Legends-+The+Truth+about+Earthquakes

=The Truth about Indonesia’s Earthquakes=

 Long ago in Indonesia there was a tiny village called Banada where there lived an arrogant and lazy man called Ahi. He thought that no one in the whole entire world was better than him. Every morning he would wake up and pray to himself instead of to god for good luck. All the other villagers despised him for his selfishness. One fine day the village master asked Ahi to go fishing near the sea and bring back fish for the whole village. Ahi refused his order and went fishing behind the mountains instead. When he came back at dusk, he looked at the fish which looked mouth-watering and simply grilled the fish and ate them all himself. When the village master asked him where the fish were, Ahi replied “I guess I forgot,” and walked straight home. The village master was furious and he threatened to kick Ahi out of Banada. Ahi visualized living alone where he would have to work and hunt for food every day. He was already stressed by just thinking about the situation. So Ahi asked the village master for a second chance. Hearing the sorrow and desperateness in Ahi’s voice, the village master made a deal with Ahi. Only if Ahi could accomplish a dangerous task, would he be able to stay in Bandana. 

The whole village crowded around the enormous coconut tree where Ahi stood before the village master, waiting to hear his task. There were rumors spreading that the village master had thought of a dangerous task which could not be accomplished. This meant that Ahi would have to leave Banada. “Silence, please settle down!” shouted the village master. The villagers’ hushed each other until there was pin drop silence. “As we all know Ahi has been acting very rude and selfish for the past few years...” Before the village master could continue the audience booed in disgust. “As I was saying, Ahi being a normal human should be forgiven for what was done in the past. But this does mean that he can have it easy. To cover up all the problems he has created, today Ahi will work on a task which I will give him. And if he fully accomplishes the task, Ahi will have full privilege to stay in Banada. If he fails this task he will have to leave Banada at once,” the village master said in a very confident voice. The audience applauded and cheered but stopped as soon as they noticed the village master pick up a piece of paper. The village master cleared his throat and spoke clearly. “Ahi’s task will be to dig to the center of the earth and bring back fifty baskets of gold. The gold must be from the center of the earth and he has only six days to do this.” Saying this, the village master wished Ahi good luck and walked off the platform. Ahi was left there alone on the platform looking aghast.

The first couple of days Ahi worked as hard as he could to dig to the center of the earth. On the fifth day he fell terribly ill and rested near a cool shady place. As he was drinking a refreshing coconut juice, he noticed that a tall figure appeared from the hole he had dug. He squinted his eyes to make sure he wasn’t imagining it. There, standing in front of him, was a beautiful lady. //Where did she come from? Who was she?// “What’s the matter young man?” asked the beautiful lady in a soft gentle voice.

“Who...Who are you?” Ahi questioned in a shaky voice. The beautiful lady pushed her silky black hair away from her forehead leaving dazzling blue eyes.

“I am the goddess of land. Tell me, why are you destroying my home?” Her voice was smooth and calming.

“The goddess of land? Well I am sorry but I had no idea. The problem is that I need fifty baskets of gold from the center of the earth by tomorrow, or else I will be kicked out of my village.” Ahi said trying to sound very depressed and pitiful.

“Oh my! Fifty baskets of gold! But I think I may lend you the gold if only you pay me back later on,” said the goddess.

“Of course I will!" Ahi was delighted with the offer she made him.

“I shall keep reminding you for the gold until you pay me back” She handed him the gold and disappeared into the ground.

 Ahi being the untruthful selfish man he was went back to Banada and lied about his adventure. He said that he actually dug up all the gold and walked all the way back to Banada. Telling this story a hundred times to a hundred people Ahi had forgotten that he had to pay back the goddess her gold. Since that day the goddess of land has kept reminding Ahi about the gold by shaking the land, hoping Ahi would remember.