Indonesia Folklore, Jaka Tarub, Lutung Kasarung, Loro Jonggrang etc

wonkcerbonkw2 · Post time 1-2-2012 04:04 PM

Jaka Tarub and 7 Bidadari (fairy)

Once upon a time there was a young man lived alone in a village. He didn't have anything except his flute that never left his side.
Jaka Tarub, what everyone called him. Everybody in the village love Jaka Tarub because he is such a good man.
As always, Jaka Tarub likes walking around the village to forget his loneliness. When he was going for a walk while engrossed in playing his flute, he didn't realize that he arrived in the middle of a deserted forest. He just knew it when the night came. Now Jaka Tarub was  in the middle of bushes trees and he did not see a single person around it. He only heard the cricket voice and the frog that echoing each other.
"Where am I? I think I got lost," he told himself. But Jaka Tarub didn't worry at all. He kept on walking until he got tired and fell asleep.
In his sleep, Jaka Tarub dreamt seeing a very beautiful butterfly. It color was white reddish. Jaka Tarub tempted to catch the butterfly, but when his hands almost got it, the butterfly flew away. When he woke up, he stared at the sky. At that moment, he saw the butterfly again. It was just like the butterfly in his dream. Jaka Tarub slapped his own face. "Auww," he yelled painfully. This meant that he didn't dream. He felt so hungry and his body was shaking, yet he still awoke thought he didn't believe what he just saw. He blinked his eyes so many times.

Actually, the butterfly was seven fairies who were getting near the earth. Their smells differently. Smell that didn't belong in earth and only the fairies who have it. The looked like humans but their beauty were so different.
Jaka Tarub couldn't stop looking at them. But there was something peculiar in the seventh fairy. Her beauty didn't like the other six. "Maybe this is the youngest fairy," thought Jaka Tarub. He then kept on staring at the last fairy who descended in the earth without blinking his eyes. The more he stared, he became more astonished. For the first time in his life, Jaka Tarub fell in love!
Upon reaching the earth, the fairies went straight to the lake in the middle of the jungle. They opened their clothes and put them in the trees. "What are they doing?" asked Jaka Tarub.
"Wait! Don't you feel happy yet," yelled the youngest sweet voice. "Take this splash!"
"You won't splash us, Adinda Nawang Wulan!" yelled her sisters. "Give it up!"
Jaka Tarub kept on watching them behind the trees. "So, her name is Nawang Wulan. I am right, she's the youngest," whispered Jaka Tarub fondly. But he knew this meeting was only temporary. His world wouldn't meet their world. However, he was in love.
"No matter how, I have to get Nawang Wulan!" promised Jaka Tarub to himself. He then acted quickly. He took Nawang Wulan's cloth.
The sky became darker, it was time for the seven fairies to get back to their castle, "Adinda Nawang Wulan, hurry and get dressed. Play time is over!" yelled her sisters.
"Why don't you go first, Kanda. I'll be right behind you," said Nawang Wulan. "But wait Kakanda, where is my cloth?!"
"Maybe someone took your cloth?"
"Maybe your cloth was taken mistakenly by the other sister?"
"Dear Kanda, I really don't know where my cloth is," worried Nawang Wulan. However, her sisters couldn't wait any longer. They had to go back, no matter what. "Adinda Nawang Wulan, be brave," yelled her six sisters while flying away. They separated eventually.
Now Nawang Wulan was all alone. What if night come? where can I get help? asked herself. This fairy kept on crying.
Jaka Tarub heard her crying, he then walked to her and asked, "Dear beautiful girl, why are you crying? How come you in this jungle?"
Nawang Wulan told him her problem, Then didn't know how, the fairy felt so comfortable telling him about herself.
They then introduced themselves. Jaka Tarub
invited Nawang Wulan to his house. At the house Jaka Tarub gave her some girl village clothes and asked her to dressed. Nawang Wulan didn't have any suspicions at all toward him. She was taught back home to trust other people, so that was what she did: trust him.
Not long aftet that, Jaka Tarub proposed Nawang Wulan. She said yes with one condition: Jaka Tarub was forbidden to aske her how she did her daily chores. "Okay," said Jaka Tarub.
From that day, they became a happily husband and wife. They became happier with the arrival of their beautiful baby named Nawangsih.
At first Jaka Tarub had his doubt. He worried Nawang Wulan cou;dn't do his duty as a good wife and mother, because she was a fairy and her life must have been so much different from a normal human. But surprisingly she was soo good at finishing her daily chores.
Beside that, Jaka Tarub had been asking himself about her. Why? From washing clothes, cooking rice and caring for her child, Nawang Wulan had done it perfectly. All the works must have been affecting her appearance, but no. She still remained beautiful as a fairy.
Jaka Tarub became more and more curious. How did my wife do all the house chores perfectly? And why did her appearance remain the same? How did she do it? So Jaka Tarub decided to find out himself. Until one day, he broke his promise to Nawang Wulan unintentionally.
When night came as usual he watched her wife preparing plates, spoons complete with the dishes. When Jaka Tarub wanted to get the rice, he was so shocked to find an uncooked rice! The plate should've been full of rice.
Since then, Nawang Wulan's life was changed. She no longer could rest. Tiredness was beginning to show in her face. Her beauty as fairy slowly began to fade.

