There once lived two friends, Mama Inggo and Siso. Wherever Mama Inggo went Siso followed. However, Mama Inggo was boastful while Siso was humble.
One day, Mama Inggo told Siso, "Tomorrow is the big market day. Let's go to the market and I'll show you how powerful I am. Everybody in the market respects me. All the vendors are my friends. I can get anything I want without paying for it. Bring a big basket to put in all the things we shall get."
Siso did not believe Mama Inggo. He wanted to find out if Mama Inggo was equal to his boast. So he said, "I want a pair of shoes, Mama Inggo. I want some food for my family. Can you get these without paying for them.
"You'll see," replied Mama Inggo.
Next morning, Mama Inggo and Siso went to the market and entered a shoe store.
Mama Inggo greeted the storekeeper politely. He raised his hat and put it on again. "I'm here," he told the storekeeper. "I want those shoes for my friend." he added, pointing to the shoes he wanted.
The storekeeper reached up for the shoes and gave them to Mama Inggo.
"Here," Mama Inggo told Siso as they walked away," put these shoes in your basket."
Mama Inggo and Siso went to the other storekeep- ers and vendors. They took many things. Siso was sur- prised to see that Mama Inggo did not bother to pay for any of the things they took. The storekeepers and vendors did not complain. Siso wondered more and more.
At last, the basket was full of goods. Siso could hardly carry it and, being tired, told Mama Inggo, "I'm convinced that you're a powerful man indeed. Please teach me how to be as powerful as you are."
"That's easy," Mama Inggo said on their way home. Borrow my hat and do what I did."
So Siso borrowed Mama Inggo's hat the next morn- ing and hurried off to the market. He greeted the meat vendor politely and said, "I'm here, I want that piece of meat."
The vendor gave Siso the meat he wanted. "You for- got the payment," the vendor added as Siso turned to go.
Siso hurried away and lost himself in the crowd. Next he went to a merchant selling cloth. He told the merchant to give him ten meters of cloth. The merchant measured off ten meters of his most expensive cloth, gave it to Siso and waited for Siso to pay.
Again Siso left without paying and managed to lose himself in the crowd.
Siso next entered a shoe store. It was the same shoe store that he and Mama Inggo had gone to, the day before.
Siso pointed to a costly pair of shoes and said, "I want those nice shoes."
The storekeeper gave Siso the shoes and, with- out paying, Siso hastened to leave. This time the storekeeper was able to grab Siso. After which Siso was put in jail.
Siso did not know that Mama Inggo had Paid for his purchases in advance.