The Legend Of Singaraja

Folklore from Bali

SRI Sagening was the king of Klungkung Kingdom, Bali. He had a lot of wives. His last wife was Ni Luh Pasek. She was the most beautiful wife and that made the other wives were jealous. They often told bad things to the king. Sadly, the king was influenced and he finally asked Ni Luh Pasek to leave the palace. Ni Luh Pasek was very sad, but she had no other choice. She became very sad when she knew that she was pregnant! Ni Luh Pasek arrived at a village. An old man felt very sorry with her condition. His name was Jelantik Bogol. He was a holy man and had supernatural power. He married Ni Luh Pasek. And when the baby was born, Jelantik Bogol named him I Gusti Gede. He loved I gusti Gede just like his own son.


I Gusti Gede grew as a strong man. He also mastered a lot of skills such as martial arts and supernatural power. His step father taught him the skills. One day his step father asked him to go to a jungle in Den Hill. It was the place Ni Luh Pasek was born. Jelantik Bogol asked him to go there to get more supernatural power. Before he left, his step father gave him two weapons, a spear and a keris, it's a traditional wavy double-bladed dagger. I Gusti Gede did it. He went to the Den Hill and meditated. While he was meditating, a spirit of the jungle came to him. The spirit spoke to him."You will be a great king. Go to Panumbang beach, help the people there."

I Gusti Gede continued his journey. When he arrived at Panombangan Beach, there was an incident. There was a ship from Bugis sinking at the beach. The people had tried to help, but they did not succeed.

I Gusti Gede wanted to help. He asked the people to stay away from the ship. He prayed and took out hos weapons. Suddenly, two big spirits came out of the spear and the keris.

I Gusti Gede asked the spirits to pull the sinking ships back to sea. The people could not see the spirits. They only saw I Gusti Gede moving his hands. The spirits slowly pulled the ship. In just a minute, a ship just back in the sea. The owner was very happy. He gave some of his wealth to I Gusti Gede. People were amazed with his power. they named him as I Gusti Panji Sakti.

I Gusti Panji Sakti went back to Den Hill. He started to build a village. People came one by one. I Gusti panji Sakti protected them from bad people. Slowly the village became a kingdom. I Gusti Panji Sakti became the king and he named the kingdom as Sukasada.

sukasada became a big kigdom, I Gusti Panji Sakti planned to make another kingdom. He opened up a new area. It was full of buleleng trees. Therefore he named the kingdom as Buleleng Kingdom.

He also build a great palace. People named it Singaraja. Singa means lion and Raja means king. With his power I Gusti Panji Sakti was like a lion. He always protected his people from bad people. While he became a king, Buleleng Kingdom was safe and prosperous.

The Rabbit and the Turtle

One day a rabbit was boasting about how fast he could run. He was laughing at the turtle for being so slow. Much to the rabbit’s surprise, the turtle challenged him to a race. The rabbit thought this was a good joke and accepted the challenge. The fox was to be the umpire of the race. As the race began, the rabbit raced way ahead of the turtle, just like everyone thought. The rabbit got to the halfway point and could not see the turtle anywhere. He was hot and tired and decided to stop and take a short nap. Even if the turtle passed him, he would be able to race to the finish line ahead of him. All this time the turtle kept walking step by step by step. He never quit no matter how hot or tired he got. He just kept going.

However, the rabbit slept longer than he had thought and woke up. He could not see the turtle anywhere! He went at full-speed to the finish line but found the turtle there waiting for him.

Nai Manggale

Cerita rakyat from North Sumatra

Once upon a time in Tapanuli, lived a famous sculptor named Datu Panggana. When he got an order, he went to the forest to look for the most suitable wood and carved it according to the order. One day, he got an inspiration to carve a wood he found. He worked all day in his workshop to carve the wood into a statue of a beautiful woman. Then, he put the statue in front of his house.

Later, a young merchant passed by and saw the statue. His name was Bao Partigatiga. He was very impressed by the beauty of the statue. He then put beautiful clothes and jewelries on the statue. “It’s so beautiful,” he said to himself proudly. The statue looked like a real human. Then he left Datu Panggana’s house.

After that, a priest named Datu Partoar and his wife passed by. They were also impressed by the beauty of the statue. "I want to pray to God to make her live like a real human. I want to make her as our daughter," said Datu Partoar to his wife. The couple didn’t have any children yet. The statue changed into a very beautiful girl. Datu Partoar and his wife then took the girl home. They named her Nai Manggale.

