La Upe
(Folktale from South Sulawesi)
A long time ago, there live La Upe with his father and stepmother. Actually La Upe was a good son, but his stepmother didn't like him. Everytime he failed to do an activity, his stepmother would hit him.
One day, his stepmother asked La Upe to go fishing. She wanted to cook fish for dinner. Soon La Upe went to the river, bringing his fishing rod. He had been in the river for hours, but he still did not catch any fish. He was ressless.
Suddenly, he felt his fishing rod caught an item. Yes! He caught a big fish! Suprisingly, the fish talked to La Upe, "Please let me go. I am the king of fish. If you let me go, I will give you power. You can do whatever you want."
"Really?"
"Yes. You only need to say, "By the God Mercy," replied the fish.
Then, La Upe released the fish. The fish swam and slowly disappeared.
When he had arrived home, his stepmother asked,"Where's the fish?"
"I caught a big fish, but I released it to the river," daid La Upe.
"You, what?" His stepmother was so furious.
La Upe remainded silent, but when his stepmother would hit him, he used the power given by the king of fish. He hoped his stepmother treat him well, "Let my stepmother get stuck to the door by the God's mercy!"
Amazingly, his stepmother was stick to the doie and could not move. It seeed that she was glued at the door. His stepmother cried,"Please help me La Upe. I promise, I will be good to you."
La Upe smiled, "I will help you, but remember, you have to keep your promise."
Then, he spelled,"Let my stepmother free by The God's mercy"
After that, his stepmother was free. She was so grateful and as her promise, she treated La Upe very well.
A few days later, the king made an announcement. The prince was ill and the palace healer could not cure her. The king told his people that if a man could cure his daughter, he could be his son-in-law.
Hearing the announcement, La Upe went to the palace, to heal the princess. Sitting near thr princess. La Upe uttered.,"Let the princess recovered by The God's mercy!"
Amazingly, the princess was healed! The king was very delight and asked, "Thank you very much. May I know how you could heal my daughter?"
La Upe told the king about his family and the king of fish. The king was so touched and said,"I think you will be a good husband for my daughter."
Then the king held a great wedding party for La Upe and his daughter. Years later, the king died and La Upe became the new king. He led the kingdom wisely so that people lived happily and peacefully.
Answer the following questions.
1. What was La Upe like?
2. When did La Upe's stepmother hit him?
3. When did La Upe meet the king of fish?
4. Why did the king of fish give power to La Upe?
5. What did La Upe's stepmother feel when La Upe arrived at home from fishing?
6. What happened to La Upe'stepmother when sge was going to hit La Upe?
7. Who was seriously ill?
8. How did La Upe do to cure the sixk person?
9. What finnaly happened to La Upe?
10. What can we learn from the story?