Kata-kata si Mbo' Buwaya maka si Budjang Kuyya'

A Sama Tale of Grandfather Crocodile and Lady Monkey

Tagna’ ma waktu jaman-jaman, aniya’ Budjang Kuyya’ maglahat ma bihing sowang. Dakayu’ llaw, palabay si Mbo’ Tohongan.
Yuk si Budjang Kuyya’, “Mbo’ Tohongan patumpangun aku ni dambila’ sowang inān, ampa ka katambahanku.”
Yuk si Mbo’ Tohongan, “Ai panambanu ma aku?”
“Ma ka’a na lahat si Appa’ maka si Nne’ ī’.” yuk si Budjang Kuyya’.
Yuk si Mbo’ Tohongan, “Ngga’i aku abaya’. Bang ka abaya’, buwanin aku dambole saging.”
Yuk si Budjang Kuyya’, “Ngga’i aku. palanjal na ka.”
Na, palabay si Mbo’ Buwaya. “Mbo’ Buwaya, patumpangun aku ni dambila’ sowang, ampa ka tambahanku.”

Anilaw si Mbo’ Buwaya, “Ai panambanu ma aku?”
“Ma ka’a na lahat si Appa’ maka si Nne’ ī’.”
Yuk si Mbo’ Buwaya, “Ngga’i aku abaya’. Bang ka abaya’, buwanin aku dambole saging.” *
“Aho’, abaya’ na aku.” yuk si Budjang Kuyya’.
Na pasakat na si Budjang Kuyya’ ma lapohan si Mboꞌ Buwaya ampa ninde’an e’ na.
Pagga asekot na ni dambila’ sowang, amūng si Mbo’ Buwaya, “Maitu na!”
Yuk si Budjang Kuyya’ ma iya, “Pasōngun gi’, ō pasōngun diki’-diki’.”
Magtūy palaksu si Budjang Kuyya’ ni bangkaw ampa amūng, yukna, “Ka’akkalan ka.”
Ta’abut manga dapituꞌ boꞌ hinabu bulagas, al’ggot t’bba. Amūng si Budjang Kuyya’ ni manga sehe’na, “Sūng kitam magpan’bba.”
“Aho’ Beyang, magpanyap kitam lutu’,” yuk seheꞌna.

Pagga lum’ngngan sigām ni t’bbahan, aniya’ ta’nda’ e’ sigām batang ma bihing bangkaw. Pagsōng sigām duma’in tuwiꞌ batang, sogōꞌ si Mbo’ Buwaya bay magpatay-patay dīna.
Amūng si Budjang Kuyya’, “Ndū’, ya na itu bay panumpanganku ni dambila’ sowang. Ndū’ isab, niulat na matana maka angaleret na bowa’na.”
Angalingan na sehe’ si Budjang Kuyyaꞌ, “Beyang, dai’ na kam an’bba.”
“Aho’ Beyang.” yukna.
Pagga aubus na an’bba, aubus na magkakan, tambang na. Magpole’an na sigām, sogōꞌ pahapit si Budjang Kuyya’ ni si Mbo’ Buwaya.
Amūng sehe’ na, “Beyang, amole’ na kitam.”
Amūng si Budjang Kuyya’, “Dahū’ na kam.”
Na, pagga dangan-danganna laꞌa, agsay iya niluray e’ si Mboꞌ Buwaya.
“Ka’a na ya bay angakkalan aku!”
Binowa iya eꞌ si Mbo Buwaya ni deyom tahik. Alembo si Budjang Kuyyaꞌ, amatay. Palaran na iya ma tampe. Ang’tting b’ttongna.
Storyteller Muksin S. Hussin
* The payment part of the story was altered in order to avoid being offensive to some readers.

English Synopsis

Lady Monkey is trying to find away to cross the channel between islands.  Grandfather Turtle and Grandfather Crocodile reject her initial offer of her parents territory.  Eventually Grandfather Crocodile agrees on a payment.  Lady Monkey rides on his back to the other side.  When it is time to pay, Lady Monkey asks him to bring her closer to the other shore.  Without paying Grandfather Crocodile, Lady Buwaya jumps off of his back and tells him that she has tricked him.  Later on when Lady Monkey and her friends are collecting food at low tide, they see Grandfather Crocodile, apparently dead.  On the way home, Lady Monkey stays behind out of pity for Grandfather Crocodile, who she tricked.  She ends up being the one who is tricked.  Grandfather Crocodile springs on her and takes his revenge.

Sama Cultural Insights

Revenge and grudges are powerful cultural forces in Sulu.  There are dangers in doing business and dangers in not keeping one’s word.  Though deceit and trickery might be common, it doesn’t not often go unpaid, especially when looking at the comparison of ferocity between a crocodile and a monkey.

Linguistic Insights

Appa’ and Nne’ are terms used by royalty to refer to their parents.

Beyang is a term used to address a friend, especially among unmarried women.

The nape of a crocodile can be called “lapohan”, meaning stove, as it resembles a Sama lapohan.