#029 Hanging Stone In Parapat

Once, in a rural area next to Lake Toba North Sumatera, there lived a husband and a wife with a beautiful daughter named Seruni. Not only was she beautiful, Seruni was also very diligent in helping her parents in the field. Every day this family worked in this field on the edge of Lake Toba, and the crops are used for their daily needs.

One day, Seruni went to the field alone, because his parents went to a neighbouring village. Seruni was only accompanied by her beloved dog named Toki. Arriving at the farm, she didn’t work but she just sat there looking at the natural beauty of Lake Toba as if she had difficult problem. While the dog came and sat next to her, staring at her face as if he knew what Seruni was thinking. Once in a while the dog barked to distract Seruni, but she was not distracted.

The last few days Seruni looked gloomy. She was very sad, because she was forced for a marriage by her parents with a young man who was his cousin. She had chosen another man and she had promised to live together with him. She was very confused. On the one hand she did not want to disappoint her parents; on the other hand she could not afford to part with her love. Because of being unable to bear the heavy burden, she was getting hopeless.

"Yes, Lord! I am not able to live with this burden, "complained the Seruni.

A few moments later, Seruni moved from her seat. With tears, she walked slowly toward the Lake Toba. Apparently she wanted to end her life by jumping into the lake. Seruni walked toward the cliffs of Lake Toba without paying attention to the road in its path. Unexpectedly, she suddenly fell into a hole. The rocky ground made the hole dark. Seruni was very scared.

"Help.. Help.. Help.., Toki! "Seruni asked for help to her dog.

Toki understood that Seruni required his help, but he could not do anything except just barking at the hole. Seruni screamed several times for help, but the Toki really could not help her. Finally she was getting desperate.

"Ah, I'd rather die than live a long time to suffer," Seruni sighed.

Rock walls were moving ever closer.

"Parapat! Parapat batu!Parapatlah (squeeze, stone squeeze me, squeeze me please). " Seruni ordered the stone to press her body.

Being unable to help Seruni, Toki immediately ran home to ask for help. Arriving at the master's house, he immediately went to Seruni parents. Toki barked at Seruni’s parents and scratched the ground to tell the parents that the Seruni in danger.

"Toki, where is Seruni? What happened to her? “

Toki continued barking and ran back and forth to invite them to Seruni’s place.

"Dear, it looks like Seruni in danger," said the mother.

"You are right. Toki asks us to follow, "said the father of Seruni.

"But how do we get there?” asked the mother.

"You prepare a torch! I'll be looking for help to neighbours."

Soon, the whole neighbours had gathered carrying torch. After that, they followed Toki to the where Seruni was. Once they were there, Toki direct them toward the mouth of the hole.

Both parents of Seruni immediately approached the mouth of the hole. What a surprise when they saw a big hole on the edge of their field. From the pit there was a faint sound of a woman, "Parapat! Parapat  batu! Parapatlah!"

"Dear, listen to that voice! That voice is of our child!” Seruni’s mother said.

"Yes! That Seruni’s voice! "Replied the father in panic.

"But, why would she shout: Parapat, parapat stone parapatlah?" Asked the mother.

"I do not know! It seems like there's something wrong in there, "said the father anxiously.

A Farmer was trying to light up the hole with a torch, but the bottom of the hole was so deep that it could not be penetrated by the light from torch.

"Seruni , my daughter! Mother and father came to help you! "Her mother shouted.

Several times they yelled, but they did not get a response from Seruni. There was only faint voice of Seruni who asked the stone to get closer to squeeze her.

People there were trying to help. One held ropes and threw to the hole, but the bottom was not touched at all. Seruni's father increasingly concerned with the state of her daughter.

"Mom, hold the torch!" Commanded the father.

"Where do you want to go?" Asked the mother.

"I'm following Seruni into the hole," the father replied firmly.

"No dear, it's dangerous!" the mother tried to stop the father.

A moment later, suddenly there was a loud noise. The earth shook violently and the mouth of the hole suddenly closed itself. Seruni's father and mother and all the people ran away to escape. Seruni could not be saved.

After a while, the earthquake stopped. Suddenly appeared a large rock that resembled a girl's body and the stone was hanging on the wall of the cliff at the edge of Lake Toba. Local people believe that the stone is the embodiment Seruni’s oppressed body in the hole by the stones. The embodiment was given a name, which was "Hanging Rock".

A few days later, news spread about the events that befell Seruni. The people flocked to the scene to see the "Hanging Rock". Residents who witnessed the incident told other people that before the hole was closed, they heard a voice, "Parapat, Parapat batu parapatlah!" Because all the people said the word ‘Parapat’, then the place is called Parapat. That is why now the hanging stone is called hanging stone in Parapat.

