Monday, April 16, 2007

Sangkuriang

In the time when West Java was still thickly covered with woods and undergrowth andwonders existed, there reigned a king, named Raden Sungging Pebangkara. He was a good rulerand to convince himself of the welfare of his subjects, he used to visit them. But the thing heliked most was hunting in the forest.

It happened that in one of the forests the king often visited there lived a she-pig, actually a cursedgoddess. One day, as it was very warm, she came out of her hiding place looking for water.There she saw a coconut-shell, filled with water. Glad to have found something and expecting itto be coconut-milk, she drank it at a draught, having no suspicions whatsoever that it was theKing’s urine left there the day before when hunting. The consequence was very strange. Shebecame pregnant. In a few months she gave birth to a very pretty girl. When the king was onceagain hunting in the forest, he saw the girl and, attracted by her beauty, he took her to his palace,called her Dayang Sumbi and treated her as his own daughter.

Time passed and Dayang Sumbi grew up into a fine young girl. She was fond of weaving andthus passed her time. One bright morning, as she was absorbed in weaving, her weaving-spoolsuddenly got loose. Before she could prevent it, it flew out of the window to the field below. Itwas out of her reach, as her room was about three stories high. Furthermore she was very tiredand had no wish to descend the stairs to fetch the spool. Quite at ease, she mumbled: “Whoeveris willing to help me pick up the spool, I’ll treat as my sister, if she is a girl. If he is a man, I’lltake him as my husband.” These words were overheard by a dog, called Tumang, who happenedto come along. He immediately picked up the spool and brought it to Dayang Sumbi. Tumangwas in fact a cursed god too, like the she-pig. Seeing the dog with the spool in his mouth,Dayang Sumbi fainted. The gods had decided her for her to undergo the same fate as her mother,the she-pig. She too become pregnant and a short time afterwards she gave birth to a stronghealthy son, whom she called Sangkuriang.

Sangkuriang became a handsome young man, as time went by. Like his grandfather, he was fondof hunting in the forest and Tumang was his faithful friend when roaming the woods. He loved

julie's

this creature very much; having no idea at all that it was his own father. One day while hunting,they came across a fat pig. Sangkuriang strung his bow and z-z-z-z-z-z-z! the arrow hissedtowards the she-pig, and hit but did not kill her. Wounded, she vanished into the undergrowth.

“Come on, Tumang, run after her!” Sangkuriang shouted, eager to taste the pork. Tumang,however, did not move. Whatever Sangkuriang said to urge Tumang to pursue the pig, it left himunmoved. Sangkuriang lost his self control. In his anger he killed Tumang, cut up his flesh andtook it home to his mother. She prepared a tasty dish of it and after the meal she asked:

“Sangkuriang, what kind of flesh is this? It is delicious!”

“This is Tumang’s, mother,” Sangkuriang responded. “I killed him, as he did not obey mycommand to pursue a fat pig.” For one moment Dayang Sumbi was speechless. Then in rage shetook a spool and flung it at him. It struck his forehead and blood dropped out of the wound. Thisleft later on a scar on the spot. Then Dayang Sumbi sent him away.

Deeply grieved, Sangkuriang left and wandered through the woods. He walked for years. Finallyhe returned to his native place, but did not recognize it any longer. There he stood, lookingaround him, all alone, musing about the past. At the end of a vast rice-field, which stretched infront of him, he noticed a house on stilts. Looking closely, he saw a young girl sitting at herweaving-loom. He approached her and, charmed by her beauty, he immediately proposed to her,unaware that she was his own mother. The girl looked at him and, noticing his good looks, shepromised to marry him. For some time they loved each other tenderly, making plans for theirwedding day, but one day she discovered the scar on his forehead.

“That wound!” she whispered, and at the moment she realized that he was no other than her ownson who had come back to his village. After being left by Sangkuriang, Dayang Sumbi had beengiven eternal beauty by the gods, which was why she looked so young and Sangkuriang did notrecognize her as his mother. She made efforts to make him understand that a marriage betweenthem was impossible and withdrew her promise to marry him. But Sangkuriang refused to acceptthe truth and was determined to get his own way. Dayang Sumbi was very sad, as she wasashamed to reveal her secret.

