Orientation

A long time ago, in a fertile valley in North Sumatra, lived a poor, hard-working young farmer named Toba. He lived all alone in a small valley, spending his days farming and fishing in the nearby river to feed himself. He was lonely, but he accepted his simple, quiet life.

Evaluation

One afternoon, Toba went fishing as usual. After hours of waiting, he finally caught a remarkably large, beautiful fish with shimmering golden scales. He was thrilled and took it home to cook. However, just as he was about to prepare it, the fish suddenly transformed into a beautiful, graceful young woman. Toba was stunned and deeply fascinated by her beauty.

Complication

The woman explained that she was under a magical curse, and Toba's touch had broken it. Grateful for her freedom, she agreed to marry him on one strict condition: Toba must never reveal her true origin as a fish to anyone. If he broke this promise, a massive disaster would strike. Toba eagerly agreed, and they married.

Years passed, and they had a son named Samosir. Samosir grew up to be a bit spoiled and incredibly lazy. He also possessed an insatiable appetite, often eating everything in sight. One day, his mother asked Samosir to bring a lunch basket to his father working hard in the fields. On the way, Samosir grew hungry and ate most of his father's food, leaving only a few scraps.

When a tired and starving Toba opened the basket, he found it nearly empty. Discovering that his son had eaten his lunch, Toba lost his temper completely. In his rage, he forgot his sacred promise and shouted, "You lazy, you ungrateful child! You really are the son of a fish!"