Once upon a time in Indragiri, Riau, there lived a poor widow and her son, Tuaka, in a small hut by the river's mouth. They had no relatives or wealth, but they cared deeply for each other. Tuaka helped his mother gather firewood to sell for their daily needs.

One day, while in the forest, they saw two large snakes fighting over a gemstone. After the fight, one snake died, and the other was injured. Tuaka and his mother took the wounded snake home and cared for it. A few days later, the snake disappeared, leaving the gemstone behind. Tuaka and his mother sold the gemstone to start a business.

Tuaka traveled to Temasik with a merchant to sell the gemstone. He became wealthy and decided to stay there, forgetting his mother. Years later, while docking in his hometown, his mother came to greet him. However, Tuaka, ashamed of his poor mother, ordered his crew to send her away.

Heartbroken, his mother prayed for God to teach Tuaka a lesson. As a result, Tuaka was turned into an eagle, and his wife became a dove. They flew over the river, crying, and their tears formed a small stream that grew larger. This river was later named the Tuaka River.

Batang Tuaka - A Folk Tale About A Poor Widow & Her Son

batang-tuaka-a-folk-tale-about-a-poor-widow-her-son

Let's do English ESL general vocabulary practice. Once upon a time in Indragiri, Riau, there lived a poor widow and her son, Tuaka, in a small hut by the river'…