Here is another Indonesian folktale: Bawang Merah and Bawang Putih. Bawang Merah is the Indonesian name of shallot, and Bawang Putih is called as garlic in English. However, the story here is not really related to shallots and onions; it is only used to depict the polarly opposite personality of these two persons, which then bring you into the deeper part of the story…
[otw_shortcode_tabslayout tabs=”2″ tab_1_title=”Simplified Chinese” tab_1_content=”在一个村子里，有一位寡妇和她两个漂亮的女儿一起生活：红洋葱和白大蒜。红洋葱和白大蒜的性格与个性大不相同。白大蒜是个勤奋、善良、诚实和谦虚的女孩。红洋葱就不一样了，她很懒惰、恶毒、骄傲自大，又常常羡慕别人，因为她的母亲宠坏了她，总是给予红洋葱所想要的东西。可是她并没有买过东西给白大蒜，再加上，所有的家事，比如洗烫衣服、做菜、打扫、拖地，都是白大蒜要做的。红洋葱和妈妈呢？她们就在家里看电视、找朋友聊天、吃喝玩乐，当她们需要什么时候，就直接喊「白大蒜」一声。
白大蒜从来没抱怨过她的命运。总是能高兴地为妈妈和姊姊做家事。有一天，白大蒜正在河边洗她妈妈和姐姐的衣服。她洗完了以后，就开始算她的衣服。但是她算了一算，就惊觉少了一件，发现妈妈的衣服被河水冲走了。她难过极了，心里七上八下的，不知怎么办才好。若妈妈找不到她的衣服，白大蒜可能会被驱逐出家门。
由于害怕无法找到母亲的衣服，白大蒜就沿着这条水流湍急的河边走。她每次看到一个人时，就会向他们询问母亲被河边冲走的衣服，但每个人都说没看到。最终白大蒜到了河流流入洞穴的地方。令人惊讶的是，洞穴里有一位老女人。白大蒜问她是否知道衣服的下落。那个老女人说知道，可是她给了一个条件，条件是递给白大蒜那件衣服之前，她必须帮老女人一个礼拜的忙。
因为白大蒜已习惯努力地工作，对她来说，老女人的家事只是小菜一碟。老女人对白大蒜的工作很满意。一个礼拜过得很快。最后一晚时，老女人把衣服递给了她。由于白大蒜的善意，老女人也给了她一份南瓜礼物。有两颗，一颗大一颗小。老女人叫她选一个。她并不贪心，因此她选择了较小的那一颗回家。
回到家里，母亲和姊姊都很生气，因为白大蒜消失了很久。白大蒜就告诉她们从母亲的衣服被冲走，到她与洞穴里的老女人相遇的事情。可是，她们仍然生气，因为她已经离家多日，而且只带了一个小小的南瓜回家，所以母亲把南瓜砸在地上。 「哇哇哇！」母亲和姐姐非常震惊，因为在南瓜里面有很多珠宝！多到会让她们一夜致富！但她们真的贪得无厌，大喊大叫，问白大蒜为什么不拿大南瓜回家，如果她拿较大的南瓜，她们就会得到更多的珠宝。
为了满足她们的贪欲，姊姊照着白大蒜告诉她们的步骤。她心甘情愿地让妈妈的衣服漂走，并沿着河边走，问人们，最后来到了老女人住的山洞。可是，红洋葱拒绝老女人要求她的工作，甚至命令老女人给她那颗大南瓜。所以这位老女人把它送给红洋葱。
红洋葱很高兴地带着老女人给的大南瓜回家，同时想像她会得到的珠宝。回到家，母亲欢迎她心爱的女儿。不久之后，南瓜被砸到地上，但里面不是珠宝，而是各种各样的毒蛇。结果，她们被毒蛇咬死了。
” tab_2_title=”Traditional Chinese” tab_2_content=”
在一個村子裡，有一位寡婦和她兩個漂亮的女兒一起生活：紅洋蔥和白大蒜。紅洋蔥和白大蒜的性格與個性大不相同。白大蒜是個勤奮、善良、誠實和謙虛的女孩。紅洋蔥就不一樣了，她很懶惰、惡毒、驕傲自大，又常常羨慕別人，因為她的母親寵壞了她，總是給予紅洋蔥所想要的東西。可是她並沒有買過東西給白大蒜，再加上，所有的家事，比如洗燙衣服、做菜、打掃、拖地，都是白大蒜要做的。紅洋蔥和媽媽呢？她們就在家裡看電視、找朋友聊天、吃喝玩樂，當她們需要什麼時候，就直接喊「白大蒜」一聲。
白大蒜從來沒抱怨過她的命運。總是能高興地為媽媽和姊姊做家事。有一天，白大蒜正在河邊洗她媽媽和姐姐的衣服。她洗完了以後，就開始算她的衣服。但是她算了一算，就驚覺少了一件，發現媽媽的衣服被河水沖走了。她難過極了，心裡七上八下的，不知怎麼辦才好。若媽媽找不到她的衣服，白大蒜可能會被驅逐出家門。
由於害怕無法找到母親的衣服，白大蒜就沿著這條水流湍急的河邊走。她每次看到一個人時，就會向他們詢問母親被河邊沖走的衣服，但每個人都說沒看到。最終白大蒜到了河流流入洞穴的地方。令人驚訝的是，洞穴裡有一位老女人。白大蒜問她是否知道衣服的下落。那個老女人說知道，可是她給了一個條件，條件是遞給白大蒜那件衣服之前，她必須幫老女人一個禮拜的忙。
因爲白大蒜已習慣努力地工作，對她來說，老女人的家事只是小菜一碟。老女人對白大蒜的工作很滿意。一個禮拜過得很快。最後一晚時，老女人把衣服遞給了她。由於白大蒜的善意，老女人也給了她一份南瓜禮物。有兩顆，一顆大一顆小。老女人叫她選一個。她並不貪心，因此她選擇了較小的那一顆回家。
回到家裡，母親和姊姊都很生氣，因為白大蒜消失了很久。白大蒜就告訴她們從母親的衣服被沖走，到她與洞穴裡的老女人相遇的事情。可是，她們仍然生氣，因為她已經離家多日，而且只帶了一個小小的南瓜回家，所以母親把南瓜砸在地上。「哇哇哇！」母親和姐姐非常震驚，因爲在南瓜裡面有很多珠寶！多到會讓她們一夜致富！但她們真的貪得無厭，大喊大叫，問白大蒜為什麼不拿大南瓜回家，如果她拿較大的南瓜，她們就會得到更多的珠寶。
爲了滿足她們的貪慾，姊姊照著白大蒜告訴她們的步驟。她心甘情願地讓媽媽的衣服漂走，並沿著河邊走，問人們，最後來到了老女人住的山洞。可是，紅洋蔥拒絕老女人要求她的工作，甚至命令老女人給她那顆大南瓜。所以這位老女人把它送給紅洋蔥。
紅洋蔥很高興地帶着老女人給的大南瓜回家，同時想像她會得到的珠寶。回到家，母親歡迎她心愛的女兒。不久之後，南瓜被砸到地上，但裡面不是珠寶，而是各種各樣的毒蛇。結果，她們被毒蛇咬死了。
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English translation:
In a village, a widow lives with her two beautiful daughters: Bawang Merah and Bawang Putih. The character and personality of Bawang Merah and Bawang Putih are very different. Bawang Putih is a diligent, kind, honest and modest girl. Bawang Merah is different. She is lazy, vicious, arrogant, and often envious of others. It is because her mother spoiled her and always gave the Bawang Merah what she wanted. However, she did not buy anything for Bawang Putih, plus all the family matters, such as washing clothes, cooking, cleaning, mopping, are all done by Bawang Putih. How about Bawang Merah and mother? They are watching TV at home, chatting with friends, eating, drinking, and playing. When they need it, they immediately yell “Bawang Putih.”
