#081 The Legend Of Rawa Pening

Once upon a time, there was a little boy, who was poor, dirty, and smelly, came into a little village. He was very hungry and weak. He knocked at every door and asked for some food, but nobody cared about him. Nobody wanted to help the little boy. Finally, a generous old woman helped him. She gave him shelter and a meal. When the boy wanted to leave, the old woman gave him a “lesung”, a big wooden mortar for pounding rice.

She reminded him, “Please remember, if there is a flood you must save yourself. Use this “lesung” as a boat”.

The little boy was happy and thanked the old woman. The little boy continued his journey. While he was passing through the village, where he had asked for food, he saw many people gathering on the field. The boy came closer and saw a stick stuck in the ground. People challenged each other to pull out that stick. Everybody tried, but nobody succeeded.

“Can I try?” asked the little boy.

The crowd laughed mockingly. The boy wanted to try his luck so he stepped forward and pulled out the stick. He could do it very easily. Everybody was dumbfounded. Suddenly, from the hole left by stick, water spouted out. It did not stop until it flooded the village. And no one was saved from the water except the little boy and the generous old woman who gave him shelter and meal. As she told him, he used the “lesung” as a boat and picked up the old woman. The whole village became a huge lake.

It is now known as Rawa Pening Lake in Salatiga, Central Java, Indonesia.

-FIN-

Read the Indonesian translation HERE

Author: Unknown

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#071 Apai Gumok And A Witch

Once there was a man named Apai Gumok, which meant “'fat man”. Apai Gumok and his wife, who was also fat, lived in a small village near a river. Unfortunately, Apai Gumok's wife was a scold, but she had her reasons to be like that. Her husband was not a very good hunter. He often came home after hunting all day with only a small bird. And he was not a good fisherman either be­cause he usually caught only a few small fishes. All the villagers laughed at Apai Gumok, and his wife always shouted at him because he never brought home enough food to eat.

One day, when he was out hunting in the jungle, Apai Gumok met a witch. He tried to escape, he ran at every direction, but wherever he turned, he saw the witch again. What a frightening witch. She had long dirty hair, long dirty fingernails, and broken teeth.

When Apai Gumok was tired of running, he spoke to the witch. “Why are you following me?” he asked.

The witch laughed, “I want to help you, Apai Gumok. I want to make you a rich and powerful man. I want you to have the respect of the villagers so they won't laugh at you anymore.”

Apai Gumok could barely believe his ears. “But surely you won't help me just out of the kindness of your heart,” he said. “What do you want?”

Again the witch laughed. It was an evil laugh. “Simple,” she said. “When you are rich, powerful and respected, I want you to marry me.”

“But I'm already married,” said Apai Gumok.

“No problem,” said the witch, “I'll change your wife into a little pink pig with black spots on its head. Then you can be­come a famous hunter and marry me.”

Apai Gumok wanted to be rich and respected. He also wanted to be a famous hunter. And his wife wasn't very kind to him. Still, the witch frightened him, and he did not want to marry such a dirty woman. He ran back to the village.

“Where are you, Wife?” he cried when he reached the house.

“Oink.”

“Wife?” he called again.

“Oink.”

In the house there was a little pink pig with black spots on its head! From that day onwards, nobody saw Apai Gumok's wife. He said she had gone to another village to visit her aunt. They all noticed his new friend because the little pig fol­lowed him everywhere.

Soon strange things began to happen to Apai Gumok. He became a fine hunter, and a very good fisherman. Before long, he was famous as the best hunter in the village. Then, one day he found gold beneath his house, and Apai Gumok became a rich man.

One month later, Apai Gumok came across the witch in the jungle.

“We must be married soon,” she said.

But Apai Gumok tried to make some excuses.

Finally the witch insisted. “I've been waiting a long time, Apai Gumok.”

“You have what you want, and now you must give me what I want. I want a husband.”

Apai Gumok looked at the ugly old witch, and then he looked down at the pig.

“One wife is enough,” he said. “I don't want another wife.”

At that time the pig squealed and the witch shouted. They were both very angry. Apai Gumok did not know what to do. All he could think of was a nice cool swim in the river.

“Look,” he said, “why don't we go swimming in the river? We can talk about the wedding later.”

This idea seemed to please the witch and the pig, so off they all went. When they had swum into the deepest part of the river, Apai Gumok took hold of the witch's ears and held her head under the water. In a few minutes she was drowned and died. He swam back to shore thinking that his troubles were over.

“Husband, here you are at last,” said a familiar voice.

Apai Gumok's wife was standing in the shallow water. The little pink pig was nowhere to be seen. Apai Gumok was relieved. He looked at his fat wife and thought how pretty and clean she was. Together they walked back to the village where they then lived happily ever after.

-FIN-

Read the Indonesian translation HERE

Author: Unknown

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#048 The Legend Of Shuteye Island

Once upon a time, an old blind man lived on Pulau Timbun Mata (Shut-Eye Island). He often sat in the sun outside his house looking after paddy which his son had placed there to dry.

Whenever chickens came to eat the paddy, he used a long stick to bang the ground to chase them away.

One day, his grandson played a trick on him. He caught a couple of crabs on the beach and placed them on the paddy. They made a noise just like chickens eating the paddy.

“What’s that?” asked the old man.

“Don’t you know?” his grandson replied. “Some chickens are eating the paddy.”

The old man banged on the ground with his stick. But the crabs were not frightened. They continued to eat the paddy.

“Ha, ha, Ha!” laughed the boy.

Suddenly, there was a terrible roar like the firing of cannon. An old man with a long white beard appeared in a cloud of smoke.

He pointed his wand at the boy. “You should never laugh at your grandfather,” he said, “especially as he is blind.”

