THE LAST BALLAD OF MOTHER'S (Revised)

Once upon a time, there lived a couple with their sons named La Mone Na’e and La Mone To’i. They lived happily near Bima Bay. Supplied with an old boat, the sons and their father crossed the sea catching fish for their daily needs. Meanwhile, their mother stayed at home waiting for them coming back.

One day, they caught plenty of fish. Their boat was full of fish. They were very delighted. La Mone Na’e, La Mone To’i, and father were thinking about for what things they would barter the fish. Each of them had their own idea. Father wanted to barter some of the fish with a new boat. La Mone Na’e wanted hook and fishing-nets so that he could catch fish on his own without being dependent on his parents. However, La Mone To’i wanted sweet potatoes, his favourite food.

In that morning, they all went to market to barter the fish for the things they were longing for. Father got a new boat and La Mone Na’e got a hook and fishing-net. However, La Mone To’i had not got his sweet potatoes. Patiently, his mother accompanied him going around the market looking for sweet potatoes. The sun was shining brightly high above in the sky. Still, they didn’t find sweet potatoes. Meanwhile, the fish they brought began to stale. Then, La Mone To’i began to cry. His mother tried to persuade him to barter the fish for other food, but he refused it. He only wanted sweet potatoes. He cried loudly and scratched his mother’s hair. 

Again, they had to go around the market. Finally, they met a woman carrying a basket of tubers on her head. They took out the tubers one by one. Fortunately, they found the sweet potatoes. Only two sweet potatoes were still remaining. However, the woman didn’t want to barter his sweet potatoes for the stale fish. Mother begged for her pity and promised her to bring her the fresh fish in the next day. Finally, the woman agreed. La Mone To’i stopped crying. Then, they went home.

Soon after they arrived at home, Mother cooked the sweet potatoes. While waiting for the sweet potatoes cooked, La Mone To’i went playing to beach, enjoying the the fresh air and singing birds flying over. 

In short, the sweet potatoes were cooked. Mother split them into four parts. Then, she came to La Mone To’i telling him that the sweet potatoes had already been cooked. But, La Mone To’i still wanted to stay longer in the beach enjoying his playing. He asked her mother to go home and eat first.

At home, mother, father, and La Mone Na’e ate the cooked sweet potatoes. Mother separated one of the four parts for La Mone To’i. Soon after they had eaten the sweet potatoes, La Mone  Na’e wanted some more. But, mother said wisely that there was only one still remaining, and it was for La Mone To’i.

When mother came into the room to take a rest, La Mone Na’e went to the kithen and took his brother’s. He ate it up. 

Then, La Mone To’i came back home and asked for his sweet potatoes. Mother asked him to go to the kitchen. But, the sweet potatoe was not found there. La Mone To’i started to cry. Mother was very confused. It seemed that there was nothing she could do anymore. She could only persuade La Mone To’i to stop crying and promised to  buy another one for him on the next day. However, La Mone To’i didn’t even listen and went on crying.

Now, it was the time for Father and La Mone Na’e to sail. Mother and La Mone To’i accompanied them going to beach. On the way there, La Mone To’i kept on crying. Until Father and his brother had been on the boat, La Mone To’i still cried. He pulled his mother’s hair and scratched her mother’s face until bleeding. However, mother could still wave her hand to her husband and La Mone Na’e.

When father and La Mone Na’e were no longer seen, Mother and La Mone To’i went back home.  The dark night soon covered the earth. Suddenly, lightening flashed, then thunder rumbled. The rainstorm struck the coast. Soon, mother looked pale. She worried about her husband and La Mone Na’e who went sailing. Then, she begged La Mone To’i for stop crying. Still, he didn’t listen. He kept on crying for all the night. As a result, they didn’t sleep at all for the whole night.

Early in the morning, they went to beach. Mother looked far across the sea hoping that she would see La Mone Na’e and her husband coming back. Suddenly, from the distance she heard her husband and La Mone Na’e calling. They were waving at her. She was very glad. Unfortunately, she was in grief again after she knew that what she heard and saw were just a hallucination. Like a statue, she stood in despair, looking far across the sea. Meanwhile, La Mone To’i hadn’t seemed to stop crying. His crying was even getting louder and louder.

“My dear, I heard your brother and your father calling,” she said. “You lie to me! You just try to scare me!” La Mone To’i screamed. “Oh my dear, please stop crying. Please.... You have been crying since your brother and your father left,” said her patiently. Her tears began to drop from her eyes. But, La Mone To’i didn’t care. He pulled his mother’s hair and scratched her face until bleeding. “My dear, please stop doing this to me, otherwise I will follow your father and your brother,” she said in despair. La Mone To’i didn’t listen.

Then, mother went into the sea. When water reached her calf, she began to sing a ballad:

Duha ra lano......(Oh sea, rise!)

            Kolupu tatu’u      (Reach my kneel!)

When water was about to reach her knee, La Mone To’i still cried. Then mother continued her ballad.

            Duha ra Lano......( Oh sea, rise! )

            Kolupu Wangga  (Reach my hip!)

           

            Duha ra Lano......(Oh sea, rise!)

            Kolupu Woke     (Reach my navel!)

La Mone still cried...

            Duha ra Lano..... (Oh sea, rise!)

            Kolupu Lawili     (Reach my chest!)

When water reached her chest, La Mone To’i was still thinking that his mother was just trying to scare him. He went on crying.

            Duha ra Lano..... (Oh sea, rise!)

            Kolupu wo’o      (Reach my neck!)

When water reached her neck, La Mone To’i realized that Mother was not kidding or even trying to scare him. He stopped crying. He begged her mother not continue her ballad. He promised his mother not to cry anymore. But, it’s no use crying over the spilt milk. His mother continued her ballad:

Du...............ha............ra.  La.........no. Kolu............pu  Pa................ hu...................

( Oh sea............... Rise.......................!  Reach........... my................. face..................! )

Now, La Mone To’i could only see her mother’s hair floating on the sea. Mother disappeared. She’s gone and never coming back...

Original Tittle:   Kidung Terakhir Seorang Ibu;  By Alan Malingi

Translated by:  Ikra, S.Pd. 2011.