“What is to be done?” she pondered. She had an idea and said to him: “All right then, you shallmarry me only on condition that you fulfill a wish of mine. Dam up the Citarum River and builda big vessel, which we shall use after being married. But you have only one night to complete thework.” Sangkuriang agreed and started to work. Only at daybreak did he approach the end, inspite of his magic powers and his prayers to the gods for help. Noticing this, Dayang Sumbi gotalarmed and hit upon another plan to prevent the marriage. She stretched the red woven veilwhich covered her head over the eastern side of the plain. Through her magic powers, red lightspread over the landscape, giving the impression that the sun was rising, which meant that timewas up for Sangkuriang. He was astonished.

“In vain!” he shouted in despair and at the same time, filled with rage; he kicked the vessel,which was almost finished, upside-down. Then he made for the south, for the Indian Ocean. Hehad not gone very far when the water of the lake rose and overflowed its banks, dragging

julie'sjulie,s

everything in its way. Sangkuriang himself had no chance of escape and with all his workers hewas driven away. Sometime later the lake dried up. The mountain of Tangkuban Prahu on thenorthern side of Bandung is thought to be the overturned vessel of Sangkuriang. In time itbecame covered with trees and the lake became the present fertile rice-fields around Bandungarea, every year yielding great benefits for all the people.

*taken from "Folk Tales from Indonesia" by Aman, S.D.B.

di 10:04 PM , Label: West Java

julie'sjulie,s

Friday, April 13, 2007

The Legend Of Toar And Limimuut

There was once a big rock in the middle of the ocean. It was so big that it rose above the surfaceof the water. Furthermore, it was not an ordinary rock. When the sun shone on it, it perspired andout of this perspiration was born a pretty little girl called Limimuut. The story does not tell inwhat way she grew up, but certainly she was a wonder-child, living in wonderful circumstancesand in a time rich in wonders. The story only tells us that, when she was grown up, she felt verylonely.

One day, when she was standing on the top of the rock, she gazed with eyes full of amazement atthe vast ocean and at the big, undulating waves. As she stood there, she suddenly caught sight ofa crow, holding in its beak a dry branch and continously circling the spot where she stood.Limimuut became curious and wondered where the bird had come from and where it had foundthe branch. Suddenly the bird spoke to here: “I have carried it from Taoere.” Great was the girl’ssurprise on finding that the bird could read read her thoughts and could speak her language. Thenshe asked: “I am anxious to go to that land. Will you take me there?”

The bird agreed to do so, and away they flew to reach Taoere, for Limimuut herself could flytoo.

On arriving there, they found a small piece of land, not larger than a sieve, just emerging abovethe surface of the sea, one of the many islands in the watery vastness. The crow stopped flyingand said: “We are at our destination. This is the land where I found the branch; it bears the nameof Taoere.” Then he flew away, leaving Limimuut once again alone.

“Alone!” she sighed. “Again alone, and all around is water.”

Then an idea struck her. As if directed by an invisible hand, she took a small amoount of soil,just as much as she could hold in her hand. She flew to the barren rock from which she had comeand scattered the soil on the rock. A strange thing happened. This small amount of soil grew intoa big piece of land. On the ninth day, it stopped growng, for the work was complete.

As Lilimuut looked around, she realised that the ground was barren. She floew again to Taoereand took another handful of soil. On returning home, she again scattered the soil on the barrengroun. Something green began to emerge from the land, and this became the vegetation that wehave on our earth today. But Limimuut was not yet satisfied. She made a mountain in thesouthern part of the land. When this had risen high enough, she climbed till she reached the top.There another strange thing occurred; she became pregnant while she was standing there lookingtowards the west. A few months later, a child was born to her, a healthy son to whom she gavethe name Toar.

Years went by and Toar grew up into a handsome young man. The mother thought that the timehad come for him to choose a wife. But where could he find a woman to marry? Again themother had in idea.

julie'sjulie,s

“Son,” she said to him, “roam the world until you find a wife.”

The son obeyed his mother’s instructions and set off for the other part of the ocean. He travelleda long distance but still could find no one fit to be his wife. Then he returned home, telling hismother that he had not been successful in finding a woman he could marry.

“Well,” replied his mother, “cut a piece of cane as long as I am tall and then go to the right. Imyself shall go to the left. If on your way you encounter a woman carrying a piece of canelonger than yours, take her as your wife.”