Nawang Wulan couldn't take it any more. "Nawangsih, my child, forgive me because I have to leave you," Nawang Wulan was so sad.
Beside the granary, Nawang Wulan lay weakly. No one could help her. Only Nawangsih, her daughter who was sitting close by her side.
Suddenly, Nawang Wulan smelled something good in the granary. The smell she was familiar with. The smell brightened her spirit She instantly looked for the source of the smell.
It turned out the smell came from her used to be missing clothes. "This is my missing fairy clothes. But why did my husband hide it?" asked Nawang Wulan curiously.
Nawang Wulan immediately wore the clothes. She felt reborn again. It was magic! At that moment Nawang Wulan felt like she was used to be, a fairy again.
Jaka Tarub was so shocked knowing that. But then they realized if human and fairy's world could were different. But Nawang Wulan promised that she never left him and their daughter, Nawangsih. She also promised if Jaka Tarub or Nawangsih need help, the help would come.
Years later..
Jaka Tarub and his daughter lived happily. They never lacked of anything All Jaka Tarub dan her daughter's wishes always came true easily. It mean Nawang Wulan kept her promise.

wonkcerbonkw2 · Post time 1-2-2012 04:08 PM

Lutung Kasarung ( Lutung is Langgur/one of monkey species , it fur is black )

