Legend of Batu Bagga

Long time ago in Sulawesi Island, lived a man named Intobu. He lived alone with his only son, named Impalak. They were poor. Everyday they work as fishermen. They went to the sea every night to catch fish, even in bad weather. Intobu always advised his son, “Being fishermen is our only income. Do not take the bad weather as our enemy.” Impalak nodded. “Yes, Father,” he replied.

Intobu and Impalak worked as fishermen for years. But, Impalak started to feel bored with the job. He wanted to try something new. He wanted to make a better living for his father and himself. One day, Impalak tried to talk to his father about his desire. “Father…, please forgives me,” Impalak felt hesitated. “What is it, my son?” Intobu was curious seeing his son’s strange attitude. “Father, actually I want to quit working as fisherman. I want to go abroad and try working something else,” explained Impalak.

Intobu was sad hearing his son’s decision, but he also wanted Impalak to be a successful person. “If that is your decision, I couldn’t do anything else but to allow you. I can only pray for your safety and success” said Intobu. “But I want you to always remember your homeland. Always remember your father,” he continued. “Yes, Father. I will remember. Thank you,” said Impalak happily.

In the next day, Impalak went to the harbor. He saw a bagga (sailboat) and went to see the owner. “Excuse me, Sir. I’m wondering if I can sail with you?” asked Impalak. The bagga’s owner was silent for a moment. “It’s not a problem for me. But why do you want to sail with me, and have you asked permission from your parents?” asked the bagga’s owner then. “I worked here as fishermen with my father, but I want to try my luck abroad. My father already agreed with my plan,” said Impalak. “All right, I will set sail tomorrow. Come met me here in the morning. And by the way, what’s your name?” asked the bagga’s owner. “Thank you, Sir. My name is Impalak, Sir,” Impalak answered happily.

Back in his house, Impalak told his father about the bagga boat. “When do you depart?” asked Intobu. “Tomorrow, Father,” answered Impalak. The next morning, impalak went to the harbor together with his father. The bagga was ready to set sail. “Hurry, Impalak!” shout the bagga’s owner. Impalak kissed his father’s hand, “I’m going, Father. Take care,” said Impalak. “Go, Son. My blessing is with you,” said Intobu. There were tears in his eyes as he saw the bagga leaving the harbor.

A few years passed. Every time Intobu saw a bagga boat, he always hoped that his son is coming home. But there’s no news at all from Impalak. One day, Intobu went fishing as usual. He used his small sampan and headed to the open water near the harbor. But then he saw a bagga heading to the harbor.

When the bagga was getting close to Intobu’s sampan, he saw a handsome young man standing in front of the bagga’s deck. The young man was accompanied by his beautiful wife. Intobu recognized the young man. He was Impalak, his son. “Impalak! Impalak, my son!” Intobu shout happily.

Impalak heard his father’s shouting, but he ignored him. “Honey, there’s someone down there calling your name. Is that your father?” asked his wife. “No, he’s not my father. Just ignore him, honey” Impalak was embarrassed to acknowledge his old father in front of his beautiful wife.

Intobu tried to row his sampan closer to the bagga, but suddenly there’s a big waves in the sea. Intobu’s sampan was hit by the waves and almost drowned. “Help… Help me… Impalak, help…!” Intobu was shouting, asking help from his son. But Impalak ignored his father. He even turned his bagga into the opposite direction from Intobu’s sampan.

Intobu’s heart was broken to see his son’s ignorance. His felling is mixed with sadness and anger. He looked into the sky and prayed, “Oh, God. Please hear my prayer. I curse that rebellious son’s bagga into stone.” Not long after Intobu said the prayer, a storm came and struck Impalak’s bagga. The wind blew so hard, pushing the bagga to the shore. Suddenly, the bagga and Impalak turned into stone. The stone still exist until now. People called it Batu Bagga (Bagga Stone).***

Princess Mandalika (story papua)

Once upon a time, there was a kingdom in Lombok Island that was ruled by a king named Raja Tonjang Beru. He was a wise king. He had a queen named Dewi Seranting. He also had a beautiful daughter named Princess Mandalika. It is said that princess Mandalika was the prettiest girl in the whole island. Everybody knew about Princess Mandalika’s beauty and kindness, even the people from other kingdom around the island.

Princes from all over the place wanted to marry her. One by one, they came to propose her. Princess Mandalika was a kind girl. She hated to make people sad. So, when those princes came to propose her, she was very confused. She could not decide, and she didn’t want to make them sad. She also didn’t want to cause a war to happen because of her.

To solve the problem, Raja Tonjang Beru then held a competition in Seger Kuta beach. He asked all the princes to take part in archery competition. The rule was simple; whoever shot the target perfectly will be accepted as Princess Mandalika’s future husband. One by one, all participants tried their best. After some time, there was no winner. All the participants were great in archery.

Because there was no a winner, all the participants started to argue. They claimed to be the best. The argument was getting hotter. Finally, they all were fighting. Soon, the fighting got bigger. It was like a war, because all the princes brought their soldiers in the archery competition. Princess Mandalika was really worried. She did not want the war to get bigger and hurt many people. Finally, she had an idea. "Everybody, listen up! I know you all love me and want me to be your wife. But I don't want you to fight because of me. And I don't want you to be sad either. I want you all to have me, but not as your wife. I want to be someone that everybody can have," said Princess Mandalika.

