The Legend of Crying Stone

Once upon a time in Borneo, there lived a poor widow and her daughter. The girl was incredibly beautiful, but she had a lazy and spoiled nature. She loved to dress up every day, but never lifted a finger to help her mother with any chores or responsibilities. One day, the widow and her daughter decided to go to the village to buy some necessary items. The market was quite far from their house, so they had to walk there. The daughter, as usual, got dressed in her finest clothes and walked ahead of her mother, while the widow walked behind, carrying a heavy basket and wearing dirty, worn-out clothes. As they walked through the village, nobody could tell that they were mother and daughter. The daughter's beauty and elegance made her stand out, while the widow's appearance made her blend into the background. People couldn't help but admire the girl's beauty, but they also felt sorry for the widow, assuming she was just a poor old woman. Little did they know, the widow had a secret. She possessed a magical stone that had the power to grant wishes. This stone was known as the Crying Stone, as it would shed tears whenever someone made a wish. The widow had kept this stone hidden from her daughter, waiting for the right moment to reveal its power. As they reached the market, the daughter's laziness and selfishness became more apparent. She refused to help her mother carry the heavy basket and instead focused on her own desires. She would stop at every stall, admiring the beautiful clothes and accessories, but never offering to buy anything for her mother. The widow, tired and disappointed by her daughter's behavior, decided it was time to teach her a lesson. She took out the Crying Stone and explained its power to her daughter. The girl was intrigued but skeptical. She thought it was just another one of her mother's stories. To prove the stone's power, the widow made a wish for a beautiful dress for her daughter. As soon as she finished her wish, the stone started shedding tears. The daughter was amazed and excited. She quickly made a wish for a grand feast, and again, the stone shed tears. The daughter's greed and selfishness grew with each wish she made. She wished for expensive jewelry, a luxurious house, and even servants to cater to her every need. And every time, the stone shed tears, granting her wishes. But as the daughter's wishes became more extravagant, the stone's tears turned into sobs. The more she asked for, the more the stone cried. The daughter didn't notice the stone's distress, blinded by her own desires. One day, as the daughter made yet another wish for a lavish party, the stone couldn't take it anymore. It burst into tears, flooding the village with its sorrow. The villagers were shocked and confused, not understanding why the stone was crying so uncontrollably. The widow, realizing the consequences of her daughter's greed, took the stone and apologized for her daughter's actions. She made a wish for the stone to stop crying and for her daughter to learn the importance of humility and gratitude. From that day on, the daughter's attitude changed completely. She realized the error of her ways and started helping her mother with the household chores. She learned to appreciate the simple things in life and to be grateful for what she had. The Crying Stone became a symbol of the consequences of greed and the importance of humility. It served as a reminder to the villagers to be content with what they had and to always be grateful. And the daughter, once known for her beauty and laziness, became known for her kindness and humility. And so, the legend of the Crying Stone lived on, teaching generations to come the valuable lesson of appreciating the blessings in life and the dangers of unchecked desires.