Toar once again obeyed, and so they parted. The son went to the right and the mother to the left,roving the earth which in those days was not as big as nowadays. In the end, as Toar was on hisway, he saw a woman approaching him. He put out his stick and measured the cane she wascarrying. Seeing that hers was longer than his, he assumed that she was the woman he had beenlooking for all the time. He made her his wife and took her home. Little did he suspect that it washis mother he had married. He thought only about the message concerning the length of the stick.In actual fact, the cane had grown and had become longer and so had deceived him when hechose the woman to be his wife.

They returned to mountain built by Limimuut. There they lived happily together, Limimuutbearing children three times, but every time there were nine in number. These children livedpeacefully with each other, sharing together all that their parents possessed, and this group ofpeople became the ancestors of the people of Minahasa today.

*taken from "Folk Tales from Indonesia" by Aman, S.D.B.

di 6:22 AM 0 komentar

Label: North Sulawesi

julie'sjulie,s

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Kancil With Monkey ( a piece of cake)

When my grandmother was alive, and I'm still in childhood, but now the grandmother was dead.Every night before going to bed, my grandmother always tells a story, be it history or fairy talesabout animals. Well this time, I will tell the story of my grandmother who was still recorded inmy memory, a story about a deer with a monkey. He exclaimed curious yuch ... let's read thestory below.

One day in the forest, there are many kinds of animals living in harmony and peace each other.Each animal has his own life and activities. But there is one animal that is always making troubleand is very clever, the name is Kancil. With the cunning of reason and intelligence to speak tofool his opponent. Kancil known as the beast with a million clever deception. Well this time thetarget monkeys.On one day a monkey was enjoy hanging and shade under the bamboo tree. Singing, whistlingwith the cool and peaceful porch enjoying a piece of cake. Kancil Come, see the monkey thatwas cool to enjoy a piece of cake. Cunning of reason appears to take the cake in the handsMonkey.

The monkey then had to come up Kancil, while asking "What up Cil? You call me."Kancil : "Nyet .. Can you given me a bit of cake, just a little"Monkey : "Yes ... Cil .. I'm care about others, yes this is my half of the cake,"Kancil : "Thank ya Nyet ... you're so good, but let's me to cut the cake,"

Monkey give the cake to be cut by Kancil without the slightest suspicion against the Kancil."This is the cake you cut a fair Cil ...," The monkey said as he handed a cake to Kancil.Kancil with a sly sense to cut the cake, one big and other small without the knowledge of theMonkey. Then give a small part to Monkey then the great he held his own. "Cil ... why is bigyour one?," Said Monkey.Kancil : "Come give to me, I make for the same cake," and Kancil eat a little of the cake whichhe held, "It's the same?."Monkey: "Not Cil ... this is still a big mine,"Kancil Monkey takes the cake hands and ate a little cake, and so on until the cake was eatenKancil.Finally Kancil eaten all the cake while Monkey just got upset at not getting the cake when thecake was his own. Since then the Monkey hates Kancil. Well that was a little story about thecunning that made Kancil. Thank you have read this story may be useful.

julie'sjulie,s

Indonesian folk tale: The origins of BandungBy Icha Rahmanti, The Jakarta Post, Bandung | Mar 11, 2013

The origins of Bandung, according to some locals, lie in the folk tale involving the beautifulDayang Sumbi and Umang, a god in a dog’s body. Both of them lived in the beautiful land that isnow Bandung.

The couple got married and Dayang Sumbi gave birth to a boy named Sangkuriang . ButUmang’s peculiar physical form made the couple decide to keep the real identity of his father asecret.

One day, when Sangkuriang was already a boy, his mother told him she wanted to eat the heartof a deer and asked the boy to hunt deer in the forest.

And so Sangkuriang did, accompanied by the family’s loyal dog.

Luck was not with him that day as he searched everywhere yet could not find any deer.

Suddenly something crossed his mind. Evil voices whispered and tempted him to murder theloyal dog and take its heart out, thinking that his mother would not suspect or know thedifference.

To fulfill his mother’s wish, he gave in to the temptation.

He went back home and presented the heart of the poor dog to his mother, who then cooked andate it.

It was only then the beautiful princess realized that the loyal dog was no longer present. Sheasked about the dog and Sangkuriang lied, telling her that the poor animal was attacked byanother beast and did not survive.