Prabu Tapa Agung had led a kingdom in West Java for a long time. He was getting old and therefore wanted to choose a successor. But unfortunately, he had no son. He thought of choosing one of his daughters, Purbararang and Purbasari. But it wasn’t an easy choice. They were both very pretty and smart. The only difference was their temperament. Purbararang was rude and dishonest, while Purbasari was kind and caring. With those considerations, Prabu Tapa Agung finally chose Purbasari to be his successor.
Purbararang didn’t agree with her father’s decision. “It’s supposed to be me, Father. I’m the eldest daughter!” Purbararang said. Prabu Tapa Agung smiled. “Purbararang, to be a queen takes more than age. There are many other qualities that one must possess,” explained Prabu Tapa Agung wisely. “What does Purbasari have that I don’t?” Purbararang pouted. “You’ll find out when Purbasari has replaced me,” Prabu Tapa Agung answered.
After the discussion, Purbararang went back to her room. “Is there something wrong?” asked Indrajaya. Indrajaya is Purbararang’s future husband. “I’m upset! Father chose Purbasari as his successor and not me! I have to do something!” Purbararang said. Driven mad by her anger, she came to a witch and asked her to send rash all over Purbasari’s body. Before going to bed, Purbasari started to feel itch all over her body. She tried applying powder to her body, but it’s no use. Instead, the itching grew even worse. She didn’t want to scratch it, but she just couldn’t help it. In the next morning, there were scratch mark all over Purbasari’s body. “What happened to you?” asked Purbararang, pretending to be concerned. “I don’t know, sis. Last night, my body suddenly felt very itchy. I scratched and scratched, and this is what happened,” Purbasari answered. Purbararang shook her head. “You must have done something really awful. You’ve been punished by the gods!”
That day, the whole kingdom was scandalized. “What have you done, Purbasari?” demanded Prabu Tapa Agung. Purbasari shook her head. “I didn’t do anything that would upset the gods, Father,” she answered. “Then how can you explain what happened to your body?” Prabu Tapa Agung asked again. “If you don’t confess, I’ll banish you to the woods.” Purbasari took a deep breath. “Like I said before, I didn’t do anything wrong. And I’d rather be thrown into the woods than to confess to a deed I didn’t commit.”
After a short discussion with his advisor, Prabu Tapa Agung ordered Purbasari to be moved to the woods. Purbasari was very sad, but she couldn’t do anything to defy her father’s order. She was accompanied to the woods by a messenger. He built a simple hut for Purbasari. After the messenger left, suddenly a black monkey came to Purbasari’s hut. He carried a bunch of bananas. From behind him, some animals looked on. “Are the bananas for me?’ Purbasari asked. The black monkey nodded, as if he understood what Purbasari said. Purbasari took the bananas with pleasure. She also said thanks. The other animals that were looking on also seemed to smile. “Are you willing to be my friend?” Purbasari asked them. All the animals nodded happily. Although she was living by herself in the woods, Purbasari never lacked of supplies. Everyday, there were always animals bringing her fruits and fish to eat.
A long time had passed since Purbasari was banished to the woods, but her body still itched. At some places, her skin was even ulcerating. What am I supposed to do?” Purbasari sighed. The monkey who was sitting next to her stayed still, there were tears in his eyes. He hoped Purbasari would remain patient and strong.
One night, on a full moon, the monkey took Purbasari to a valley. There is a pond with hot spring water. The monkey suddenly spoke, “The water of this pond will heal your skin,” he said. Purbasari was surprised, ”You can talk? Who are you?” she asked. “You’ll find out, in time,” the monkey said. Purbasari didn’t want to force the monkey. She then walked to the pond. She bathed there. After a few hours, Purbasari walked out of the pond. She was shocked to see her face reflected on the clear pond water. Her face was beautiful again, with smooth and clean skin. Purbasari observed her entire body. There were no traces of any skin ailments. “I’m cured! I’m cured!” Purbasari shouted in joy. She quickly offered thanks to the gods and also to the monkey.
The news of Purbasari’s condition quickly spread to the kingdom, irritating Purbararang. She then accompanied by Indrajaya go to the woods to see Purbasari. Purbasari asked if she would be allowed to go home. Purbararang said she would let Purbasari return to the palace if Purbasari’s hair were longer than hers. Purbararang then let her hair down. It was so long, it almost touched the ground. But it turned out that Purbasari’s hair was twice longer than Purbararang’s hair.
“Fine, so your hair is longer than mine.” Purbararang admitte
d. “But there is one more condition you must fulfill, do you have a future husband who is handsomer than mine?” said Purbararang as she walked toward Indrajaya. Purbasari felt miserable. She didn’t have a future husband yet. So, without much thought, she pulled the black monkey beside her.
Purbararang and Indrajaya burst out, but their laughter didn’t last long. The monkey meditates and suddenly transformed into a very handsome young man, a lot more handsome than Indrajaya. “I’m a prince from a kingdom far away. I was cursed to be a monkey because of a mistake I committed. I could regain my true form only if there’s a girl who would be willing to be my wife,” said the young man.
Finally, Purbararang gave up. She accepted Purbasari as the queen, and also confessed everything she had done. “Please forgive me. Please don’t punish me,” Purbararang said, asking for forgiveness. Instead of being angry, Purbasari smiled. “I forgive you, sis,” she said. Soon after, Purbasari become queen. Beside her was the handsome prince, the former monkey known as Lutung Kasarung.

wonkcerbonkw2 · Post time 1-2-2012 04:17 PM

Roro Jonggrang ( The legend of Thousand temples/ Prambanan Temples )

once upon a time in Java Island , espeially in Prambanan there were two Hindu Kingdoms " Pengging and Kraton Boko. Pengging Kingdom was a prosperous and  welfare kingdoms that was lead by a wise King name Prabu Darma Moyo who had a son name Raden Bandung Bondowoso.

Kraton Boko is part of Pengging Kingdom jurisdiction who was lead by a cruel and fully anger King that is not a man but a giant who was a man eater.  named Prabu Boko , However Prabu Boko had a very beautiful daughter name is Roro Jonggrang. Prabu Boko also had a minister named Patih Gupalo and he was giant too. Prabu Boko had a desire to revolt and has control over Pengging Kindom's.  Therefore, together with Patih Gupalo they gathered the power by training to become soldiers and callect goods from civil people as provisions. After they had enough with all preparation., Prabu Boko and all soldiers and went to Pengging Kingdom to revolt.Then the war between Pengging and Boko soldier happened in Pengging Kindom  Alot people of soldier died from both side. People of Pengging become suffer , hunger and poor. Know that his people were suffering and there were lots of soldier died. Prabu Damar Moyo sent his son , Raden Bandung Bondowoso to had a battle with Prabu Boko. They fighting between Raden Bondowoso and Prabu Boko was very furios. Because of the power of Raden Bondowoso , Prabu Boko can be defeated and died. when Patih Gupalo found out that his King has died he run away from the battle.

