Asmat Folklore

B I S A U T

Once upon a time, there was aa beautiful girl named Bisaut. She had a delicate skin, and shining eyes. Her body was tall and healthy. Bisaut was getting older and older, than she had to get married. Bisaut’s family made her marry a bad boy who had skin illness-Kaskado—that bad guy was also had a bad character. Bisaut was afraid of that man and wanted to refuse him, but she was not able to refuse him. That was a erry common thing happended in this place. A girl even did not have any rights to choose her life. Then, the marriage happened, and Bisaut felt the day that never been imagine before.

Bisaut was very beautiful, so that many people were falling in love with her. It made her husband was jealous, he wanted her to  know him only. Whenever, her husband went hunt, Bisaut was always captivated in her house. When he came home, he would lock up his wife. When he saw his wife wanted to go out from his house, he would e angry and stroke her badly. One again, Bisaut unable to help herself. She refuse this marriage before, but she had not authority to do that. Then, she wanted to release herself from her husband’s cruelty, unfortunately, she failed. She was locked up for days, weeks, and even months. Bisaut became so sad, skinny, and dull. She lost her beauty. She understood that having a family was not well as what she thought before. Bisaut could not stand tall anymore. This marriage was so irritating.

Several times later, Bisaut family heard about this condition. They wanted to see her. They arrived there when her husbnd went hunting. They were shocked when they saw Bisaut’s condition. “Oh god, what happen to you, my beautiful lady, we thought that you are happy in yor marriage. We re sorry for making you marry him. But don’t be worried, we shall help you then”. One of her family said that.

Then they are made strategy, when the husband was going out, th family came. This time, they wanted to take her with them. They needed to give much food, so that she was strong enought to go. They wanted to go far away from Bisaut’s husband.

Fortunately , when they did their journey, they met Fumiripits at his big house. Bisaut was falling in love with Fumiripits, and so did he. Then they had their marriage, and lived happily in that big house.

Bisaut’s husband was so shocked when he found his wife was not here. He searched Bisaut in every corner of the house, but his wife was not here. “Bisaut was gone, you did not treat her well, so that she went away ,” that was what his neightbor said. Listened to his neighbor statement, the husband cried loudly, he was sorry for Bisaut’s leaving. He was sorry for his mistakes. Whatever it was, regret would always come late. The man missed Bisaut so much, but his yearning would be endless yearning. That woman leaved her without any massage. Then, he realized that he was nothing without his wifw.

Kaspar Manmak and Dewi Linggasari