How Lake Toba came into existence ( Folklores )

Long time ago lived in the neighbourhood of a small lake in North Sumatra a foor farmer. He earned his living by working in the fields. He also went into the forest to gather wood.

Every morning he left his hut, but one day he had a strange mood. His store of wood for the kitchen was almost finished. Still he did not feel like going to the forest as he used to do.

At last he took his fishing-rod and left for the lake. Coming to the lake, he threw his hook into the water, then sat on the big stone. A lot of things filled his mind. He thought about his friends whom he envied, as they lived in better conditions and were luckier than he was.

While he was day-dreaming, his hook went up and down all of sudden. Something was pulling at it. A fish? how could it be! But look! There! The farmer was astonished. Could he believe his eyes? Were there any big fish in the lake? He rubbed his eyes many times to make sure whether he was dreaming. Shaking his head, he said: "I am not dreaming. No, I am not."

Without thinking any longer, he pulled at the rod. Indeed, it was a fish! The farmer was very happy, that being the first time he had caught a fish in the lake. But it was strange fish, for its body was white and glittered in the sunshine like a diamond. The farmer was surprised when he tried to touch it. The fish spoke: "Dear farmer, don't take me to your home. Put me in a rice-field containing water and come to see me every day before noon. If you haven't time just come the next day!"

It happened to be the dry season so it was difficult for the farmer to find a rice-field filled with water. At last he saw a rice-field in which there was a small spot of water.

" Can the fish live if I put it down here?" he wondered, but the fish was speaking again: "Dear farmer, I know what you are thinking; just put me in it and again I remind you not to forget to come and see me every day."

"I promise,"the man replied. After having put the fish into the water, the farmer went home. On the way home, he thought about the strange behaviour of the fish and the promise he had to keep.

"Strange,"he said, "it can speak."

The next morning the farmer got up early and went to the rice-field. He was very anxious to see what had happened to the fish.

When he came to the rice-field he was very surprised. There, at the edge of the rice-field he saw a beautiful woman sitting alone. Becoming afraid, the farmer attempted to run away but could not move his legs.

"Poor farmer!" she suddenly said, "don't be afraid. I am the fish that you caught yesterday and left in this place. Now I am showing myself in the guise of human being. Take me home and make me your wife."

The farmer was shocked. But then he agreed. The woman asked him one condition that he won't tell anybody about her origin. He promised. Then they went to the farmer's hut. All the neighbours were astonished at seeing such a beautiful woman, but none asked who she was and where she came from.

The farmer and his wife lived happily together and after two years she bore him a son who was as goodlooking as his mother, with curly hair and eyes as round as fish-eyes.

As usual, when the farmers was working in the field, his wife prepared his meal. She usually took the meal to him by herself. One day, however, she had it done by her son. She said: "Son, hurry! It is already late. Your father will be hungry." The son took the food. But on his way to the rice-field, he met his playmates. They were playing together, running and laughing. The farmer's son stopped walking. He joined the group and forgot the time. For hours he played, then he realized he had to bring food to his father. But he was hungry and ate the rice prepared for his father. Afterwards he ran to him while he was still working in the field, only to tell him that he had eaten up the rice.

The father fell into a rage. He boxed his son's ears and shouted: "You naughty boy, son of fish! Go home! It's no use crying here!" Sobbing he went home. His mother asked him why he was crying. He told her what his father said to him. She said that it was true. She was very disappointed of her husband. Then she told her son to go to a hill.

Within a few minutes the woman beat a drum as hard as she could, in order to be heard far and wide. And what happened? The wind blew tremendously hard from west to east. Trees tumbled down and houses were destroyed. Heavy rain fell as if pouring out from the sky. Lightning flashed, splitting the earth into pieces. In a short time the Toba area was filled up with water, one meter deep. People ran in panic, looking for shelter.

Fortunately, this catastrophe which befell the Toba area did not last long. The flood withdrew after some days and only the spot where the farmer's hut had stood was covered with water. This water did not withdraw but rose gradually higher and higher till it became a lake. And this was later called Lake Toba.