The news about Nai Manggale’s beauty spread throughout the village. All the villagers came to Datu Partoar’s house to see Nai Manggale. Among them were Datu Panggana and Bao Partigatiga. Nai Manggale honestly told the villagers that she was actually a statue which became a living woman by the grace of God.

Datu Panggana went after Datu Partoar to claim his own creation and Bao Partigatiga also claimed his right for the living statue. “It was me who carved her from a wood. So, she is mine,” said Datu Panggana. “She is wearing my clothes and jewelries. So, she should go with me,” said Bao Partigatiga. "Remember, I am the one who made her live like a human. So, she stays here," Datu Partoar also join in the argument.

Those three men were arguing. They claimed to have the rights of Nai Manggale. To calm them, an elderly of the village gave a solution. His name was Aji Bahir. "You all can have her and have a relationship with her. Datu Panggana, you’re her uncle. Bao Partigatiga, you’re her brother. And Datu Partoar, you’re her father." The three men accepted Aji Bahir's advice. And they were happy because now they were related.***


 

The Blowpiper

Long time ago in a small village in Bangka Island, lived a young man who was an expert in using blowpipe, especially for hunting. That why people in the village called him the blowpiper. He also had excellent medical skill that was passed down from his late father. One day, the village chief Pak Raje came to the blowpiper’s house, asking him to chase away the fold of wild boars that entered and ruined his paddies. Pak Raje told the blowpiper that his father once owed him some money. Thus, the blowpiper should work for him voluntarily. The blowpiper took the job, though he would not be paid.

In the next day, the blowpiper went to Pak Raje‘s field. He watched the field and did some patrols to every side of the fields. He watched the field everyday, but he still not found any suspicious movements. Entering the seventh day of his work, the blowpiper noticed a suspicious movement from the far distance. He walked slowly to the source of voice where he saw a fold of boars trying to enter the field. The blowpiper then hid behind a big tree with a blowpipe in his hand. When the fold of boars ruined the paddies, the blowpiper pointed his blowpipe toward one of the boars that was closest to him. He blew his blowpipe. The dart hit the boar, but it didn’t paralyze the boar as the blowpiper expected. The fold of boars then runs outside the field and disappeared from the blowpiper‘s view. “Hmm... My dart had hit one of them, it must hurt it,” said the blowpiper curiously.

In the morning, the blowpiper went to follow the blood trail of the boar he shot last night. The trail led him to the forest and finally it ended in front of a big cave. Cautiously, the blowpiper entered the cave. He was surprised to found a beautiful lady bleeding on a soft bed, surrounded by some other beautiful ladies. One of them was an old lady, the mother of the fainted lady. “Who are you? What are you doing here?” asked the old lady. “I’m sorry to interrupt. I’m looking for my lost dart, it was stuck to a wild boar,” the blowpiper explained to the old lady. “The stuff you are looking for is on my daughter,” said the old lady angrily. “How come it is on your daughter?” asked the blowpiper surprised. “That’s because... the boar that you shot with your blowpipe last night is in fact my daughter‘s manifestation,” explained the old woman sadly.

The old woman‘s explanation surprised the blowpiper. “So..., all of you were the boars that I saw last night?” asked the young man. “What you have said is right young man,” answered the old woman softly. “I did not mean to…. I am so sorry to hear that. I would not do that if I knew that the boars were you,” the blowpiper apologized. “Never mind,” said the old woman. “Forget all about that. The most important thing right now is how to release the dart from my daughter‘s body,” added the old woman sadly. “I can help you with that,” said the blowiper. He came closer to the beautiful lady and uncovered the blanket. He then took out the dart from her body and with his medical skill he immediately stopped the bleeding.

In a short time, the wound recovered, leaving no traces. “Now, she has recovered. Let me go home now. May be we can meet again someday,” said the blowpiper politely. “Yes young man... But before you leave, I have something to give to you as my gratitude,” said the old lady while giving the blowpiper a wooden box. “Do not open the box until you’re in home,” added the old lady. “Thank you for your kindness,” said the blowpiper. He then left the cave and returned home. At his home, the blowpiper opened the wooden box. Surprisingly, the young man found jewelry, gold and diamonds inside the box. “Wow...! I’m rich,” murmured the young man happily.

