditonton orang banyak. Stop korupsi, agar Indonesia kembali mempunyai dangiang. Percayalah, dangiang, komara, pulung atau apapun namanya yang berkaitan dengan kewibawaan akan datang dengan sendirinya asalkan menjalankan sesuatu yang menjadi tugasnya dengan jujur dan amanah. Melaksanakan tugas dengan jujur dan amanah itu bukan menurut diri sendiri tapi menurut rakyat, menurut orang lain.

Merdeka Bung.

Bandung Agustus 2012 
MAMAT SASMITA, pegiat Rumah Baca Buku Sunda.

Article : MAYOR IS A VERB

By : MAMAT SASMITA                               Indonesian Version
Translated from Indonesian into English by Josephine Natania

 The competition for the position of Bandung’s mayor will be held immediately in the next August, which means Bandung city will have a new mayor. So far, it seems that all the candidates have started to gain supports by making their visions and missions known through having acquaintances with people, the mass media, both printed and electronic, including having a website.

Looking at their visions, it is clear that most of them still use adjectives. For examples, Bandung Tenar (Kreatif[1] Nyaman[2] Sejahtera[3]), Bandung Sejahtera, even there is one said Bermartabat in continuous movement to make a history.
Adjective is a word or compound which is used to give explanation to a verb or a noun.  On the other hand, according to Voltaire, a French poet, adjective is the enemy of verb and noun. Even one said that we always had to feel failed when he uses adverb or adjective, when he cannot find the right verb or noun.”  The changes of this vision and mission came along with the changes of the mayors, from Atlas (Aman[4] Tertib[5] Lancar[6] Sehat[7]), Berhiber (Bersih[8] Hijau[9] Berbunga[10]), Genah Merenah Tumaninah to Bermartabat (Bersih Makmur[11] Taat[12] Bersahabat[13]). We can see that almost every word is an adjective.  We hope that those candidates do not forget the fact that since 1953, Bandung had had a vision called Gemah Ripah Wibawa Mukti, which means fertile the land prosperous the people. This vision can be found in Perda Kota Besar Bandung No.53 Year 1953 in accordance with the symbol of Bandung city. It should have been the real vision of this city, the purpose of the government. The vision of the city should not be changed in the same time with the change of the mayor, but the mission can be changed as the base of operational work in order to achieve the vision.  

 This becomes important so that there is a balance of the work result and the people (Bandung citizen) can feel the effect of it. Otherwise if the symbol of Bandung city and its vision and motto are not in used anymore, then it may be just better to put it down from the city hall.

Speaking about mission as the base of mayor’s work, the mission is supposed to be more oriented to the inside, to the bureaucrats so that their work is better and clearer. It is not for the Bandung citizen, because people will surely obey the good government. The people needn’t need to be stuffed up by vision and mission in every street corner, stickers on cars or everywhere. The most important people to be stuffed up are the bureaucrats themselves. The image of the bureaucrats is falling down with so many corruption cases involving the bureaucrats, isn’t it? Now is the best time then to erase the bad image. Probably it’s just reminds us that According to Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia (1998), bureaucrat is official workers that work bureaucratically. While the meaning of bureaucracy, still comes from the same source are 1. The system of official rules that is followed by the government official workers in accordance with hierarchy and title, 2.A system that is slow and complicated.

So, for you Misters, who will fight for the position of Bandung mayor in the Regency Election Committee, have a good competition! It is better to roar that the meaning of bureaucrats is not like in the dictionary, moreover like the second meaning. And the word mayor is not a noun or an adjective, but a verb. When the word mayor is understood as a noun, then when you have really got the position, it feels like your job is done. Nevertheless, if it is understood as a verb, it becomes a starting point to reach Gemah Ripah Wibawa Mukti. We hope for that.

(Published in Tribun Jabar newspaper, ed. Saturday August 2^nd 2008, in Podium Rubric)

---

[1] Creative

[2] Comfortable

[3] Prosperous

[4] Safe

[5] In order

[6] Clear

[7] Healthy

[8] Clean

[9] Green

[10] Flowery

[11] Prosperous

[12] Loyal

[13] Friendly

Short Story : FISHING TIME

By : MAMAT SASMITA                                                Sundanese Version

Translated from Sundanese into English by Josephine Natania

 

Hastily, Kang[1] Sabri walked to the south. He got off down the bridge at the riverside and looked around to find a good spot to fish.

            Ah… There was little stream of water in the west riverside.

            Near the stools of sadagori plant (Shuteria rhombifolia L.), the current was not rapid. There also seemed to be the deepest part of the river. This place was perfect. Kang Sabri quickly set up his fishing tools.

            The tangled line was straightened and then attached it to the angling rod. The bait was fish worm.

