Once upon a time near a riverbank in West Sumatra, there was Pak* Lebai. He was a scholar in the village where he lived. One day he was invited to parties held by two rich families in the neighbouring villages. Pak Lebai was confused to choose which party he would attend to. The locations of those events apparently so far apart.

If he attend to the first invitation in the upstream riverbank, the host would serve people two buffalo heads. However he heard that the food cooked by the host's wife was terrible. Besides, he didn't know the host very well. If he attend to the second invitation he would enjoy only one buffalo head. But the food was very good with extra snacks served. Furthermore, he knew the host very well.

Pak Lebai started to row his boat. He hadn't even made up his mind. He rowed doubltly to the downstream river. But suddenly he changed his mind and turned back to the upstream river. When he got closer to the upstream river he met with several guests rowing boats to the opposite direction. They told him that the buffaloes served were very skinny.

Pak Lebai turned back following those people. He quickly rowed his boat but unfortunately they all found that the party was over and the guests had already gone home. Pak Lebai then rowed in hurry back to the  upstream river but he also found that the party was over too. He was very exhausted and hungry. He decided to go fishing. Pak Lebai then went home to pick up his fishing tackle and get his dog along. He also brought rice to be eaten with the fish.

Arrived in the riverbank, he started fishing. After minutes waiting in hunger, he felt the bait was eaten by a fish. He tried to reel in the fishing rod but it was too heavy. He found that the fish was stuck between two stones. Pak Lebai released that big fish but suddenly it slipped out and disappeared. He was very upset and walked to the riverbank where he put his rice and decided to eat the rice without fish as side dish. But he found that his rice was eaten up by his dog.

The moral of this story is someone will get paid for his or her greediness. So don't be greedy.

*Pak = Mister 

(Sumateran Folk Tale)