Before the boy could answer, a strong wind started to blow and the sky became black. A cloud of red smoke shot out of the top of a hill in the centre of the island. Tons of rock and boiling mud were thrown high into the air. All the houses on the island were destroyed and everyone living on the island was turned into stone.

Even today, if you visit the island, all you can see are some strange-looking rocks which resemble people.

-FIN-

Read the Indonesian translation HERE

Author: Unknown

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#46 Kancil And Crocodile

 Kancil (name of a mousedeer), the small but clever mousedeer, had many enemies in the forest. Fortunately, he was quick-witted, so that every time his life was threatened, he managed to escape.

One of his greatest enemies was Crocodile, who lived in the river that bordered the forest. Many times Crocodile had tried to capture the small mousedeer. Crocodile was big, but he was not very clever. Kancil was able to trick him every time.

One day it was very hot, there was no wind at all. It was in the middle of the dry season. For many weeks no rain had fallen so that the little creeks where the small animals used to drink had dried up. Kancil was walking alone in the forest; he was very thirsty. He had walked a long way; looking for a brook where he could quench his thirst, but he had found only dry mud in the once full of water brook. It was very quiet in the forest. All the animals seemed to be sleeping. Even the birds did not sing in the trees. Kancil finally decided to go to the river that bordered the forest. Usually he avoided going there as he knew that Crocodile was always on the look-out for him, waiting for an opportunity to catch him.

When he arrived at the river,  Kancil looked cautiously around him. There was nobody to be seen. The clear river water mirrored blindingly the rays of the sun. Step by step Kancil approached the water. His sharp eyes looked right and left; his pointed ears strained to catch the slightest sound. But no danger seemed to threaten him this time. Relieved, he bent his head to enjoy the cool water. Suddenly, his glance fell upon an object that was floating not far away from where he stood. It was a blackish thing. It looked like a fallen branch or like the back of crocodile! Kancil jumped back, surprised and thoughtful. But he was also very thirsty. How could he possibly know whether the thing there in the river was really a log or a crocodile? Then he smiled a little as he hit upon an idea.

In a clear voice he shouted, “Hey! There, you who are in the river. If you are crocodile, don’t answer me, but if you are only a log of wood, tell me your name!”

It was really Crocodile who was floating in the river. He had seen Kancil near the river. Without thinking any further, Crocodile answered Kancil in his gruff voice, “Don’t be afraid, I’m only a harmless log!”

Immediately, Kancil ran away as fast as his leg could carry him, while shouting over his shoulder, “O, stupid Crocodile, have you ever heard a log of wood talk?”

A fortnight later, Kancil forgot this incident. The dry season was not over yet and it seemed to be hotter than ever. Kancil remembered the cool, fresh river water. How wonderful it would be take a bath in it! He decided to try his luck once again. This time there was nothing suspicious to be seen, so Kancil went to the water and drank to his heart’s content. It was very quiet, and also very hot. Without thinking any further Kancil went down into the river and began to splash himself. In his delight he forgot all about danger. He picked up a dry twig that was floating by and began to beat the water with it. He made so much noise that the crocodile woke up.

“Well, well, this seems to be my lucky day,” thought Crocodile. In a flash he shot out of his hiding place. All of a sudden Kancil felt sharp teeth biting into one of his legs. It hurt him very much, but though he was shocked and frightened Kancil did not lose his wits. Without hesitation he dipped the dry twig into the water and in a mocking tone he said, “stupid old log of wood, do you really think you have got me? It is only a twig you have in your mouth, not my leg. Here is my leg, catch it if you can!”

Kancil moved the twig rapidly to and in front of Crocodile’s eyes. Crocodile could not see very well in the water and above all, he really was blockhead! He believed Kancil and released Kancil’s leg and snapped his jaw on the twig. Of course, kancil did not wait one second to jump out of the water and run to the safety of the woods. Though his leg was very painful, he laughed heartily. Once more he had tricked Crocodile.

-FIN-

Read the Indonesian translation HERE

Author: Unknown

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#045 Belog's Story

In a village in Bali there once lived a silly happy boy called Belog. “Belog” means “Blockhead” in Balinese, and Belog was well known around his village because of the foolish things he was always doing. The people of the village never grew tired of telling each other stories about Belog’s simple-minded behavior.

Folktale from Bali

One day Belog’s mother accidentally dropped her last box of matches into a puddle of water. The matches got wet and would not light. She needed immediately matches to light her stove, so she called out to her son and said. “Belog, please go to the shop and buy some matches. The matches that I have are wet, and I cannot light the fire to cook our meal.”

She gave Belog some money and then added, “Do make sure that the matches you buy are dry and can light easily!”

Folktale from Bali

So Belog took the coins for the matches from his mother, and happily walked to the village shop. He walked inside and asked the owner for a box of matches. Then Belog carefully counted his coins and paid for the box and began to walk home.

Folktale from Bali

No sooner was he outside the shop, then a thought struck Belog. He opened the box and looked inside.

“They look like good matches to me.” he thought. “But how can I be certain? I’d better try one.”

For illustration not promotion

Belog took out one of the matches and lighted it. It caught fire easily.

Folktale from Bali

“Ah, that match is all right,” he said. “But how about the others?” so Belog took out all the matches one by one and lighted them to see that they were good.

“This is a good box of matches. “Belog said to himself. Then he returned home.

Folktale from Bali

“Here mother,” said Belog with an honest and foolish smile on his face. “I bought a good box of matches. They all work. I tested all of them!” then Belog handed his mother the box of used, burnt matches.

Folktale from Bali

His poor mother, what could she say? After all, Belog was her only child, and she loved him dearly.

Folktale from Bali

-FIN-

Read the Indonesian translation HERE

Author: Unknown

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