            Plop. The rod was thrown into the water.

            Kang Sabri sat on the grass which was still rather wet by the raindrops.  

            It was 9 o’clock in the morning and the sky was clear. The sun shone warmly. The wind blew softly. It felt so comfortable to feel the warmth of the sun on our back, combined with the fresh wind.

            Today, he decided to go fishing to forget his complicated daily problems. He nailed his eyes on the tip top, the line, and the bobble.

            Sometimes he saw the chasing water bubbles. Sometimes he saw the rubbish floating on the water. Sometimes he saw the leaves swaying in the wind.

            He wanted to get a big fish today.

            It quite took some times for him to realize that his back started to stiffen. He held the rod with a bending back.

            He put down the rod to the grass below; stuck with a heel so that it would not have been dragged away if there had been something bit the bait. 

            He opened his cloth bag and put out the provisions he had prepared from home. Boiled cassava, warm water in thermos flask, two pieces of lemper[2] and leupeut[3]. The last he bought in Ceu[4] Enyi’s food stall before going here. Eating cassava and leupeut along with drinking warm water tasted so delicious, since he missed breakfast this morning.

            Suddenly, the still water rushed and the rod was crooked. Almost the rod was carried away. Kang Sabri gave a tug to the rod, pulled the line by rolling the reel . Fighting with the fish was certainly the most favorite part in fishing,. If we did not correctly pull and roll, the fish could lose or it was the line that might have broken.

            The fish movement was seen on the water surface. It seemed a big one.

             The fish started to run out of energy and it came to the surface. The hook was pieced on its mouth. It gasped for air.

            “It really was a seed. The weigh is probably about a kilo,” he spoke in his heart.

            Kang Sabri hastened to the riverside. He no longer held the rod, but the line. He drew it towards him. The fish floated and gasped, but when he wanted to hold it, the fish rebelled against him. The water splashed onto his face. The fish almost went away. 

            He decided to shoot this wild fish. This time he finally caught it. He brought it to the ground. The fish’s stomach was seen bulge as if having had eggs in it. Hope the eggs would hatch soon.

            When Kang Sabri stared at the fish, the fish stared back. The mouth was opened and closed frequently. “It seems trying to talk to me,” he pondered.

            Finally the fish was exhausted. He put it in the net and let the tip of the net remained in the water.

            The fish was restless. Using sadagori plants, he succeeded to form a knot on the net. The net became a jail for the fish now.

            Kang Sabri throw the rod into the water, tugged the line so it fitted nicely. He fixed his eyes again on the tip top and the rod. He moved his sight for a moment when the fish rolled in the net. He was sure now that this fish carried eggs inside the body.

            The fish could be cooked well with ginger chili paste or saffron season. The eggs would surely add delicious taste, thick and full of fat. Sitting cross-legged, eating it alone, biting small chili pepper, blowing with open mouth to feel the hot taste. Amazing!

            But, who would be the chef? Kang Sabri thought. No one at home. He lived alone in a boarding room. Well, actually it was not that hard. He just needed to ask Ceu Enyi, who had a food stall in front of his boarding room, to cook for him. She would certainly do it. What a kind woman she was! She often sent side dishes and when he did not have money, she did not mind of being paid later for the dish he bought now.

            Kang Sabri was still unmarried. He worked as an elementary teacher. Two years ago, he successfully became a civil worker.

            Ceu Enyi had a son who was an elementary student. He was still a 5^th grader but a serious student he was. He was used to come to Kang Sabri’s room in the evening to ask either help for his homework or many things he wanted to know. His efforts always led him to a rank at school.

            Maybe that was the reason why Ceu Enyi was so kind to him.

            Kang Sabri always felt comfortable to teach children owned to the fact that he was a teacher. However he realized that it had been his duty to teach and set good examples to his students everywhere.

            Since this was an off day at the end of the month, he did not go back to his village as usual. The money could only afford for foods.

           

            The fish tried to escape from the net. Kang Sabri observed it closely. It was truly big. He would get 20,000 rupiahs if he sold it. That amount would be enough for 2-day eating.

            When the eggs hatched, it could be hundreds.

            Kang Sabri stared at the distance. His mind thought of the possibilities.

            If he ate it with ginger chili paste, his stomach would be full and he would be satisfied.

            If he let go the fish so the eggs hatched, maybe the river would be filled with other big fish like this one someday.

            He remembered that he ever taught a lesson of environment to his students. He often asked why there were people who fished by using electricity or plant sap. Why there were people who threw the rubbish anywhere, not in its proper place. Why there were people who threw waste disposal or damaged forest for their own pleasure.  

            He put down the rod he was holding and stuck it between the sadagori plants. He approached the net, still with confused mind.