Raden Bandung Bondowoso chased him to Kraton Boko, When Patih Gupalo arrive at Kraton Boko he reported about Prabu Boko to Roro Jonggrang that he was killed in the battle by a Pengging knight name is Raden Bandung Bondowoso then Roro Jonggrang cry and she was very sad because her father is death already. finally Raden Bandung Bondowoso arrived at Kraton Boko , he was surprised when he meet Roro Jonggrang because she was very beautiful. so, he could not help himself to proposed her become his wife.

However Roro Jonggrang did not want to marry Raden Bandung Bondowoso because het killed her father, to refuse his propose , Roro Jonggrang had a strategy. she had 2 request should be fulfilled by Raden Bandung Bondowoso, the she would agree to marry him. The first request is that he must make a well name Jalatunda, The second he must make 1000 temple in one night. Raden Bandung Bondowoso accepted both request , Immediately he started to make Jalatunda well and he asked Roro Jonggrang to see it finished.

Then Roro Jonggrang asked Raden Bandung Bondowoso to go into the well, and after that she order Patih Gupolo to pile up the well by stone. Both Roro Jonggrang and Patih Gupolo thought that Raden Bandung Bondowoso died already in the well , however Raden Bandung Bondowoso was still alive. He meditated and finally he could go out from the well safely. Raden Bandung Bondowoso was very angry with her action and he look after her but, because of her beauty then hes angry calm down.

After that Roro Jonggrang was asked Raden Bandung Bondowoso to do the second request which was to make 1000 temple in one night. therefore Raden Bandung Bondowoso commanded genie to make the temple immediately. however Roro Jonggrang intended to foil hes affort to make the temple. She order the girls to pound and burn stubbles so, it look like the bright of sunrise which mean the morning have come and the light plus the noise of cocks crowed loudy. hear the cock crowd and people pounded rice and also saw the brightness in the east , therefore the gines were stop making temple.

The gines reported it to Raden Bandung Bondowoso that they could not continue build the temple because morning have come already. but, Raden Bandung Bondowoso got feeling the morning not come yet.  He asked Roro Jonggrang to count the amount of the temple and she come out as total was only 999 temples, there was still 1 temple left, Therefore Roro Jonggrang refused to marry Bandung Bondowoso. Bandund Bondowoso left deceived the he become very angry and he cursed her " Roro Jonggrang " there is only 1 temple left, to make it complete it was miracel , suddenly Roro Jonggrang transformed to be a stone statue. Bandung Bondowoso also cursed the girl who alive aroung Prambanan temple there would be no man want to marry her.because they already help Roro Jonggrang . Until today the stone statue of Princess Roro Jonggrang is still there in Prambanan Temple. Based on what is believe by old people , the couple who are dating in Prambanan Temple will be broke up.

wonkcerbonkw2 · Post time 1-2-2012 04:26 PM

Sangkuriang ( The legend of Mount Tangkuban Prahu in Bandung )

A long time ago, the ancient land of Sunda was ruled by a king and a queen who had but a single daughter. Her name was Dayang Sumbi. She was beautiful and clever but also pampered and spoiled.

One day as she was weaving in her pavilion, she became moody and distracted, which caused her to keep dropping her shuttle on the floor.

Once when it fell she exclaimed she would marry the one who gave it back to her. At that very moment her dog Tumang, a demigod possessing magic powers, came up to her with the shuttle in his mouth. Dayang Sumbi had to marry him.

They lived happily together, and Dayang Sumbi gave birth to a baby boy, human in appearance but endowed with his father's magic powers. She named him Sangkuriang. As the boy grew up, he was always guarded by the faithful dog Tumang, whom he knew only as a companion and not as his father, Sangkuriang became handsome and brave.

One day his mother asked him to go hunting with the dog and bring her venison for a feast. After hunting all day without success, Sangkuriang worried about facing his mother empty-handed. Desperate, he took an arrow and shot the dog. He returned home and handed over the meat to his pleased mother.