In the next morning, the blowpiper sold all the precious stuff and used the money he got to purchase a field, garden, house, and paid all debt his father had owed to Pak Raje. The news about the blowpiper fortune quickly spread throughout the village. Everyone knew including Pak Raje. He intended to be like the blowpiper, so he went to borrow the blowpipe from the blowpiper to hunt a boar in his own field. On the way, he met with a boar, and shot it with the blowpipe. Then he followed the blood trail left by the boar until he entered the cave. It was like what happened with the blowpiper. Pak Raje was asked to cure the bleeding woman, but he could do that as he had no such skill. Suddenly, tens of boars attacked him, making him bleeding and seriously wounded. With all his strength, he escaped from the cave. He fainted when he finally arrived in front of his own house.

Pak Raje’s daughter informed what happened to her father to the blowpiper. Hearing the bad news, the blowpiper rushed to Pak Raje‘s house to help him. With his medical skill, he tried to cure Pak Raje’s injuries. Finally, Pak Raje could make it and recovered from his serious wounds. After thinking about what he had been through, Pak Raje realized his own bad intention. He felt sorry for being greedy. “Thank you, young man. You’ve help me once again. As my gratitude, I would like to appoint you as the next village chief. Would you accept?” asked Pak Raje. “Of course, Pak Raje. Thank you,” answered the blowpiper happily.

After a week, the blowpiper asked Pak Raje’s daughter to be his wife. They live happily as a couple. The blowpiper was a polite and kind person, and Pak Raje’s daughter was a beautiful woman. Under the leadership of the blowpiper, all the villagers lived in prosperous and harmony.***

Manik Angkeran

A long time ago, lived a rich man named Begawan Sidi Mantra. He was very famous for his kindness and also for his supernatural power. He had a son named Manik Angkeran who liked to gamble. Because of Manik Angkeran’s bad habit, his father soon bankrupt. Begawan Sidi Mantra had spent all of his money to pay his son‘s debts. But, Manik Angkeran still liked to gamble and he still owed some people a lot of money.

Begawan Sidi Mantra wanted to help his son to pay the remaining debts. He meditated for days, and finally he got a clue from the gods to go to Agung Mountain. He went to the mountain. There, he met with a dragon named Naga Besukih. It is said that Naga Besukih could provide gold and jewelries to those who could say a certain prayer and ring the sacred bell. Fortunately, Begawan Sidi Mantra had the bell, and he also knew the prayer from his meditation. “My name is Sidi Mantra. I have a problem. My son likes to gamble. I’ve spent all of my money to pay his debts, but it’s still not enough. I came here to ask for your help,” explained Begawan Sidi Mantra after he met with Naga Besukih. “I’ll help you, but you have to advise your son so he would not gamble again,” said Naga Besukih. The dragon then shakes his body and cause some of his scales fall of. Magically, the scales turn into gold and diamonds.
Begawan Sidi Mantra took the gold and diamonds and return home. He paid all the remaining debt and advised his son about his gambling habit. Manik Angkeran promised to stop gambling, but soon he broke the promise. Bagawan Sidi Mantra had to go to the dragon for help once again. “What brought you here again?” asked Naga Besukih. “I’m very sorry, Naga Besukih. My son had disappointed me; he broke his promise to me. I beg for your help once again,” said Begawan Sidi Mantra to the dragon. “I’ll help you, but this is the last time,” said Naga Besukih.

Begawan Sidi Mantra once again paid Manik Angkeran’s debts and advised him not to gamble again. Manik Angkeran promised and soon he broke his promise again. This time, Begawan Sidi Mantra didn’t want to help him anymore. He was too ashamed to meet with the dragon.

Manik Angkeran knew that his father got the jewelries from the dragon. So, he stole his father’s sacred bell and went to Agung Mountain. After he arrived, Manik Angkeran rang the bell. Naga Besukih heard the bell but there’s no prayer. He decided to see who was calling him. “Hey, Manik Angkeran. What are you doing here with your father’s bell? Did you steal it?” asked Naga Besukih angrily when he saw Manik Angkeran. “Please help me, Naga Besukih. I really need the money to pay my debts. Those people would kill me if I don’t pay them in time. Please, I beg for your mercy,” said Manik Angkeran to the dragon. “Okay, I’ll help you. But this is the last time, and you have to promise to stop gambling,” Naga Besukih then give him the jewelries.

But suddenly, Manik Angkeran had a bad idea. He wanted to kill the dragon and take all the jewelries. So he drew his keris and attacked Naga Besukih. He managed to cut the dragon’s tail, but he was no match for Naga Besukih. With his great power, Naga Besukih burned Manik Angkeran and killed him instantly.

