Elementary Library

The Red Onion and The Garlic

Once upon a time, in a small village in Indonesia, there lived a kind girl named Bawang Putih (Garlic) and her mean stepsister, Bawang Merah (Red Onion). Bawang Putih’s mother had passed away, and she lived with her cruel stepmother and stepsister. They made her do all the hard work. Bawang Merah was spoiled and lazy. She never helped and always made fun of Bawang Putih. Bawang Merah’s mother treated her like a queen and made Bawang Putih do all the chores. One day, Bawang Putih went to the forest to gather herbs. She met a kind old woman who said, “You are very kind. I want to give you a gift.” The old woman gave Bawang Putih a magical fish. “Take care of it, and it will reward you,” she said. Bawang Putih thanked her and took the fish home. When she returned, her stepmother and stepsister were curious. “What do you have?” asked Bawang Merah. “It’s just a fish,” replied Bawang Putih. But when she cooked the fish, it magically turned into gold! Bawang Merah and her mother wanted the same gift. The next day, Bawang Merah went to the forest and found the old woman. She also got a magical fish but ignored the warning, “Be careful with it.” Bawang Merah didn’t listen and was impatient. When she cooked the fish, it turned into stones instead of gold. Bawang Merah became angry. When she returned home, her stepmother yelled, “What did you do? Why didn’t you get gold like Bawang Putih?” Bawang Merah and her mother learned an important lesson. They realized that being kind and patient was the right way to receive good things. Bawang Putih continued to live happily and was rewarded for her kindness