-FIN-

Read the Indonesian translation HERE

Author: Unknown

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#027 Legend Of Sendang Sani

Once upon a time, Sunan Kalijaga planned to visit Sunan Muria in Pati, Central java. He asked his friend, Ki Rangga, to go with him. Several servants also joined them to carry their luggage. And they began walking to Sunan Muria’s house.

            

Several hours later, Ki Rangga felt tired. He was embarrassed to walk together with Sunan Kalijaga because Sunan kalijaga did not look tired when Ki Rangga was very tired and thirsty. Finally, Sunan Kalijaga asked Ki Rangga to take a rest under a big tree. It was time for the Zuhur prayer. But there was no water around to clean up or “wudhu”. Ki rangga was confused. He told Sunan Kalijaga about it.

Sunan Kalijaga only smiled and said, “We should pray for Allah for water. Now you must guard this big tree, Ki Rangga, it might bring water to us. But remember! Everything happens because of Allah SWT. Don’t act alone. You have to inform me when water comes out. I will be behind that hill,”

Ki Rangga promised Sunan Kalijaga to inform him when the water came out. So, Sunan Kalijaga went behind the hill. Ki Rangga with his servants sat under the big tree. They quickly fell asleep. Suddenly water came out of the big tree, Ki Rangga and his servants became wet. They woke up. They drank and played in the water. Ki Rangga forgot Sunan Kalijaga’s message to inform him when the water came out.

               

Behind the hill, Sunan Kalijaga was worried. So he went back to the big tree. He was surprised to see Ki Rangga and his servants were playing in the water.

“You forget my message to inform me when the water comes out. Instead, you are playing in the water like a turtle,” said Sunan Kalijaga softly.

A miracle happened. Ki Rangga and his servants turned into turtles. Ki rangga was sad. He had changed into turtles because he did not keep his promise. The water formed a pond. It is now called Sendang Sani, in Pati, Central java. 

-FIN-

Read the Indonesian translation HERE

Author: Unknown

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#023 The Story Of Lake Toba

Once upon a time there was a prosperous village in a faraway island called Sumatra. In northern part of the island, lived a farmer whose name was Toba. He lived alone in a hut by a small forest. He worked on his farmland to grow rice and vegetables that he sells to local market.

One day the farmer wanted to catch some fish so he went to a river and fished there. He was very surprised when he got a big fish. The fish was as big as human being. Soon he went home and put the fish in his kitchen. He planned to cook the fish for his dinner that night. When he got to his house that afternoon he took a bath. Then as he walked into his bedroom after taking a bath Toba was very shocked. There stood in his living room a very beautiful girl. The girl greeted him nicely. For a moment Toba was speechless. When he could control his emotion he asked her.

“Who are you? What’s your name? Why suddenly you are here in my house?”

“Pardon me if I surprised you Mr Toba, but you took me here. I was the fish that you caught in the river. Now that I become a human being again, I would like to thank you and I will be your servant to express my thankfulness”

“Were you the fish?”

“Yes, I was the fish. Look at your kitchen”.

Toba immediately rushed to his kitchen and the fish was nowhere to be seen. He saw some gold coins instead.

“Whose coins are these? Why there are some coins here?”

“Those coins are mine. As I changed into human being my scales changed into gold coins”

“Ok you can live here and work for me. Your room is over there”

“Thank you very much Mr Toba”

Since that day the beautiful girl lived in Toba’s house. Since she was very beautiful Toba fell in love with her and not long after that they got married. The girl married to Toba on one condition that he would never tell anybody about her past. Toba agreed to the condition.

Several months later Toba’s wife delivered to a baby boy. Their son was healthy. Soon he grew up into a handsome boy. Toba named him Samosir. Unfortunately Samosir was a lazy boy. He did not want to work at all. When his father worked hard in his rice field and farm, Samosir just slept. When he was awake he talked a lot and he ate a lot. Toba was very disappointed with his son’s nature. He hoped that one day Samosir would change into a diligent boy. Day in and day out but Samosir never changed.

Toba used to go to his farm and rice field early in the morning. Then at midday his wife would bring him food. They used to eat lunch at their farm. As Samosir was a teenager Toba and his wife tried to change his behaviour. They ordered Samosir to bring food for his father for lunch while her mother stayed at home to do household chores. But Samosir never did his duty well. He always woke up very late. He woke up after midday. Then one day his mother forced him to bring the food.

“Sam, wake up. Go to the farm and bring the food for your father. He must be very tired and hungry now”.

“But Mom, I am tired and hungry too”

“What makes you tired? You just wake up. Go now. You father needs the food.”

Samosir reluctantly went to the farm. But he did not go to the farm immediately. He stopped somewhere in the street and ate the food. It was already late afternoon when he got to the farm. His father was disappointed. Then he was angry as he realized that his son had eaten his food. He said sarcastically.