But a mother knows when a son is telling a lie and soon his crime was uncovered. She wasfurious because Sangkuriang had actually killed his own father and out of her anger, she threwthe wooden spoon so hard that it scarred the boy’s forehead. She asked him to leave and to neverreturn again.

Years passed until one day, the now grown up and handsome Sangkuriang met a striking womanand asked her to become his bride.

The woman, who was actually his mother Dayang Sumbi, was mesmerized by the charmingyoung man and agreed to give her hand in marriage. She was unaware that it was her own sonuntil she accidentally found the subtle scar on his forehead.

julie'sjulie,s

To break off the marriage, Dayang Sumbi made the a condition that Sangkuriang had to build adam and a boat in one night before the rooster crows for them to sail away together after theywere married.

Blinded by love, Sangkuriang agreed and began to work using his magical powers. The nightwas still young but Sangkuriang was nearly finished.

Dayang Sumbi, worried he might succeed, tricked the rooster with a mirror and lights intothinking that it was already morning and the sun has risen and the rooster started to crow.

The deal was off. Sangkuriang was devastated and, angry at his own failure, he kicked the boatso hard that it turned upside down, hit a nearby dam and broke it.

The water leaked and dried. The dried land is now known as Bandung, which name came fromthe word “bendungan” (dam) and the upside down boat is now the famous Gunung TangkubanPerahu (the upside-down boat) mountain.

Read also: The last of Bandung's art deco - Part 1

julie'sjulie,s

About the StoriesYou know about Brer Rabbit from the southern United States. You may also know about Anansithe Spider from West Africa. These animals are called “tricksters,” because they trick otheranimals in the stories. There are many trickster animals around the world, and stories told aboutone are often told about others.

Mouse Deer is the favorite trickster of Indonesia and Malaysia, two countries of Southeast Asia.But what is a mouse deer? It is an animal about the size of a cat, and it lives in the jungles ofAfrica, Asia, and many Pacific islands. It has the legs and the tail of a deer, and the face and thebody of a mouse—but it is not really a mouse or a deer.

The mouse deer eats only plants, but lots of animals eat the mouse deer. To stay alive, it must bequick and smart. That is why the Indonesians and Malaysians have made Mouse Deer theirfavorite trickster. Any of their boys or girls can tell you tales about him.

Here are some of those tales.

More About the StoriesAll special features are at www.aaronshep.com/extras.

1Mouse Deer and Tiger

I’m quick and smart as I can be.Try and try, but you can’t catch me!

Mouse Deer sang his song as he walked through the forest. He was looking for tasty fruits androots and shoots.

Though he was small, he was not afraid. He knew that many big animals wanted to eat him. Butfirst they had to catch him!

Then he heard something. Rowr!

There was Tiger!

“Hello, Mouse Deer. I was just getting hungry. Now you can be my lunch.”

Mouse Deer didn’t want to be lunch. He looked around and thought fast. He saw a mud puddle.

“I’m sorry, Tiger. I can’t be your lunch. The King has ordered me to guard his pudding.”

julie'sjulie,s

“His pudding?” said Tiger.

“Yes. There it is.” Mouse Deer pointed to the mud puddle. “It has the best taste in the world. TheKing doesn’t want anyone else to eat it.”

Tiger looked longingly at the puddle. “I would like to taste the King’s pudding.”

“Oh, no, Tiger! The King would be very angry.”

“Just one little taste, Mouse Deer! The King will never know.”

“Well, all right, Tiger. But first let me run far away, so no one will blame me.”

“All right, Mouse Deer, you can go now.”

Mouse Deer ran quickly out of sight.

“Imagine!” said Tiger. “The King’s pudding!” He took a big mouthful.

Phooey! He spit it out.

“Yuck! Ugh! Bleck! That’s no pudding. That’s mud!”

Tiger ran through the forest. Rowr! He caught up with Mouse Deer.

“Mouse Deer, you tricked me once. But now you will be my lunch!”

Mouse Deer looked around and thought fast. He saw a wasp nest in a tree.

“I’m sorry, Tiger. I can’t be your lunch. The King has ordered me to guard his drum.”

“His drum?” said Tiger.

