English
Once upon a time in a village on the banks of the Mahakam River, lived a husband and wife with two children, a boy and a girl. This family lived in great harmony and happiness. However, that happiness vanished when the mother fell ill and passed away.
The mother's passing left the father devastated and the children lost. Seeing the neglected condition of the house, the father finally decided to marry again.
**The Presence of a Cruel Stepmother**
At first, the stepmother acted kindly. However, her true nature slowly emerged. She was very lazy and often mistreated her two stepchildren while the father was away working in the forest.
The climax occurred during a long dry season. The stepmother ordered the two children to gather a massive amount of firewood from the forest. She threatened not to feed them if the task was not completed.
**The Incident in the Kitchen**
After days in the forest without enough food, the two children returned home carrying piles of firewood. Because they were ravenous and found no one at home, they went to the kitchen and discovered a large pot of hot porridge being cooked.
Without a second thought, driven by extreme hunger, they greedily ate the hot porridge. However, something strange happened:
* Their body temperatures suddenly rose drastically.
* Their skin began to feel burnt and blistered.
* They felt an extraordinary thirst.
**Transformation into Pesut**
In a state of intense heat, they ran toward the Mahakam River and immediately plunged in. The father, who had just returned home, was shocked to see his two children jumping into the water.
A miracle (or a curse) occurred. As soon as they touched the water, the children's bodies no longer emerged as humans. Instead, two gray aquatic animals appeared, spouting water from their heads and swimming away toward the middle of the river.
The father could only weep as he watched his two children turn into the animals now known as the Mahakam Pesut (Irrawaddy dolphins).
**Moral Message**
This legend carries a deep message for the local community:
* **Compassion:** The importance of treating children (especially orphans) with love and affection.
* **Cruelty:** The dire consequences of a stepmother's envy and cruelty.
* **Conservation:** To this day, the Kutai people deeply respect the Pesut and consider them "siblings" who must not be harmed.
The mother's passing left the father devastated and the children lost. Seeing the neglected condition of the house, the father finally decided to marry again.
**The Presence of a Cruel Stepmother**
At first, the stepmother acted kindly. However, her true nature slowly emerged. She was very lazy and often mistreated her two stepchildren while the father was away working in the forest.
The climax occurred during a long dry season. The stepmother ordered the two children to gather a massive amount of firewood from the forest. She threatened not to feed them if the task was not completed.
**The Incident in the Kitchen**
After days in the forest without enough food, the two children returned home carrying piles of firewood. Because they were ravenous and found no one at home, they went to the kitchen and discovered a large pot of hot porridge being cooked.
Without a second thought, driven by extreme hunger, they greedily ate the hot porridge. However, something strange happened:
* Their body temperatures suddenly rose drastically.
* Their skin began to feel burnt and blistered.
* They felt an extraordinary thirst.
**Transformation into Pesut**
In a state of intense heat, they ran toward the Mahakam River and immediately plunged in. The father, who had just returned home, was shocked to see his two children jumping into the water.
A miracle (or a curse) occurred. As soon as they touched the water, the children's bodies no longer emerged as humans. Instead, two gray aquatic animals appeared, spouting water from their heads and swimming away toward the middle of the river.
The father could only weep as he watched his two children turn into the animals now known as the Mahakam Pesut (Irrawaddy dolphins).
**Moral Message**
This legend carries a deep message for the local community:
* **Compassion:** The importance of treating children (especially orphans) with love and affection.
* **Cruelty:** The dire consequences of a stepmother's envy and cruelty.
* **Conservation:** To this day, the Kutai people deeply respect the Pesut and consider them "siblings" who must not be harmed.