When a simple merchant, his young son and mute servant are out in the woods, theychance upon a drifting boat, in which there is a baby girl and a bowl containing alive goldfish. The merchant realises that the baby is unusual because her life isbonded to the fish: if the fish leaves the water, she stops breathing. Themerchant adopts the baby as her own and names her Bidasari. Years later Bidasarigrows up into a beautiful young woman while the merchant has prospered into awealthy businessman. At the royal palace of this kingdom, the King has justremarried a beautiful woman, the Permaisuri (Queen). The Permaisuri is a proudwoman who secretly practises witchcraft. Hidden in her chambers is a magic mirrorthat can show her anything she asks. She uses it to ask who the most beautiful inall the land is.One day when she asks the mirrorthis question, the image of Bidasari appears init. She is enraged by this and carries out a search to find who Bidasari is. Hersearch leads her to the merchant's house. Under the guise of kindness, thePermaisuri asks the merchant for permission to bring Bidasari to the palace to beher companion. Although the merchant is reluctant to part with his beloveddaughter, he lets her go. But once Bidasari arrives at the palace, she is sent tothe kitchens as a servant, where she is starved and given the dirtiest jobs. Afterthe Permaisuri is satisfied that Bidasari has been ruined, she once again asks hermagic mirror who is the most beautiful in the land. When the mirrorshows Bidasariyet again, the Permaisuri flies into a rage and runs to the kitchen where shegrabs burning pieces of firewood which she tries to burn Bidasari's face with. Sheis shocked when the fire goes out and Bidasari's face is left untouched. Bidasari,who has by now realised that the Permaisuri's malice is targeted only at her andwill never stop, begs for mercy and explains her life is bonded to that of a fishthat is kept in a bowl in her father's garden.The Permaisuri has a servant steal the fish for her from the merchant's garden,and as soon as the fish leaves the water, Bidasari collapses and stops breathing.Satisfied that Bidasari's life is in her hands, the Permaisuri hangs the fisharound her neck as a trophy. When she asks the mirror who is the most beautiful inthe land, the mirror shows her own image. The merchant realises that the fish ismissing, and is told that Bidasari died mysteriously at the palace. Her body isreturned to him and he builds a small tomb for her in the woodswhere her body islaid out in peace. Meanwhile, the Permaisuri's stepson the Prince has been havingdreams about Bidasari, although he has never met her. The dreams plague him evenin his waking hours, despite his father's advice that such a beautiful womancannot exist. The Permaisuri sees her stepson acting this way and plants apainting of Bidasari in his room. The Prince finds the painting, which leads himto the merchant who explains the sad tale of Bidasari's death and the mysteriousdisappearance of the fish. The Prince decides to visit Bidasari's tomb to see herbeauty with his own eyes. Coincidentally at this time, back at the palace thePermaisuri is having a bath in the royal bathing pool.The fish manages to break free of its locket and drops into the water where itstarts swimming. This causes Bidasari to wake up right before the Prince's eyes.Bidasari tells him of what the Permaisuri did to her, which confirms the Prince'ssuspicions of his stepmother. When the Permaisuri finishes her bath, she discoversthatthe fishhas gotten free. She manages to catch it just as the Prince is about tohelp Bidasari leave the tomb, causing her to fall unconscious again. The Princeplaces Bidasari back in the tomb and promises to make things right. The Princereturns to the palace in a fury, demanding that the Permaisuri give him the fish.The Permaisuri pretends not to know anything, and when the King listens to thePrince's explanation, the King declares that his son has gone insane and calls theroyal guards. A fight ensues, during which the Permaisuri is injured and dies.Just before the Prince is about to be captured, the merchant and the Prince'sloyal manservants arrive with Bidasari on a stretcher. The merchant explains that
the story about the fish being bonded to Bidasari's life is true. The Prince takesthe fish from the locket around the Permaisuri's neck and puts it into a bowl ofwater. As soon as the fish enters the water, Bidasari comes back to life. The Kingapologises to his son, and the Prince and Bidasari are married
The story of Bidasari contents a lot of moral lessons that can guide us in a right path and it will help us to do good to other, the lessons that i think that is suitable for us base on the story is being contented of what we have, and there is no need to be much better than other, because being you is enough to be acceptable by others.We don't need be Permaisuri just to be more powerful than others. In fact, God made us to be his good son and daugthers.
ReplyDelete