 Dasima is a njai ( concubine ) for the Englishman Edward William . Together with their daughter , Nancy , the couple live in a home near Gambir Square in Batavia ( modern day Jakarta ) . Their happy life is disturbed after the delman driver Samioen falls in love with Dasima , despite already being married to Hajati . He attempts to use magic ( goena @-@ goena ) to win her heart , and asks an egg merchant , Mak Boejoeng , to frighten Dasima by telling the young woman that she has committed the sin of zina ( extramarital sex ) . 
