(A Folktale from South Sulawesi)
Once upon a time, there were six brothers. One day, their father passed away, leaving behind an inheritance of only five plots of rice fields. Since there were six brothers but only five plots of land, each of them insisted on owning one. As a result, a dispute broke out among them, with each brother stubbornly claiming his right to a plot of land.
In order to prevent the conflict from escalating, the eldest brother spoke up and said, “It would be better if we hold a contest of words. Whoever speaks the greatest words shall own all the rice fields left by our father. Let us not continue quarrelling.” The other brothers agreed with their eldest sibling’s suggestion.
They then sat in a circle and invited the eldest brother to begin the contest. The eldest said, “Once, I went into the forest and found a tree so enormous that it took me an entire day and night to walk around its trunk.” The other brothers nodded, listening attentively to his words.
“That is not so impressive,” said the second brother. “On one occasion, while I was traveling, I encountered a chisel embedded in the ground. It was so tall and massive that the tip of its handle reached the sky!”
The third brother responded, “There is something even greater than that. Once, I encountered a buffalo so enormous that the tip of its horn alone could be used as a ball for playing games.”
“That is nothing,” said the fourth brother. “I once found a rattan vine so long that it could encircle the entire earth.”
The fifth brother then added, “There is something far greater still. I once found a mosque so vast that I even performed the Friday prayer inside it. The mosque was so huge that from where I prayed, I could not see the imam at the front. And even if he could be seen, he would appear no larger than a germ.”
“Now it is your turn, youngest brother. What will you say?” asked the eldest.
The youngest brother replied, “I once found a drum that, when struck only once, continued to resonate endlessly. Even now, its echo can still be heard. Try covering your ears—you will still hear its reverberation.”
As the five brothers covered their ears, they soon heard a sound that was actually nothing more than the wind. Astonished, the eldest brother asked, “Where did you obtain the wood to make a drum frame that could resonate for so long?”
“I believe you once found a tree so large that it took you an entire day and night to walk around it. That very tree was used to make the drum’s frame,” answered the youngest.
“And what tool was used to shape the drum frame?” asked the second brother.
“Did you not say you once saw a chisel whose blade was embedded in the earth while its handle reached the sky? That chisel was used to carve the wood for the drum frame,” replied the youngest.
The third brother then asked, “Where did you obtain the skin to make the drumhead?”
“Did you not say you once encountered a buffalo so large that the tip of its horn could be used to play ball? The skin of that buffalo was used to make the vibrating membrane, while its horn served as the drumstick,” said the youngest.
“And where did you get the material to tie and hang the drum?” asked the fourth brother.
“Did you not say you once found a rattan vine long enough to encircle the earth? That rattan was used to bind and suspend the drum,” answered the youngest.
“Well then,” said the fifth brother, “the drum must be enormous. Where was it placed?”
“Did you not say you once prayed in a mosque so vast that the imam appeared no larger than a germ? If you look carefully, you will surely find it. The drum is hung in one corner of the mosque and is used to mark the times of prayer,” replied the youngest.
Hearing the youngest brother’s explanation, the five older brothers nodded in agreement. Finally, representing the others, the eldest brother said, “You are the winner, younger brother. You are entitled to inherit all of our father’s property.”
Source:
Freely adapted from Rasyid, Abdul & Muhammad Abidin Nur. (1999). Cerita Rakyat Daerah Wajo di Sulawesi Selatan. Jakarta: Pusat Pembinaan dan Pengembangan Bahasa, Department of Education and Culture.