Raja Tonjang Beru and all other people in the beach did not understand what she meant. The king then came to her. But suddenly, Princess Mandalika jumped to the sea. She disappeared in the big waves. Everybody was surprised. It was chaos on the beach. All the princes tried to swim to find the princess, but they found nothing.

After several hours trying to search the princess, suddenly they found a lot of colorful sea worms on the beach. Raja Tonjang Beru then realized that his daughter had returned as sea worms. The worms were then called nyale. Until now, people in Lombok always try to catch nyale. Nyale is very delicious and that is why a lot of people come to Lombok to catch it. However, they can only find it once a year, in February or March. The tradition to catch the sea worms is called Bau Nyale.***

The Wise King (story kalimantan)

Long time ago, there was a kingdom named Sanggau in the Borneo Island. It was a peaceful and prosperous kingdom under the leadership of their wise king. There was a market in the kingdom of Sanggau. Pak Razak was a famous cook there. He owned his own restaurant in the market. One day, Pak Razak was cooking in his restaurant when a farmer passed by. But the farmer stopped in front of Pak Razak’s restaurant. He smells the aroma of the delicious food Pak Razak was cooking. “Hmmm… delicious… yummy,” said the farmer. "Hey! What are you doing? Do you want to come to my restaurant or not?” Pak Razak asked. "No, I don't. Smelling the aroma of your delicious food makes me full," said the farmer. “So you’re full by smelling my food?” asked Pak Razak again. “Yes, I am,” the farmer answered. “If that’s the case, you have to pay me for the smell of my delicious food,” said Pak Razak. “Ridiculous, I don’t want to pay. I didn’t eat anything,” the farmer refused to pay. But Pak Razak kept persisting that the farmer must pay for the aroma of his food. Both of them started to quarrel. People came and asked them to calm down. They suggested that Pak Razak and the farmer go to the King to solve the problem.

In the following day, Pak Razak and the farmer went to the palace. "Please tell me what happened,” asked the King. Pak Razak and the farmer told the King about the problem. "Hmm...I have the solution,” said the King after he heard the story from both Pak Razak and the farmer. The King then asked the farmer to bring out his money. The farmer took a gold coin from his pocket. “Now put your coins into this bottle.” The farmer then put his coin into a bottle prepared by the King’s servant. ”Do you hear the sound of the coins?" asked the King to Pak Razak. "Yes, I do," answered Pak Razak. "Then, the farmer has just paid you. He pays your delicious aroma with the sound of his money," explained the King. Pak Razak was silent. He knew the King was right. The King just gave him a lesson. He then apologize to the farmer.***

The Crying Stone (kalimantan)

One upon a time, lived a poor old widow in a small village. She lived with her daughter. Her daughter was very beautiful but also very lazy and arrogant. She never helped her mother and didn’t want to know what problem her mother had. Everyday, she put make up and wears her best clothes. She always wanted to look rich and beautiful.

One day, the mother and her daughter went to the market to buy some food. At first, the daughter refused to accompany her mother, but finally she agreed. “I’ll go with you, but you must walk behind me,” said the daughter. She didn't want to walk side by side with her mother. Although her mother was very sad, she agreed to walk behind her daughter.

On the way to the market, everybody admired the girl's beauty. But they were also curious. Behind the beautiful girl, there was an old woman with a simple dress. The girl and her mother looked very different. “Hello, beautiful girl. Who is the old woman behind you? Is she your mother?" they asked. “No, she is not my mother. She is my servant,” the girl answered. Her mother was very sad to hear that, but she didn't say anything. She could understand that her daughter was ashamed.

The girl and the mother met other people. Again they asked who the woman behind the beautiful girl. And again the girl answered that her mother is her servant. She always said that her mother is her servant every time people asked.

At last, the mother cannot hold the pain anymore. She prayed to God to punish her daughter. Suddenly, the girl's leg turns into stone. Slowly, the process continues to the upper part of the girl's body. The girl was in panic. "Mother, please forgive me! Mother!" she cried and asked her mother to forgive her. But it's already too late. Her whole body finally becomes a big stone. Until now, people can still see tears falling down from the stone. People then call it batu menangis (it mean the crying stone).***

The Origin of Landak River (kalimantan)

Long time ago, lived a farmer and his wife in a village by the side of a forest. They lived simply and they like to help other people, especially one who in afflictions. One night, the farmer and his wife were resting in their house. The farmer was sitting beside his sleeping wife. Suddenly, a white centipede came out from the wife’s head. The farmer was amazed. He then followed the centipede until they reach a small pond not far from their house. Then the centipede suddenly disappeared. The farmer went home and found his wife still soundly asleep.

In the morning, the wife told his husband about the dream she had last night. “I was walking through a vast field, and I came to a lake. I saw a giant hedgehog in the lake. It was glaring at me, so I ran away.” After he heard his wife’s dream, the farmer went back to the small pond. In the pond, he saw something very shiny. He came to the shiny object and took it. It was a golden hedgehog statue. It was very beautiful. Its eyes were made of diamond. The farmer then brought the statue home.