Bawang Putih has never complained about her fate. She is always happy to do housework for my mother and my sister. One day, Bawang Putih was washing the clothes of her mother and sister by the river. After she had finished washing, she began to count her clothes. But after she counted it, she was surprised that she found one less and found that her mother’s clothes were washed away by the river. She is very upset, and her heart is uneasy. She doesn’t know what to do. If the mother can’t find her clothes, the Bawang Putih probably will be expelled from the house.
Because of the fear of not being able to find the mother’s clothes, Bawang Putih walked along the rushing river. Every time she saw a person, she asked them about the clothes her mother that had washed away by the river, but everyone said that they didn’t see it. Eventually, Bawang Putih came to the place where the river flowed into a cave. Surprisingly, there is an old woman in the cave. Bawang Putih asked her if she knew the whereabouts of the clothes. The old woman said she knew, but she gave a condition: before the hand was given to the Bawang Putih, she had to help the old woman for a week.
Because Bawang Putih has been accustomed to working hard, for her, the old woman’s family affairs are just a piece of cake. The old woman is very satisfied with the work of Bawang Putih. A week has passed quickly. On the last night, the old woman handed her clothes to her. Because of the goodwill of Bawang Putih, the old woman also gave her a pumpkin gift. There are two, one big and one small. The old woman told her to choose one. She is not greedy, so she chose the smaller one to go home.
Back home, my mother and her sister were very angry because Bawang Putih disappeared for a long time. Bawang Putih told them the story from the time mother’s clothes were washed away until that she meets the old woman in the cave. However, they are still angry because she has been away from home for many days and only brought a small pumpkin home, so the mother smashed the pumpkin on the ground. “Wow!” Mother and sister were shocked because there were a lot of jewels in the pumpkin! A lot, that they will get rich overnight! But they are really greedy, yelling and asking why Bawang Putih didn’t take the big pumpkin home. If she takes the bigger pumpkin, they will get more jewelry.
In order to satisfy their greed, they follow the steps that Bawang Putih tells them. She willingly let her mother’s clothes drift away, walk along the river, ask people, and finally come to the cave where the old woman lives. However, the Bawang Merah refused the old woman favor to help her work and even ordered the old woman to give her the big pumpkin. So the old woman gave it to the red onion.
Bawang Merah is happy to go home with the big pumpkins given by the old woman while imagining the jewelry she will get. Back home, the mother welcomed her beloved daughter. Soon after, the pumpkin was smashed to the ground, but it was not a jewel, but a variety of poisonous snakes. As a result, they were bitten and killed by snakes.
Special notes:
- 寵壞 – chǒng huài – to spoil (a child)
- 沖走 – chōng zǒu – washed away
- 七上八下 – qī shàng bā xià – [idiom] at a perturbed state of mind
- 驅逐 – qū zhú – expel, drive out
- 沿著 – yán zhe – follow along
- 湍急 – tuān jí – (of a current) rapid, torrential
- 下落 – xià luò – whereabouts
- 善意 – shàn yì – good intention
- 震驚 – zhèn jīng – astonished
- 貪得無厭 – tān dé wú yàn – [idiom] greedy and never satisfied
- 大喊大叫 – dà hǎn dà jiào – [idiom] shouting and screaming
- 貪慾 – tān yù – n. greed
- 步驟 – bù zhòu – steps, procedure
The picture was taken from here.