In North Sumatra there is a lake which is said to be the largest lake in Southeast Asia, and one of the deepest in the world. It lies 900 metres above sea-level and is surrounded by pine-covered beaches, high cliffs, and steep mountain slopes. This famous Lake Toba, the birthplace of the batak people. Here is a story which tells how the lake was formed….
A long time ago, there was a fisherman called Batara Guru Sahala. Day after day he rowed his boat in the river, spread his net in the water, and if he was lucky, he would catch fish which he would sell for his living. There were times, however, when he was unlucky and his net would remain empety. Then the young man had very little food.
One day, Batara Guru Sahala was fishing as usual. He had been working for hours, but not a single fish had come into his net. The hot weather made the young man feel tired, his head nodded and he fell asleep. Suddenly, a sharp pull on his net woke him up.
“That must be a big fish,” he said to himself, bringing the net in. sure enough, caught in the net was a huge silvery fish. The young man pulled the fish up into his boad and decided to take it home immediately. “This will bring me a good prince,” he said happily.
Batara Guru Sahala pulled the heavy fish to his hut and put it in a corner. Then he went out to get some wood in order to light the stove. He had not eaten since the early morning so he felt hungry and wanted to cook some rich. When he come back to his hut some time later, he saw to his surprise that the fish had gone. Who would have taken it?
“Batara Guru Sahala, don’t look for the fish,” he suddenly heard a soft voice saying. The young man turned around and saw a beautiful girl standing in the corner of the room.
“Who are you?” he asked.
“ I was the fish you caught. A magician once taught me a spell that would change me into a human if I was unlucky enough to be caught,” said the young girl. She was so beautiful that Batara Guru Sahala fell in love with her immediately. He asked her to marry him and she said, “I will stay with you and be your wife on one condition. Don’t tell anybody about my origin, not even our children.” Batara Guru Sahala agreed and so the two were married.
After his marriage, young fisherman never came home empty-handed. Every day his nets were full, and soon he has able to build a bigger and better house for himself and his wife. Then one day a boy was born, and the year after, a girl Batara Guru Sahala never told anyone that his wife had once been a fish. In fact, he himself often forgot about it. The boy and girl grew up and soon they were able to help their parents.
One day, Batara Guru Sahalawent fishing at the side of the river as usual. The day was very hot, and at noon he felt both thirsty and hungry. Impatiently, He waited for his children to bring him his lunch. When they did not come at the usual time, Batar Guru Sahala decided to look for them. He was worried that they might have had an accident.
The boy and girl had gone to the river as usual. The boy was carrying a parcel of rice, vegetables and m eat, and the girl had an earthen jug with fresh, cool water. It was very hot that day and the two children had a long way to go. “I am so thirsty, Brother,”said the little girl. “I wish I could have a drink from this jug. Just a mouthful would do.”
“And I’am hungry, “said the boy. “I wish I could have a little bit of Father’s rice and vegetables.” After walking a bit further, the boy said, “Let’s take a little of the Father’s food. I don,t think he’ll notice”.
The children knew that they were not allowed to take their parents’ food. Because among the Batak people children were forbidden to touch the food intended for their parents. But they were very young and they forgot about this rule. So they sat down by the side of the road and ate a little of the rice and each drank a mouthful of water from the jug. And that is what they were doing when Batara Guru Sahala found them.
In his anger, he forgot the promise he had made to his wife so many years ago. He lifted his hand and hit both the children. “You greedy, lazy fish-children!” he shouted. Crying, the frightened children ran home to tell their mother.
When Batara Guru Sahala came home that afternoon, he found the hut empty. He could not see his wife and children anywhere. He looked for them everywhere; he called their names many times. Finally he went back to the river bank. Ans there he saw his wife facing the river, her hands stretched out over the water and her head lifted to the sky.
Batara Guru Sahala ran towards her and asked her to forgive him, but his wife did not listen. He had broken his promise and now she had to go back to her home in the river. She sang to the waters, and the under her spell the water rose. A storm broke over the land and the river. Rain poured heavily from the heavens, and the water rose and rose. Soon it swept over the river banks, covering the land, the houses, the trees …. Where before was a village, there was now a huge lake.
Batara Guru Sahala and his wife and children were changed into fish. And to this day the people who live around Lake Toba believe that the fish in the lake are the descendants of Btara Guru Sahala and his wife.