At night, the farmer had a dream. A giant hedgehog came to him, “Please let me stay in your home. As return, I will give you everything you want. Just caress the statue’s head and say the prayer. There are two kinds of prayers, one is to start your wish and the second is to stop your wish. Now memorize the prayers.”

In the next day, the farmer told his wife about his dream. They really wanted to prove it. The farmer slowly caressed the statue's head. He said the prayer and asked for rice. Suddenly, rice came out of the mouth of the statue. The rice kept on coming out from the statue's mouth. The farmer immediately said the prayer to stop it. The rice then stopped coming out from the statue.

The farmer and his wife then asked for other things, jewelry and other stuff they needed. They became very rich. But they still like to help other people. A lot of poor came to them for help. Unfortunately, a thief found out about the secret of the golden hedgehog statue. Pretending to be a poor asking for help, he stole the statue from the farmer’s house.

The thief blurred to the district area of Ngabang. There was a drought in the area. The thief wanted sympathy from the people, so he said to them that he would provide them with water. The thief then caressed the hedgehog statue and said the prayer. Water came out of the statue’s mouth. All the people were so happy. But the water kept on coming out. The thief didn’t know the prayer to stop the wish. People who saw the incident were really scared. They ran away to avoid the water as it was started to flood the area. The thief also wanted to run away, but he cannot move his legs. In his vision, there was a giant hedgehog holding both his legs. Water kept coming from the statue and slowly it became a river. The thief was drowned in the river. People then named the river as Hedgehog River or Sungai Landak.***

The Golden Watermelon story kalimantan

Long time ago, at the north area of West Kalimantan, lived a wealthy merchant. He had two sons. The older one is named Muzakir and the younger one is named Dermawan. The two brothers were so different in their attitudes. Muzakir had a very mean and greedy character. On the contradictory, Dermawan was a caring and kind person. He was not greedy and always tried to help those in needs.

Before he passed away, the merchant divided all of his money equally to both of his sons. He did it so that both of his sons will not envious at each other. Muzakir then bought a big cash-box. He put his entire share inside the cash-box and locked it. When a poor came to Muzakir’s house, he laughs at them instead of giving them something. If the poor don’t want to leave, Muzakir would summon his servants to chase them away.

Many of the poor in that area had heard about Muzakir’s rude attitude, therefore they preferred to come to Dermawan. When Dermawan saw those peoples coming, he sincerely welcome them to his house and shared money with those who needed it. It was almost every day a poor came for his help that f inally he ran out of money. Dermawan then moved to a smaller house. He also worked as a foreman. His salary was not much, only enough to buy his own daily meals. But Dermawan was happy with his simple life.

His elder brother laughed when he heard the news about Dermawan. He always thought that Dermawan was a fool to share his money with other people. He himself has just bought a large new house. “There is no one who as stupid as my younger brother,” he said.

One day, when Dermawan was sitting and relaxing in his house yard, a sparrow suddenly fell off in front of him. The sparrow twittered in pain. “Poor bird, did you broke your wing?” He took the bird and examines its wings. He’s right. One of the sparrow’s wings is broken. “Let me take care of you,” he said. Dermawan bandaged the sparrow’s wing and then he took some rice to feed the poor bird. After some time, the bird gradually tamed and was no longer afraid to Dermawan. Few days later, its wings were completely healed. After a while, it flew to the sky. The following day, the sparrow came to visit Dermawan. It held a seed with its beak, and then it put the seed in front of Dermawan. It was an ordinary seed, but Dermawan accepted it with a big smile on his face. He then planted the seed in the back yard of his house.

Three days later, the seed started to grow. It was a watermelon tree. Dermawan took good care of the tree. He thought the tree would bear many fruits since it was so blossomy. But, from all the flowers, only one turned to fruit. Day by day, the fruit grows bigger, bigger than any watermelon Dermawan ever see. Harvesting time finally came and he decided to take the watermelon. “Oh my God, it is so heavy”, he uttered while trying hardly to carry it into the house to put on the table. He took a knife and started to cut the watermelon. Dermawan was shocked. Inside the watermelon is some kind of yellow sand. “What could this be?” Dermawan wondered. Then he realized that the strange yellow sand was actually a pile of pure golden sand. “Holy God, it’s gold. I’m rich,” he danced happily. He heard bird twittered and he looked outside. He saw the sparrow on a tree. “Thank you”, he shouted. “Thank you”, he shouted again, and then the sparrow flew away.

Dermawan then bought a big house with a very big garden the next day. All of the poor came to his house and were welcomed for meals. This time, Dermawan would not run out of money. He had so much money, and his fields produced plants with good fruits as well.

The news about Dermawan’s fortune was heard by Muzakir and made him envy. He went to Dermawan house, and Dermawan honestly told his brother about the sparrow. Muzakir immediately commanded his servants to find a bird with broken wings as he heard the story from his brother. A week passed, but Muzakir’s servants still couldn’t find such bird. He was so angry and even couldn‘t sleep during the nights. The next day, he asked one of his servants to catch a bird using chopsticks. Of course, the chopsticks hurt the bird and broke its wings. Muzakir then pretended to pity the bird and took care of it. Days passed and the bird was completely healed and let to fly. The following day, the bird came back to Muzakir and brought a seed for him. He was very happy. ”I will be very rich soon, even richer than Dermawan,” he said to himself.