In his home, Begawan Sidi Mantra couldn’t find his sacred bell. He knew that his son had stolen it, so he went to Agung Mountain. He was so sad when he found out what happened in the mountain. “I’m very sorry, Naga Besukih. But he was my only son. I beg you, please bring him back to life,” Begawan Sidi Mantra begged the dragon for mercy. Naga Besukih agreed with one condition, Manik Angkeran had to stay at Agung Mountain. Naga Besukih said some prayer and after few moments, Manik Angkeran lived again. Begawan Sidi Mantra then used a stick to make a big line between them on the ground. From the line, water flowed. Soon it became a river. Finally it became a strait. It separated Java and Bali. People then named the strait as Bali Strait.***

narrative tex from Bali

sangkuriang

Long time ago in West Java, lived a beautiful girl named Dayang Sumbi. She was also smart and clever. Her beauty and intelligence made a prince from the heavenly kingdom of Kahyangan desire her as his wife. The prince asked permission from his father to marry Dayang Sumbi. People from Kahyangan could never live side by side with humans, but his father approved on one condition, when they had a child, the prince would transform into a dog. The prince accepted the condition.
They get married and lived happily in the woods until Dayang Sumbi gave birth to a baby boy. The prince then changed into a dog named Tumang. Their son is named Sangkuriang. He was very smart and handsome like his father. Everyday, he hunted animals and looked for fruits to eat. One day, when he was hunting, Sangkuriang accidentally killed Tumang. His arrow missed the deer he was targeting and hit Tumang instead. He went home and tells her mother about the dog. “What?” Dayang Sumbi was appalled. Driven by sadness and anger, she grabbed a weaving tool and hit Sangkuriang’s head with it. Dayang Sumbi was so sad; she didn’t pay any attention to Sangkuriang and started to cry.

Sangkuriang feel sad and also confused. How can his mother love a dog more than him? Sangkuriang then decided to go away from their home and went on a journey. In the morning, Dayang Sumbi finally stopped crying. She started to feel better, so she went to find Sangkuriang. But her son was no where to be found. She looked everywhere but still couldn’t find him. Finally, she went home with nothing. She was exhausted. She fell asleep, and in her dream, she meets her husband. “Dayang Sumbi, don’t be sad. Go look for my body in the woods and get the heart. Soak it with water, and use the water to bathe, and you will look young forever,” said the prince in her dream. After bathing with the water used to soak the dog’s heart, Dayang Sumbi looked more beautiful and even younger.

And time passed by. Sangkuriang on his journey stopped at a village and met and fell in love with a beautiful girl.He didn't realize that the village was his homeland and the beautiful girl was his own mother, Dayang Sumbi. Their love grew naturally and he asked the girl to marry him. One day, Sangkuriang was going on a hunt. He asked Dayang Sumbi to fix the turban on his head. Dayang Sumbi was startled when she saw a scar on his head at the same place where she, years ago, hit Sangkuriang on the head.

After the young man left, Dayang Sumbi prayed for guidance. After praying, she became convinced that the young man was indeed her missing son. She realized that she had to do something to prevent Sangkuriang from marrying her. But she did not wish to disappoint him by cancelling the wedding. So, although she agreed to marry Sangkuriang, she would do so only on the condition that he provides her with a lake and built a beautiful boat, all in one night.

Sangkuriang accepted this condition without a doubt. He had spent his youth studying magical arts. After the sun went down, Sangkuriang went to the hill. Then he called a group of genie to build a dam around Citarum River. Then, he commands the genies to cut down trees and build a boat. A few moments before dawn, Sangkuriang and his genie servants almost finished the boat.

Dayang Sumbi, who had been spying on him, realised that Sangkuriang would fulfill the condition she had set. Dayang Sumbi immediately woke all the women in the village and asked them to wave a long red scarf. All the women in the village were waving red scarf, making it look as if dawn was breaking. Deceived by false dawn, the cock crowed and farmers rose for the new day.

Sangkuriang’s genie servants immediately dropped their work and ran for cover from the sun, which they feared. Sangkuriang grew furious. With all his anger, he kicked the unfinished boat. The boat flew and landed on a valley. The boat then became a mountain, called Mount Tangkuban Perahu (Tangkuban means upturned or upside down, and Perahu means boat). With his power, he destroyed the dam. The water drained from the lake becoming a wide plain and nowadays became a city called Bandung (from the word Bendung, which means Dam).***

narrative text from west java