The best stories definitely come from my Grandma Isolde. Have you heard them yet? Those stories are from Indonesia. She draws the most colorful illustrations to go with them! My favorite is the story about the tiger Harimau. Shall I tell you that one?
Harimau is a big, tough tiger! And not just any tiger—she’s a really beautiful and colorful tiger! Just look! Harimau is all alone, though, and she’d love to have someone to play with. To go on adventures together!
During her journey through the jungle, she meets all kinds of animals. She’d love to play with them. Look at that delicate, light-colored butterfly, Kupu-Kupu. The big, sturdy elephant, Gaja. And there’s the cautious, shy hedgehog, Landak. I wonder if any of them would like to be her friend?
When Harimau plays with Kupu-Kupu, Kupu-Kupu tears her wing. Gaja is startled by Harimau’s loud roar. And Landak gets kicked away by Harimau like a soccer ball. No one seems to be a suitable playmate for her. Sadly, she searches for a solution. She’ll just play by herself then. She doesn’t need anyone at all! At the edge of the lake, she looks into the water. Who does she see there? From that moment on, things seem to be going better with Harimau—or do they?
Harimau takes you on a journey to the enchanting jungles of Indonesia. She shows us that everyone is different and that we all have our own interests. She teaches us that sometimes a tiger has to adapt to play together, but also that there’s always a wonderful adventure to be had!