Muzakir planted the seed at the back yard of his house and it grew to a fine watermelon tree after several days. It also bore only one fruit, which was much bigger than that once owned by Dermawan. As the harvesting time approached, Muzakir asked his servants to take the fruit into his house. He couldn‘t wait to find a pile of golden sand inside. He cut the watermelon himself and was very shocked when black mud mixed with dirt flushed out to his face. It smelled very bad. Muzakir‘s clothes and also the room were terribly dirty because of it. He ran to the street because he couldn‘t stand the rotten smell from the watermelon. All the people on the street laughed at him for what they saw.***

The story of the people of Bali

Once upon a time in Bali, lived a wealthy man and his wife. They have been married for a long time but did not have any children. They prayed to God to give them a child. They prayed and prayed. God finally answered their pray. The wife got pregnant and they had a baby boy. They were very happy. The baby was extraordinary. He was very much different from other babies. He ate and drank a lot. Day after day he ate more and more. His body was getting bigger and bigger. And by the time he was a teenager, his body was as big as a buffalo. That’s why people called him Kebo Iwa, it means uncle buffalo. Because of his eating habit, Kebo Iwa’s parents spent a lot of money to buy his food. They finally went bankrupt. They had no other choice but to ask the villagers to help them provide the food.

The villagers then worked together to cook and build a big house for Kebo Iwa. He was like a giant. He could not stay in his parents’ house anymore because of his big body. After a few months, the villagers also couldn’t afford to cook him the food anymore. They then asked Kebo Iwa to cook his own food. The villagers just prepared the raw materials. Kebo Iwa agreed and as an expression of his gratitude to the villagers, he help built a dam, dug wells, and he also protected the villagers from animals and people who wanted to attack their village. It was easy task for him since he also had incredible strength.

Meanwhile, the kingdom of Majapahit was planning to attack Bali. They knew about Kebo Iwa. And they also knew that they could not conquer Bali with Kebo Iwa there. Kebo Iwa was more powerful than they were. The Maha Patih of Majapahit then planned something. They were pretending to invite Kebo Iwa to Majapahit to help them dig some wells. They said that Majapahit was suffering from a long dry season and needed water. Kebo Iwa did not know the plan, so he went to Majapahit to help them. When Kebo Iwa was busy digging a well, the Majapahit troops covered the well. Kebo Iwa had difficulty in breathing and buried alive. He died inside the well. After the death of Kebo Iwa, Bali was conquered by Majapahit. Until now, people still remember Kebo Iwa because he had done a lot for Bali.***

The Origin of Pond Sampuraga

In the area Sumatra, lived a widow with her son named Sampuraga. They lived in a small hut in the forest. Everyday they worked hard as employees in a farm owned by a rich man. One day, Sampuraga and his boss took a rest, leaning on a tree after working all day. While enjoying their lunch, the boss asked, “Sampuraga, you’re still young. Why don’t you move to a prosperous land and find a better job?” Sampuraga was an honest and diligent young man. That why his boss cared for him and wanted a better life for him. ”Actually I`ve been dreaming to move to search for a better life. I want to make my mother happier. But where to?” asked Sampuraga. “You should go to Mandailing. One of my friend live there. Most of the inhabitants have farms and fields. They also seek for living by panning for gold in the river since it has high level of gold content,” explained the boss. The conversation made Sampuraga decided to follow the boss’s advised.

Back in his hut, Sampuraga told his mother about his decision. “Mother, I want to move to look for a better life. In this place, I’ll always be employee and work for other people. I want to go someplace else and try out my luck,” Sampuraga said to his mother. “Where will you go, son?” his mother asked. “I was thinking about Mandailing. The boss told me that the people in Mandailing live in prosperity because of its fertile soil,” Sampuraga said. His mother knew that Sampuraga had made up his mind and nothing can change his decision. “Though I`m afraid of being separated with you, as I get older, but I have no reason to forbid you. I`m sorry I never make you happy,” his mother said. “Thank you, Mother! I promise I`ll be back soon if I were success. Pray for me Mom,” Sampuraga asking for his Mother’s blessing.

Sampuraga depart on his journey to Mandailing the following day. He left his mother alone. Days passed, he walked throughout a forest passing by villages. One day, he reached a city in Pidoli Kingdom, in Mandailing. In that place, he tried to apply for job. A rich merchant accepted his application. The merchant took a great trust in him as he was diligent and honest young man. After a year, the boss gave him some financial capitals so that he could run his own business. His business grew up rapidly in a short time. Some of his profits were kept to increase his capital in order to make his business bigger. Finally, he was known a rich young business man.

The merchant was so proud with Sampuraga. One day, he asked Sampuraga if he is interested to marry his daughter. “Sampuraga, you are honest and diligent man. Do you want to marry my daughter?” asked the merchant. “Of course, Sir,“ Sampuraga answered. The merchant’s daughter was known as the most beautiful girl in the Pidoli Kingdom.