Soon after the feast, however, Dayang Sumbi questioned her son about the absence of Tumang. At first he evaded her queries but finally told her what had happened. She was horrified and struck her son so hard on the temple that he collapsed. For that, the old king banished his daughter from the court and she was made to roam around the kingdom. Sangkuriang recovered with a large scar on his temple, and he too left the court to wander about the world.

Years later, Sangkuriang met a beautiful woman and instantly fell in love with her. It was his own mother-they did not recognize each other. He pro¬posed to her and she agreed to marry him. On the day before the wedding, as she was caressing her fiancee's hair, Dayang Sumbi detected the scar on the temple. Horror struck her, for she was about to marry her own son, Sangkuriang. Without revealing the whole truth to him, she tried unsuccessfully to dissuade him. Desperate to avoid the marriage, she set conditions she thought impossible to meet: Sangkuriang had to make a lake that filled the whole val¬ley and build a boat for the couple to sail in, all before dawn.

Sangkuriang started to work. His love gave him extraordinary strength, and he used his magic powers to summon the spirits to help him. With boul¬ders and mud they dammed the river in the valley and the water rose and began to form a lake. In the early morning hours he chopped down a huge tree in the forest and began hollowing it out to make a boat. When Dayang Sumbi saw that he was about to accomplish what she had thought impossi¬ble, she called on the gods to bring the sun up early and thwart Sangkuriang.

The cock crowed, the sun rose much earlier than usual, and Sangkuriang realized he had been deceived. In a fit of fury he cursed Dayang Sumbi and kicked the half-finished boat back into the forest. There it lies upside down today, forming the mountain Tangkuban Perahu (Upturned Boat). Not far away is the stump of the tree Sangkuriang had felled, now called Bukit Tunggul. The dam Sangkuriang had built caused the valley to become a lake, where both Sangkuriang and Dayang Sumbi drowned themselves. They were never heard of again

wonkcerbonkw2 · Post time 1-2-2012 04:41 PM

Post Last Edit by wonkcerbonkw2 at 1-2-2012 16:44

The Legend Of Banyuwangi ( Banyuwangi is city in East Java Bordered with Bali Strait )

The ruler of the kingdom of Blambangan, Raden Banterang, used to occupy the neighboring areas in order to expand his territory, including the Klungkung Kingdom of Bali. The outbreak of the Klungkung War destroyed such a small country. The king of Klungkung was killed on the battlefield, yet his daughter and son were able to escape and hide in the jungle.

One day, Raden Banterang and his commanders were inspecting his district while hunting. It was in the jungle that Raden Banterang met a beautiful lady named Ida Ayu Surati. She was then taken to Blambangan to be his wife. Raden Banterang and Ida Ayu Surati enjoyed a happy life in the palace.

When Raden Banterang was hunting one day, the lonely princess was surprised by the arrival of a dirty beggar asking for her pity. The princess was surprised to find that the beggar was her older brother, Agung Bagus Mantra. She promptly squatted and embraced her brother’s legs. However, her great respect of her brother was not well accepted. Instead, she was tortured for she supposedly betrayed her noble family.

Agung Bagus Mantra asked his sister to kill Raden Banterang, but such a request was rejected. He was very angry with her and came up with a sly idea to slander Raden Banterang.

At first, Raden Banterang did not believe that his wife had been involved in a scandal with another man. Yet because of Agung’s convincing words, he was finally influenced and therefore, his wife was dragged down to a small lake. Asking for compassion, Ida Ayu Surati tried to tell the truth and denied her husband’s accusation. Hearing his wife’s explanation, the king became angrier and angrier. As a proof of her sacred love, she asked her husband to kill her. As a last request, she asked her husband to throw her dead body into the river. She said that if the water in the river smelled terrible, it meant that she had ever been sinful, but if it smelled fragrant it meant that she was innocent.
Raden Banterang who was unable to control his emotions, soon stabbed his keris (dagger) into his wife’s chest. She died instantly. The dead body of Ida Ayu Surati was quickly thrown into the dirty river. Raden Banterang was shocked to see the river suddenly become clean and as clear as glass with a fragrant smell. Raden Banterang screamed crazily and regretted his deed. He walked unsteadily and fell into the river screaming, “Banyuwangi, Banyuwangi, Banyuwangi!”