Summary
Highlights
Toba, a diligent but often hungry farmer in Sumatra, goes fishing and catches a large, gold-scaled fish. Back home, while Toba fetches firewood, the fish vanishes, leaving gold coins. He then discovers a beautiful woman in his house, who reveals she was the fish, cursed by gods, and freed by Toba. She offers to cook for him, and Toba is captivated by her.
Toba wishes for the woman to be his wife, and she agrees, but with a strict condition: he must never reveal her origin as a fish, or severe consequences will follow. Toba readily agrees, and they marry. He works hard, and they soon welcome a son named Samosir. However, Samosir grows into a lazy and disobedient child, often frustrating Toba.
Samosir consistently refuses to bring Toba food in the fields. One day, after much persuasion, he agrees but eats most of Toba's meal himself while playing with friends. When Toba discovers his meager portion, he becomes furious and, in a fit of rage, calls Samosir a 'little fish,' breaking his vow to his wife.
Samosir, heartbroken, tells his mother what Toba said. Distraught that Toba broke his promise, she instructs Samosir to run to the hill for safety. The sky darkens, lightning strikes, and a massive flood erupts from the river. Toba's wife jumps into the tide, returning to her fish form. Toba, caught in the flood, drowns. The surging waters eventually form a vast lake, with the hill where Samosir took refuge becoming Samosir Island, and the lake being named Lake Toba.