They got married in a luxurious wedding party. All preparations had been started months before the wedding day. Ten buffalos and goats were provided in the party. Everybody knew about the big wedding including Sampuraga’s mother. She heard the news from a passing merchant from Mandailing. “Is it true? Maybe it’s just the same name,” she was at doubt. How could it possible for her son to marry a beautiful girl from a wealthy family, whereas he’s just a son of poor widow. But, Sampuraga’s mother still wanted to make sure, so she went to Mandailing to watch the wedding. When she arrived in Pidoli Kingdom, the wedding party already started. It was so crowded and noisy. She tried to get closer in the crowd. She was shocked when she saw the man who was sitting next to a beautiful girl. It was her son, Sampuraga. “Raga…! Sampuraga, my son,” she shouted, trying to get Sampuraga’s attention.

Sampuraga was shocked to hear that familiar voice. “Oh…It`s not possible,” he thought while looking for the source of the voice among the crowded. But then he saw an old woman ran to him. “Sampuraga, my son! I’m your mother!” said the old woman while she tried to embrace Sampuraga. But Sampuraga was so embarrassed to see his own mother. His face turned red. “Hey, old woman! Don`t pretend to be my mother! I have no mother like you! Go away from here now! Don’t disturb my party!” he shouted with angry tone. His mother was startled to see Sampuraga’s reaction. “Raga… Sampuraga. I’m your mother. How could you forget your own mother?” she started to cry.

“No!! You`re not my Mother! She’s already dead! Guard, take this old woman out of here!” Sampuraga ordered his guard. His heart had totally hardened until he denied and chased away his own mother. All of the guests only kept on silence, no one dared to mediate them. The old woman then was dragged by two guards out of the party. While still crying, she prayed, “Dear God…If he were truly my son, Sampuraga, please give him a punishment for disavowing me.”

Suddenly, the sky turned dark, covered by thick cloud. The rain fell down followed by thunderstorm. All of the guests tried to ran away, but they couldn’t escape the storm. Just in a short time, no one was safe, including Sampuraga and his wife.

On the next days, that place turned into a hot pond surrounded by limestone whose shape were the same as buffalos. There were also two heaps of sand and colorful mud that looked like the food offered on Sampuraga`s wedding party. People later call it “Kolam Sampuraga” or Pond Sampuraga.***

Lake Toba story

In the northern area of Sumatra Island, lived a young man. Everyday, he work hard as a farmer. One day in the morning, the young man went fishing in a river. Not so long after he threw the bait, it was bitten by a fish. He pulled the fishing rod and was amazed by the fish he caught. It was a golden fish. “Wait, please don’t eat me,” the fish suddenly spoke to the young man. Startled, the young man dropped the golden fish and it suddenly turned into a beautiful girl.

“I must have been dreaming,” the young man said to himself. “Don’t afraid, Sir. I was a princess cursed by the gods because a mistake I did. You’ve save me,” said the girl. “As my gratitude, I’m willing to be your wife.” The young man was so amazed to see the beauty of the girl, so he accepted her as his wife. They became man and wife but with one condition, the young man promised not to mention about the fish form of the girl. Terrible disaster will happen if the promise is broken.

A year passed, the young man and his wife already had a son. They were so happy. Their son grew up as a healthy boy. But he was a little naughty. He also had a habit, he was always hungry. One day, the wife asked their son to deliver lunch to his father. But, the son ate the food on his way to the fields. The father had been working since morning. He was so hungry. Finding that there’s no food left for him, he said angrily, “Stupid boy! You little fish boy!” He didn’t realize that he broke the promise.

After he said those words, his son and wife mysteriously disappeared. From their footstep on the ground, there’s water bursting out. The water kept coming out and started to flood the area. The whole village and the surrounding area became a lake. There’s a small island in the middle of the lake, known as Samosir Island. And the lake is known as Lake Toba. ***

The Origin of Landak River

Long time ago, lived a farmer and his wife in a village by the side of a forest. They lived simply and they like to help other people, especially one who in afflictions. One night, the farmer and his wife were resting in their house. The farmer was sitting beside his sleeping wife. Suddenly, a white centipede came out from the wife’s head. The farmer was amazed. He then followed the centipede until they reach a small pond not far from their house. Then the centipede suddenly disappeared. The farmer went home and found his wife still soundly asleep.

In the morning, the wife told his husband about the dream she had last night. “I was walking through a vast field, and I came to a lake. I saw a giant hedgehog in the lake. It was glaring at me, so I ran away.” After he heard his wife’s dream, the farmer went back to the small pond. In the pond, he saw something very shiny. He came to the shiny object and took it. It was a golden hedgehog statue. It was very beautiful. Its eyes were made of diamond. The farmer then brought the statue home.

At night, the farmer had a dream. A giant hedgehog came to him, “Please let me stay in your home. As return, I will give you everything you want. Just caress the statue’s head and say the prayer. There are two kinds of prayers, one is to start your wish and the second is to stop your wish. Now memorize the prayers.”