“Yes. There it is.” Mouse Deer pointed to the wasp nest. “It has the best sound in the world. TheKing doesn’t want anyone else to hit it.”

Tiger said, “I would like to hit the King’s drum.”

“Oh, no, Tiger! The King would be very angry.”

“Just one little hit, Mouse Deer! The King will never know.”

“Well, all right, Tiger. But first let me run far away, so no one will blame me.”

“All right, Mouse Deer, you can go now.”

julie'sjulie,s

Mouse Deer ran quickly out of sight.

“Imagine!” said Tiger. “The King’s drum!” He reached up and hit it. Pow.

Bzzzzzzzzzzzzz. The wasps all flew out. They started to sting Tiger.

“Ouch! Ooch! Eech! That’s no drum. That’s a wasp nest!”

Tiger ran away. But the wasps only followed him! Bzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

“Ouch! Ooch! Eech!”

Tiger came to a stream. He jumped in—splash!—and stayed underwater as long as he could. Atlast the wasps went away.

Then Tiger jumped out. Rowr! He ran through the forest till he found Mouse Deer.

“Mouse Deer, you tricked me once. You tricked me twice. But now you will be my lunch!”

Mouse Deer looked around and thought fast. He saw a cobra! The giant snake was coiled asleepon the ground.

“I’m sorry, Tiger. I can’t be your lunch. The King has ordered me to guard his belt.”

“His belt?” said Tiger.

“Yes. There it is.” Mouse Deer pointed to the cobra. “It’s the best belt in the world. The Kingdoesn’t want anyone else to wear it.”

Tiger said, “I would like to wear the King’s belt.”

“Oh, no Tiger! The King would be very angry.”

“Just for one moment, Mouse Deer! The King will never know.”

“Well, all right, Tiger. But first let me run far away, so no one will blame me.”

“All right, Mouse Deer, you can go now.”

Mouse Deer ran quickly out of sight.

“Imagine!” said Tiger. “The King’s belt!” He started to wrap it around himself.

The cobra woke up. Ssssssssssssss. It didn’t wait for Tiger to finish wrapping. It wrapped itselfaround Tiger. Then it squeezed him and bit him. Sstt!

julie'sjulie,s

“Ooh! Ow! Yow! That’s no belt. That’s a cobra! Help! Mouse Deer! Help!”

But Mouse Deer was far away. And as he went, he sang his song.I’m quick and smart as I can be.Try and try, but you can’t catch me!

2Mouse Deer and Crocodile

One day, Mouse Deer went down to the river. He wanted to take a drink. But he knew Crocodilemight be waiting underwater to eat him.

Mouse Deer had an idea. He said out loud, “I wonder if the water’s warm. I’ll put in my leg andfind out.”

But Mouse Deer didn’t put in his leg. Instead, he picked up a stick with his mouth and put in oneend.

Chomp! Crocodile grabbed the stick and pulled it underwater.

Mouse Deer laughed. “Stupid Crocodile! Don’t you know a stick from a leg?”

And he ran off to drink somewhere else!

* * *

Another day, Mouse Deer went back to the river. All he saw there was a floating log. But heknew Crocodile looked like a log when he floated.

Mouse Deer had an idea. He said out loud, “If that log is really Crocodile, it won’t talk. But ifit’s really just a log, it will tell me.”

He listened. A rough voice said, “I’m really just a log.”

Mouse Deer laughed. “Stupid Crocodile! Do you think a log can talk?”

And off he ran again!

* * *

Another day, Mouse Deer wanted to cross the river. He wanted to eat tasty fruits and roots andshoots on the other side. But he didn’t want Crocodile to eat him first!

Mouse Deer had an idea. He called out, “Crocodile!”

julie'sjulie,s

Crocodile rose from the water. “Hello, Mouse Deer. Have you come to be my breakfast?”

“Not today, Crocodile. I have orders from the King. He wants me to count all the crocodiles.”

“The King!” said Crocodile. “Tell us what to do.”

“You must line up from this side of the river to the other side.”

Crocodile got all his friends and family. They lined up across the river.

Mouse Deer jumped onto Crocodile’s back. “One.”

He jumped onto the next crocodile. “Two.”

And the next. “Three.”

Mouse Deer kept jumping till he jumped off on the other side of the river.

“How many are there?” called Crocodile.

