The story takes place in a simple village
household. The head of this family has two wives, and each wife has their own
daughter. Bawang Merah and her mother are jealous of the attention the father
gives Bawang Putih and her mother. When the father dies, Bawang Merah and her
mother take charge of the household and bully Bawang Putih into servitude. One
day, while Bawang Putih’s mother washing the family's laundry in the river,
Bawang Merah's mother pushed her into the water and died. With her real mother
and father dead, the gentle and obedient Bawang Putih is left alone to be
tortured by her cruel stepmother and half-sister.
Bawang Merah and Bawang Putih had opposite characters and personalities. Bawang
Putih was diligent, kind, honest and humble girl. Meanwhile, Bawang Merah was
lazy, glamorous, proud and envious girl. Bawang Merah's bad personality was
worsened because her mother spoiled her. The widow always gave her everything
she wanted. It was Bawang Putih who did all the works in the house. Doing the
laundry, cooking, cleaning, essentially all works were carried out by herself.
Meanwhile, Bawang Merah and the widow just spent times making themselves up,
because when they needed something they could just ask Bawang Putih.
One day…
BM : Hey you! Prepare me warm water
for a bath… My skin is must get warm temperature to be soft.
BP : OK, my sister. I’ll do it (She
boils a pail of water, then pour it into the bathub).
BM : Faster!
BP : Be more patient… (she finishes
it, and get out of the bathroom).
BM : Can you do all of things
quickly? You are not adroit at all (get in into the bathroom).
BP : My goodness… why is she always
hate me?
BM : (roaming) Ouch!! (out from the
bathroom and throw down the door).
BP : (surprised) What happened?
BM : Hey! Where did you place your
head, huh?
BP : Am I did something wrong?
BM : Yes, actually all that you have
done is wrong!
BP : I’m sorry…(bow)
BM : Now you tring to burn my skin!
BP : No..! That’s not.
BM : You are jealous don’t you?
BP : I’m not. I just didn’t realize
the water is that hot. Are you okay? (she looks at Bawang Merah’s hand)
BM : Don’t touch it! (avoid)
BP : That’s okay. I’ll see it, it
will not hurt you… (reach for BM’s hand)
BM : I said don’t touch me! Impudent
kid! (BM slaps BP’s face)
BP : Sis… (she is trying to control
her mind) I want to save you. But you slapped me?
BM : Enough! Cause of your doing, I’m
tired. Go wash my clothes in the river! If you dare to make me dissapointed one
more time, I’ll tell all of your fault to mom.
BP : Please, don’t do that…
BM : Then, go now!
BP : She is quite hate me. God, can
you make my sister like me a bit?
Bawang Putih goes to the river. Washing her sister’s clothes. Suddenly, there’s
a fish approach to her. The fish is able to speak, and tells her that it is her
mother who has came back to comfort her. Bawang is was overjoyed to be able to
speak with her mother again, and secretly visits the pond whenever she can.
One day Bawang Merah sees Bawang Putih sneaking off and secretly follows her to
the pond, where she witnesses Bawang Putih talking to the fish. After Bawang
Putih leaves, Bawang Merah catches it. Then Bawang Merah kills the fish, cook
it and feed it to Bawang Putih without telling her where it came from. BM likes
it & enjoy eating the fish..
Know that BP is so sad, then she said to BM,”Do you know who is
that fish?”. “I don`t know who is it, who actually is it?”, asked BM. BP
anwered,”It`s my beloved mother, now I losed her twice.. Ihiks…ihiks…”.
BP`s crying. Know that BM feells so sorry then said,”Pardon me my
sister, I didn`t mean to do that..”. BP gives sorry to BM. Then, Bawang Putih
gathers the fish bones and bury them in a small grave underneath a tree.
When she visits the grave the next day, she is surprised to see
that a beautiful swing has appeared from one of the tree's branches. When she
sits in the swing and sings an old lullaby & she sings everyday at the
swing. One day, while she was is on the magic swing, a Prince who is hunting
nearby hears her song. The Prince is overjoyed and asks Bawang Putih to marry
him. She agrees. Then, She lives with the prince happily ever after in the
castle.