In the next day, the farmer told his wife about his dream. They really wanted to prove it. The farmer slowly caressed the statue's head. He said the prayer and asked for rice. Suddenly, rice came out of the mouth of the statue. The rice kept on coming out from the statue's mouth. The farmer immediately said the prayer to stop it. The rice then stopped coming out from the statue.

The farmer and his wife then asked for other things, jewelry and other stuff they needed. They became very rich. But they still like to help other people. A lot of poor came to them for help. Unfortunately, a thief found out about the secret of the golden hedgehog statue. Pretending to be a poor asking for help, he stole the statue from the farmer’s house.

The thief blurred to the district area of Ngabang. There was a drought in the area. The thief wanted sympathy from the people, so he said to them that he would provide them with water. The thief then caressed the hedgehog statue and said the prayer. Water came out of the statue’s mouth. All the people were so happy. But the water kept on coming out. The thief didn’t know the prayer to stop the wish. People who saw the incident were really scared. They ran away to avoid the water as it was started to flood the area. The thief also wanted to run away, but he cannot move his legs. In his vision, there was a giant hedgehog holding both his legs. Water kept coming from the statue and slowly it became a river. The thief was drowned in the river. People then named the river as Hedgehog River or Sungai Landak.***

The story of the people of Java

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).***

lutung kasarung story

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 admitted. “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.***

rorojongrang story

Long time ago, there was a kingdom named Prambanan. All the people of Prambanan lived peacefully. But then, Prambanan kingdom was attacked and occupied by the Pengging kingdom. Prambanan then was ruled by Bandung Bondowoso of Pengging kingdom. He was a mean king. He also had great supernatural power. His soldiers were not only humans, but also genies.
The king of Prambanan had a beautiful daughter named Loro Jonggrang. Bandung Bondowoso fell in love with her and wanted to marry her. “You’re very beautiful. Would you be my queen?” asked Bandung Bondowoso. Loro Jonggrang was shocked. She didn’t like Bandung Bondowoso because he was a mean person. She wanted to refuse, but she afraid that Bandung Bondowoso would be angry and endangered the people of Prambanan. Then, she came up with a plan. “If you want to marry me, you have to build a thousand temples for me in just one night,” said Loro Jonggrang. “What? That’s impossible!” said Bandung Bondowoso. But he did not give up. He consulted with his advisor. “Your Majesty can asked the genies to help built the temples,” said the advisor.
So, Bandung Bondowoso summoned his entire genies soldier and commanded them to help him built a thousand temples. The genies worked in unbelievable speed. Meanwhile, Loro Jonggrang heard from her servant that the building of a thousand temples was almost finished. She was so worried. But again, she came up with a great idea. She asked all of her servants to help her. “Please prepare a lot of straw and mortar. Please hurry up!” said Loro Jonggrang. “Burn the straw and make some noise pounding the mortar, quickly.” All those servants did what Loro Jonggrang ordered them; burning straw and pounding the mortar, making the genies think that the sun is going to rise.
“It’s already dawn. We have to go,” said the leader of the genies to Bandung Bondowoso. All the genies immediately stopped their work and ran for cover from the sun, which they afraid of. They didn’t know that the light was from the fire that burning the straw, not from the sun.
Bandung Bondowoso can’t stop the genies from leaving. He was angry. He knew Loro Jonggrang had just tricked him. “You cannot fool me, Loro Jonggrang. I already have 999 temples. I just need one more temple. Now, I will make you the one-thousandth temple.” He pointed his finger to Loro Jonggrang and said some mantras. Magically, Loro Jonggrang’s body turned into stone. Until now, the temple is still standing in Prambanan area, Central Java. And the temple is called Loro Jonggrang temple.***