            Eat it or let it go?

            At last, he finally decided to let it go. He remembered her sister who was pregnant in the last few months. She plodded while holding her protruding belly. He also remembered how busy his family was when the time came for her sister to give birth. He heard with his own ear how she screamed. He felt a blissful feeling when her sister was safe through the birth process. Everybody welcomed the newborn baby with gladness. The mother was a shelter and refuge for the baby now. Mother’s love would not change through ages.

            He opened the net and pushed the fish so that it slid off to the river. He spoke slowly to the fish as if having talked to a kid, “Leungli, grow your children and keep them safe. Fill this river. Next month I’ll come here again to fish. Maybe next month your task of raising them has finished and you must bite my bait again.” He called the fish “Leungli” as he remembered the tale of Leungli, the fish which befriended with a girl.

            When he was saying that, a voice was heard behind him without any notice before where it came from. “Sir, why did you let the fish go?”

            Kang Sabri looked back and saw Mang[5] Kanta, a pedicab driver who usually stayed in front of his school to wait for the passenger.

            “Mmmmm… The fish has eggs. I have pity on her.”

            “Why, Sir? Don’t you have a pity on me too? If it was given to me, it could be exchange for 3 kilos of rice.”

            Kang Sabri could not speak. He just washed his hands then squeezed the net. He did not think that far nor had an idea of giving it to Mang Kanta.  

            “Alright, Mang. If I catch another one, I’ll give it to you.” That was all the answer he could give.

            “I understand, Sir. Probably I have a different view of fishing. Sometimes I watched fishing show on TV, but the fish which was caught will be released again.”

            “Different view…. You mean?”

            “To me, fishing is an effort to get something to eat and fill stomach. I usually do that between the activity of driving pedicab. The fish is for my children’s dish. If I get quite much, I’ll exchange it for rice. If not, I’ll bring it home to cook. While for you, Sir, fishing is just for pleasure. Enjoy the sensation of the fish’s bite on our bait, the movement of the fish, pulling the line, dragging the fish. The result doesn’t matter to you. Pleasure for me was the sight of my children enjoying eating fish,” explained Mang Kanta.

            Kang Sabri nodded hearing this fiery explanation. He then drew the line to him and checked the rod. Mang Kanta squatted while waiting for the bait to be beaten. Finally Kang Sabri asked to go home first.

            One month later on a day off, Kang Sabri squatted before the river. This was the same fishing spot he chose last month. Angling rod was straightened, the line was neatly arranged. The bait was still fish worm. He promised himself to give the fish he caught today to Mang Kanta.

            He threw the rod to the still water.

            With great patience, he waited silently. Staring at the rod, the line, and the water bubbles.

            Some people said fishing was an activity without definite purpose, just standing and waiting. The others said fishing was like putting your hope on something, because blessings would not slip away from those who should have received it.

            Kang Sabri bore this stiffened bending back so as to make his hope came true. He wanted to see Mang Kanta’s children enjoying eating fish.

            In the middle of the day, there was something hooked on the rod. He hurriedly pulled it and rolled the reel. What was strange was he felt that this fish did not fight at all. No dragging, no rebellious movement.

            A big fish was seen on the water.

            But, he could not believe what he saw! His eyes were opened widely. Along with the big fish, hundreds or even thousands little fish swam behind it. Their sizes were just like a child’s little finger. They seemed to accompany the big fish which was probably their mother.

            The big fish swam to the mouth of the river where he was standing.

            Oh my God!

            He descended to the water, picked it up with his two hands, and brought it to the land. The fish stood still, just gasped for air.

            “Leungli, is that you?” he spoke quite whispering. The fish moved slowly.     

            The little fish waited in the mouth of the river. They looked like wanted to jump to where their mother had been.

            In his eyes, Kang Sabri could see Mang Kanta’s face expression when he asked about thiis fish before and the picture of his children eating fish happily.

            He caressed the fish and put it back into the water.

            “Thank you, Leungli. You’ve fulfilled your promise, it’s my turn now. Go! Take care of your children. Let them grow up and fill this river,” he whispered while washing his fingers in the water.  

            The fish, accompanied by her little children, dived into the still water. A strong splash wet his face; he smiled and wiped it off.

            Kang Sabri collected his fishing tools and sowed the bait on the river. Hastily, he walked home.                           

         

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[1] Brother (also used in conjunction with personal names, official title, etc)

[2] A snack made from glutinous rice with meat as stuffing (wrapped in banana leaves then steamed and roasted)

[3] A kind of dish of cooked sticky rice wrapped in small wraps of banana/coconut lieaves

[4] Sister (friendly term of address for an older sister)

[5] A term of address to younger brother of father or mother, also in conjuction with proper names, titles of office, etc.