“Just enough!” said Mouse Deer. “And all stupid!”

Then he went off singing his song.

I’m quick and smart as I can be.Try and try, but you can’t catch me!

3Mouse Deer and Farmer

Mouse Deer loved to eat the fruits and roots and shoots of the forest. But he loved somethingelse even more.

He loved the vegetables in Farmer’s garden.

One day, Mouse Deer went to the edge of the forest. He looked out at row after row ofvegetables.

“Mmmm,” said Mouse Deer. “Juicy cucumbers! Yummy yams!” He started into the garden.

Snap! “Oh!”

His leg was caught in a snare! Mouse Deer pulled and pulled. But he could not get away.

julie'sjulie,s

“Oh, no!” he said. “Farmer will have me for dinner!”

Then he saw Farmer coming. Mouse Deer thought fast. He lay on the ground and made his bodystiff.

“Well, well,” said Farmer. “Look what I caught. A mouse deer! But he looks dead.”

Farmer pushed him with his foot. Mouse Deer didn’t move.

“Maybe he’s been dead a long time,” said Farmer. “Too bad! I guess we can’t eat him.”

He pulled Mouse Deer’s leg out of the snare. Then he tossed Mouse Deer back into the forest.

Mouse Deer landed with a soft plop. Then he jumped up and ran. Behind him, he heard Farmeryell.

“Hey! You tricked me!”

Mouse Deer laughed. “Farmer is smart. But Mouse Deer is smarter!”

* * *

A few days passed. Mouse Deer kept thinking about all those vegetables. One day, he went backto the edge of the forest.

“Mmmm,” said Mouse Deer. “Tasty gourds! Scrumptious sweet potatoes!”

Then he saw something new. It looked like a man. But its head was a coconut, and its body wasrubber.

“A scarecrow!” said Mouse Deer. “That silly Farmer. Does he think he can scare me with that?I’ll show him how scared I am!”

Mouse Deer marched up to the scarecrow. “Take this!” He gave it a big kick.

But his leg stuck to the scarecrow. The scarecrow was covered with sticky sap from a rubbertree!

“Let me go!” said Mouse Deer. He pulled and he pulled. Then he pushed with his other front leg.

That leg stuck too.

“Turn me loose!” He pulled and he pulled. Then he pushed with his two back legs.

They stuck too.

julie'sjulie,s

“PUT ME DOWN!” He pulled and he pushed and he pulled and he pushed. But Mouse Deer wastrapped.

Then he saw Farmer. Mouse Deer thought fast. But he didn’t have any ideas!

“Well, well,” said Farmer. “How nice of you to come back.”

He pulled Mouse Deer off the scarecrow and carried him to the house. He put him outside in anempty chicken coop.

“I’ll keep you here tonight,” said Farmer. “And tomorrow you’ll be our dinner.”

All that night, Mouse Deer couldn’t sleep. He didn’t want to be dinner! When the sun rose,Mouse Deer just lay there sadly.

Then he heard something. “Why, it’s Mouse Deer! So Farmer caught you at last. It serves youright!”

It was Farmer’s dog. Mouse Deer thought fast.

“What do you mean, Dog? Farmer didn’t catch me.”

“Then why are you in the coop?” said Dog.

“Because there aren’t enough beds in the house. You see, Farmer is holding a feast tomorrow.And I’m the guest of honor.”

“Guest of honor?” said Dog. “That’s not fair! I’ve been his loyal friend for years, and you’re justa thief. The guest of honor should be me!”

“You know, Dog, you’re right. Why don’t you take my place? When Farmer sees you in here,he’ll make you the guest of honor instead.”

“Really?” said Dog. “You don’t mind?”

“Not at all,” said Mouse Deer. “You deserve it.”

“Mouse Deer, you’re not so bad after all. Thank you!” Dog lifted the latch and opened the door.

“You’re welcome, Dog. Enjoy the feast.”

Mouse Deer ran for the forest. Then he watched from the forest edge. He saw Farmer come outand stare at Dog. Then he heard Farmer yell.

“You stupid dog! You let the mouse deer get away!”

julie'sjulie,s

Mouse Deer laughed. “Farmer will have to find a different dinner now!” Then he went offsinging his song.

I’m quick and smart as I can be.Try and try, but you can’t catch me!

julie'sjulie,s