Cerita rakyat Timun Emas bahasa inggris
Long time ago, lived an old women named Mbok Sirni. She lived by herself because her husband had long passed away and she had no children. Every day, she prayed so God would give her a child. One night, when she was praying, a giant passed her house and heard her pray. “I can give you a child on one condition,” the giant said to Mbok Sirni, “You must give the child back to me when it is six years old.” Mbok Sirni was so happy; she did not think about the risk of losing the child later and agreed to take the giant’s offer. The giant then gave her a bunch of cucumber seeds. “Plant it around your house.” The giant then left without saying anything else. In the morning, Mbok Sirni planted the seeds. The seeds grew within mere days, and blossomed plentifully.Not longer after that, a big golden cucumber grew from plants. Carefully, Mbok Sirni plucked the golden cucumber and carried it home. With caution and care, she sliced the cucumber. She was very surprised to see a beautiful baby girl inside the cucumber. She then named the baby Timun Emas (it means Golden Cucumber).
Years passed by and Timun Emas has grew to become a lovely and beautiful little girl. She was also smart and kind. Mbok Sirni loved her very much. But she kept thinking about the time the giant would take Timun Emas away from her. One night, Mbok Sirni had a dream. In order to save Timun Emas from the giant, she had to meet the holy man who lived in Mount Gundul. The next morning, Mbok Sirni took leave of Timun Emas to go to Mount Gundul. The holy man then gave her four little bags, each one containing cucumber seeds, needles, salt, and shrimp paste. “Timun Emas can use these to protect herself,” said the holy man to Mbok Sirni.
A few days later, the giant came to see Mbok Sirni about her promise. “Mbok Sirni! Where is Timun Emas?” shouted the giant. “My daughter, take these bag with you. It can save you from the giant. Now, run through the back door,” said Mbok Sirni. But the giant saw Timun Emas running to the woods. The giant was angry. Starved and enraged, he rushed toward Timun Emas. Mbok Sirni tried to stop him, but the giant was unstoppable.
The giant was getting closer and closer, so Timun Emas opened the first bag she got from Mbok Sirni. Inside the bag were cucumber seeds. She threw the seeds, and instantly they grew into large cucumber field. But the giant ate them all, giving him more strength. As the giant was getting close, Timun Emas took the second bag with needles inside and spilled the content behind her. The needles turned into bamboo trees, sharp and thorny. The giant’s body was scratched and bled. “Aaargh, I’ll get you, Timun Emas!” shouted the giant as he tried to get himself out from the bamboo field. He made it and still chasing Timun Emas.
Timun Emas then reached the third bag and spilled the salt inside. The ground which the salt touched turned into a deep sea. The giant almost drown and had to swim to cross the sea. After some time, he managed to get out from the water. Timun Emas saw the giant coming, so she reached for the last bag. She took the shrimp paste and threw it. The shrimp paste became a big swamp of boiling mud. The giant was trapped in the middle of the swamp. The mud slowly but surely drowned him. Helpless, he roared out, “Help! Heeeeelp…!” Then the giant drown and died. Timun Mas then immediately went home. Since then, Timun Emas and Mbok Sirni live happily ever after.***

Cerita rakyat Jaka Tarub and Nawang Wulan bahasa inggris
Jaka Tarub was a handsome and diligent young man. He lived in a village near a lake. One day, when Jaka Tarub passed the lake, he heard some giggles and laughs of some girls who were bathing in the lake. He was curious, so he peeped through the bushes. There were seven beautiful girls in the lake. They’re fairies from the heavenly kingdom of kahyangan. Jaka Tarub saw a scarf near the bushes. It belonged to one of the fairies. Jaka Tarub then took it and hid it.
Crack!!! Accidentally, Jaka Tarub stepped on a twig. “There’s someone!” said one of the fairies. “Let’s get back. Hurry!” she said. They pulled over and wear their scarf. “Where is my scarf?” one of the fairies couldn’t find her scarf. She was the youngest fairy called Nawang Wulan. They tried to search for it, but it was no where to be found. “We’re sorry, Wulan. We have to go back to kahyangan,” said the eldest fairy. “You’ll have to find it by yourself. We’ll wait for you in kahyangan,” she said in empathy. The other fairies then flew to the sky leaving Nawang Wulan behind. Nawang Wulan saw them leaving in tears. She was so sad.
“Excuse me …,” said Jaka Tarub, startling Nawang Wulan. “Are you okay?” he asked. Nawang Wulan moved backward, “Who are you?” she asked. “My name is Jaka Tarub. I was passing by and I heard you crying, so I came to see what happen,” Jaka Tarub lied. Nawang Wulan then told him about her problem. “I can’t fly without my scarf,” she said. Jaka Tarub then asked Nawang Wulan to come home with him. At first, Nawang Wulan refused the offer. But since she didn’t have anywhere else to go, Nawang Wulan then decided to follow Jaka Tarub.
Nawang Wulan stayed with Jaka Tarub in the village. A month passed, and they decided to get married. Nawang Wulan was willing to marry a human because she fell in love with Jaka Tarub. After a year, they had a beautiful daughter. They named her Kumalasari. They lived happily.
Jaka Tarub was also happy to live with Nawang Wulan and Kumalasari. Especially because he always got a lot of harvest since he married Nawang Wulan. He couldn’t even keep all of his harvest in the barn because it was always full. “It’s so weird. Nawang Wulan cooked everyday, but why is my barn always full,” Jaka Tarub mumbled to himself. He was so curious. One day, Jaka Tarub stayed at home. “I want to stay home today. I’d like to play with Kumalasari,” he said to his wife. “Well, I’ll go to the river to wash the clothes. Please keep an eye on Kumalasari,” asked Nawang Wulan. “I’m cooking rice now. Please do not open the pan cover before it’s done,” she said just before she left. “Could this be the secret?” Jaka Tarub thought. After Nawang Wulan left, he curiously opened the pan cover. He found only one single paddy. “How come?” he wondered.
Before lunch, Nawang Wulan came home. She headed to the kitchen to see the rice she had cooked. She found that the rice turned into only a few grains. “Did you open the pan cover?” she asked her husband. “I… I’m sorry. I was curious,” Jaka Tarub said as he realized his fault.
Ever since, Nawang Wulan had lost her power. She couldn’t cook rice with only a single paddy. Their paddy supply was slowly lessened. Their barn was almost empty. One day, Nawang Wulan went to the barn to get some paddy. When she took one of them, she found a scarf. “What’s this? This is my scarf,” said Nawang Wulan startled.
That night, Nawang Wulan asked her husband about the scarf. Jaka Tarub’s eyes widened, “You found it?” he asked. Jaka Tarub looked down and asked for her forgiveness. “Because I’ve found my scarf, it’s time for me to go back to where I belong,” Nawang Wulan said. Jaka Tarub tried to stop her, but Nawang Wulan had made up her mind. “Please take good care of Kumalasari,” she said. “If she wanted to see me, take seven grains of candlenut and put it into a basket. Shake it as you play the bamboo flute. I’ll come to see her,” she explained.
Jaka Tarub promised to take good care of their daughter. He once again asked for forgiveness for all of his mistakes. “I’ve forgiven you, so you don’t have to feel guilty. I must go now. Take care,” said Nawang Wulan as she flew to the bright full moon.***

