Kesuna and Bawang: Two Sisters Who Have Completely Opposite Characters

Illustration of Kesuna and Bawang with their mother who shows favoritism (Source: Personal Collection)

The story of Kesuna and Bawang is one of the most famous Balinese folktales. The story tells of two sisters who are very different in nature and fate. Kesuna is a diligent child and obedient to his parents. He always helps others and works hard to achieve his goals. Meanwhile, Bawang is a lazy and mischievous child. He often plays tricks on others and never thinks about the consequences of his actions. Kesuna and Bawang still have both complete parents, her father who is working in a rice field. And there is a mother who likes to go shopping and likes to prepare a bonfire for cooking purposes. One day, the mother wanted to go to the market and maybe the mother would be home longer, then the mother also told the two of them to go pound the morning and clean the chaff. 

Illustration of Kesuna pounding rice until exhausted (Source: Personal Collection)

Then after receiving orders from the mother, Bawang immediately told Kesuna to share the task, Kesuna was in charge of pounding rice and Bawang was in charge of cleaning the husks.Then kesuna went to pound rice for so long that he was tired and sweaty. After all this time the kesuna went to pound rice, then the kesuna went back to where Bawang was relaxing and wanted to take turns working to clean the husks as said by the previous Bawang. But Bawang said, “You all clean the husks, later I will clean the house, so that if you come home, you can immediately cook the rice.” Instead of cleaning the house, Bawang still relaxed and did not carry out his duties.

Illustration of Kesuna doing the work that Bawang should be doing (Source: Personal Collection)

After Kesuna cleaned the husk too, Kesuna returned to Bawang and saw Bawang who was still relaxing and not cleaning the house, then Kesuna asked Bawang “Bawang, I have cleaned the husk, why don't you clean the house like you told me?”. But Bawang replied “why don't you all let me help mom cook later”. Even though she was tired, Kesuna still followed Bawang's words to clean the house. After Kesuna was tired of doing all the housework that her mother told her to do alone, Kesuna wanted to go to rest and bathe in the river.