“O, you are stupid lazy boy. You are son of a fish!”

Samosir was hurt. He went home right away and as he got home he told his mother about his father’s words. Samosir’s mother was shocked. She was also deeply hurt.

“O Toba. You break your promise so I cannot live with you here anymore. Now you have to accept to consequence of what you did. Samosir, now go to the hill, find the tallest tree and climb it”

“Why, mom? What will happen?”

“Just do it, never ask any question. Good bye”

As soon as she finished saying that suddenly the weather changed. Sunny day suddenly turned into cloudy day. Not long after that the rain poured heavily. The rain last for several days. Consequently the area was flooded. The whole flooded area became a big lake. Then it was called Lake Toba and in the middle of the lake there is an island called Samosir Island. Meanwhile Toba’s wife disappeared.

-FIN-

Read the Indonesian translation HERE

Author: Unknown

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#019 Legend Of Penyusuk Beach

Once upon a time, there were a king and his queen who lived in the kingdom of Belinyu. They didn’t have any child. Until one night, the queen had a dream of a turtle. It said that the queen would have a baby, and she had to give a Komala necklace to her baby. The queen woke up and she was holding a Komala necklace in her hand. She told her dream to the King, and he was very happy.

Shortly, the queen’s dream became reality; she delivered a beautiful baby girl. The king named her, Komala. She grew up as a pretty girl; however, she had a bad attitude because her parents always spoiled her too much.

One day, Komala heard her parents were talking about the turtle in her mother’s dream. She thought that the turtle was very interesting animal, so she wanted it as her pet. She insisted to find it, and the king allowed her to look for the animal.

Accompanied with the king’s guards, Komala searched the turtle, and finally, she found it in a beach.

She shouted to it, “Penyu busuk (damned turtle/smelly turtle), wait for me,” in several times.

However the turtle kept swimming. Komala ran after it into the sea, she tried to catch it. Until then she finally drowned and disappeared, and all of her guards could not save her.

Now, people call the beach, Penyusuk (comes from penyu busuk)

-FIN-

Read the Indonesian translation HERE

Author: Unknown

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#017 The Story Of Timun Emas

Long time ago in the island of Java, Indonesia, lived a couple of farmer.  They had married for some years but they had no children.  So they prayed to a monster called Buta Ijo to give them children.  Buta Ijo was a ferocious and powerful monster.  He granted their wish on one condition.  When their children had grown up, they had to sacrifice them to Buta Ijo.  He liked eating fresh meat of human being.  The farmers agreed to his condition. 

Several months later they got a baby girl inside an over-sized cucumber. They named her Timun Emas.  The farmers were happy.  Timun Emas was very healthy and a very smart girl.  She was also very diligent. When she was a teenager Buta Ijo came to their house.  Timun Emas was frightened so she ran away to hide.  The farmers then told Buta Ijo that Timun Emas was still a child.  They asked him to postpone.  Buta Ijo agreed.  He promised to come again.  The following year Buta Ijo came again.  But again and again their parents said that Timun Emas was still a child. 

When the third time Buta Ijo came their parents had prepared something for him.  They gave Timun Emas several bamboo needles, seeds of cucumber, salt and shrimp paste. 

‘Timun, take these things’

‘What are these things?’

‘These are your weapons.  Buta Ijo will chase you.  He will eat you alive.  So run as fast as you can.  And if he will catch you spread this to the ground.  Now go!’

Timun Emas was scared so she ran as quickly as she could.  When Buta Ijo arrived she was far from home.  He was very angry when he realized that his prey had left.  So he ran to chase her.  He had a sharp nose so he knew what direction his prey ran.  

Timun Emas was just a girl while Buta Ijo was a monster so he could easily catch her up.  When he was just several steps behind Timun Emas threw her salt.  This time it turned into a lake.  Buta Ijo was busy to save himself so Timun Emas ran way.  But Buta Ijo could overcome it and continued chasing her.

But soon Buta Ijo realized and started running again.  When he was just several steps behind Timun Emas threw her bamboo needles.   Soon they turned into dense bamboo trees. Buta Ijo found it hard to pass.  It took him some time to break the dense bamboo forest.  Meanwhile Timun Emas could run farther.

Buta Ijo chased her again.  When he almost catch her, again and again Timun Emas quickly spread the seeds of cucumber.  In seconds they turned into many vines of cucumber.  The exhausted Buta Ijo was very thirsty so he grabbed and ate them.  When Buta Ijo was busy eating cucumber Timun Emas could run away.

Finally when Timun Emas was almost caught she threw her shrimp paste.  Soon the land where Buta Ijo stood turned into swamp.  Buta Ijo was drowned and died instantly.  

Timun Emas was thankful to God and came back to her home.

-FIN-

Read the Indonesian translation HERE

Author: Unknown

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