Long time ago in the Batam island countryside, there was a village where an orphan named Ma Bongsu lived. She was a maid servant of Mak* Piah. Mak Piah had a daughter named Siti Mayang. One day, Ma Bongsu washed clothes in a river, when suddenly she screamed in fear, “Snake…!” when seeing a snake approached. But apparently the snake seemed not ferocious, he swam here and there while showing the wound on his back. Ma Bongsu summoned up courage took the hurt snake and brought him home.

She treated the snake very well to cure the wound. Later, the snake was recovered from his wound. He became healthy and bigger. His skin peeled off little by little. Ma Bongsu picked up the peeled off snake skin, and burned it. Amazingly… every time she burned it, the big smoke emerged. If the smoke headed to a rich country, then suddenly there were heaps of diamond gold and money. If the smoke headed to the more developed country, various useful tools flowed to her. And when the smoke headed to Banda Lampung city, Lampung tapis clothes** came surrounding her.

In the time of two or three months, Ma Bongsu became very rich, she even richer than Mak Piah her employer. The wealth of Ma Bongsu made people in the village was wondering..

“Ma Bongsu must use tuyul***,” thought Mak Piah. Her husband, Pak Buntal declined his wife's statement, “Not tuyul! She stole my wealth!"

Many people became curious and tried to find out where her wealth came from. It is not easy to find out the source of her wealth. Some of curious village people had investigated for days but could not find the secret.

Moreover the neighbors thanked to Ma Bongsu, because she always gave proper help for their everyday life. Apart from them, Ma Bongsu also helped the orphan's children, the sick people and other needy people who indeed needed help. “Ma Bongsu is obviously a generous person,” people always said.

The malicious Mak Piah and Siti Mayang carried out surveillance of to the house of Ma Bongsu almost every night.

“What is the big snake in there?” muttered Mak Piah. “From its burnt peeled off skin there come so much treasure?” he muttered again.

“Hmm, I can do that too. Just find the big snake and burn the skin,” said Mak Piah. Mak Piah walked to the forest looked for a snake. Not too long, she then got a venomous snake.

“From this venomous snake I will definitely get treasure more than that Ma Bongsu can get,” thought Mak Piah. She brought home the snake.

In the evening the venomous snake was lulled with Siti Mayang.

“I'm afraid, mother! The snake coils around and bit me!” screamed Siti Mayang fearful.

“My daughter, don't be afraid. Behold, soon the snake will generate treasure,” said Mak Piah.

In the meantime, the wounded snake belonging to Ma Bongsu recovered.

Ma Bongsu loved her snake even more. When Ma Bongsu served food and the drink for the snake, she was suddenly very startled.

“Don't be afraid. Tonight take me to the river, the place where you found me,” the snake whispered like humankind.

Then Ma Bongsu accompanied the snake to the river. In the riverbank, the snake revealed his feeling.

“Ma Bongsu, I want to repay the sincere treatment you have showed to me,” revealed the snake. “I want to propose you to be my wife,” he continued. Ma Bongsu was very surprised, she could not answer even one word. Moreover she became confused.

The snake immediately dated his skin and instantly turned into a handsome and courageous young man. The skin of the magic snake then turned into a palace located in the front yard of the Ma bongsu's hut.

Further, the village then had been given the name of the Tiban village, originally from word of "Ketiban", meaning receiving of luck and happiness.

Finally, Ma Bongsu held the marriage with the young handsome man. The party was then held three days and three nights.

It seems, the meeting river of Ma Bongsu and the magic snake, was believed as the place of people who meet their love partners. The river currently acknowledged as “Sungai Jodoh” or the mate river.

* Mak = Mother, ma'am (Malay, Indonesian term) 

** Tapis = Lampung traditional embroidered weavings

*** Tuyul = Spirit creature, usually used to steal money (Indonesian culture, see here) 

(Sumateran Folk Tale)