malin kundang story

Once upon a time, on the north coast of Sumatra lived a poor woman and his son. The boy was called Malin Kundang. They didn’t earn much as fishing was their only source of income. Malin Kundang grew up as a skillful young boy. He always helps his mother to earn some money. However, as they were only fisherman’s helper, they still lived in poverty. “Mother, what if I sail overseas?” asked Malin Kundang one day to his mother. Her mother didn’t agree but Malin Kundang had made up his mind. “Mother, if I stay here, I’ll always be a poor man. I want to be a successful person,” urged Malin kundang. His mother wiped her tears, “If you really want to go, I can’t stop you. I could only pray to God for you to gain success in life,” said his mother wisely. “But, promise me, you’ll come home.”

In the next morning, Malin Kundang was ready to go. Three days ago, he met one of the successful ship’s crew. Malin was offered to join him. “Take a good care of yourself, son,” said Malin Kundang’s mother as she gave him some food supplies. “Yes, Mother,” Malin Kundang said. “You too have to take a good care of yourself. I’ll keep in touch with you,” he continued before kissing his mother’s hand. Before Malin stepped onto the ship, Malin’s mother hugged him tight as if she didn’t want to let him go.

It had been three months since Malin Kundang left his mother. As his mother had predicted before, he hadn’t contacted her yet. Every morning, she stood on the pier. She wished to see the ship that brought Malin kundang home. Every day and night, she prayed to the God for her son’s safety. There was so much prayer that had been said due to her deep love for Malin Kundang. Even though it’s been a year she had not heard any news from Malin Kundang, she kept waiting and praying for him.

After several years waiting without any news, Malin Kundang’s mother was suddenly surprised by the arrival of a big ship in the pier where she usually stood to wait for her son. When the ship finally pulled over, Malin Kundang’s mother saw a man who looked wealthy stepping down a ladder along with a beautiful woman. She could not be wrong. Her blurry eyes still easily recognized him. The man was Malin Kundang, her son.

Malin Kundang’s mother quickly went to see her beloved son. “Malin, you’re back, son!” said Malin Kundang’s mother and without hesitation, she came running to hug Malin Kundang, “I miss you so much.” But, Malin Kundang didn’t show any respond. He was ashamed to admit his own mother in front of his beautiful wife. “You’re not my Mother. I don’t know you. My mother would never wear such ragged and ugly clothes,” said Malin Kundang as he release his mother embrace.

Malin Kundang’s mother take a step back, “Malin…You don’t recognize me? I’m your mother!” she said sadly. Malin Kundang’s face was as cold as ice. “Guard, take this old women out of here,” Malin Kundang ordered his bodyguard. “Give her some money so she won’t disturb me again!” Malin Kundang’s mother cried as she was dragged by the bodyguard, ”Malin… my son. Why do you treat your own mother like this?”

Malin Kundang ignored his mother and ordered the ship crews to set sail. Malin Kundang’s mother sat alone in the pier. Her heart was so hurt, she cried and cried. “Dear God, if he isn’t my son, please let him have a save journey. But if he is, I cursed him to become a stone,” she prayed to the God.

In the quiet sea, suddenly the wind blew so hard and a thunderstorm came. Malin Kundang’s huge ship was wrecked. He was thrown by the wave out of his ship, and fell on a small island. Suddenly, his whole body turned into stone. He was punished for not admitting his own mother.***

The phenomenon of "Crying Stone" Natural Factors and Pareidolia

kumpulanartikelbahasainggris.blogspot.com - One of the natural phenomenon that is beingdiscussed now is the warmth of the phenomenon of "crying rock". Found a stone like human facesand even tears. What's the story? Some time ago, found a "crying rock" in the village Pananjung,Taragong, Garut, West Java Province. At first the discovery of a natural phenomenon crying stone is regarded as a relic of prehistory. Culture and Tourism Department of West Java Garut is alsoinvestigating. Through such research ultimately could be concluded that the phenomenon of "weeping stone 'is a natural factor and not made ​​by man in prehistoric times. It is presented by the Head of Culture and Antiquities.

In a couple of years ago that in 2009 and 2011 based on reports villagers said that they found the stone out of water so call it a stone cry. The residents believe that the rock resembles a human face.

But it was denied by Warjita as Head of Culture and Antiquities in Garut. Stone Mountain is a vomitGutur in the 18th century and the 19th. Stone cry has a diameter of 2 meters. However Warjita say that the actual stone is not so similar to a human face. Rather, the assumption can be regarded aspareidolia. Conclusions are stronger because there are no other objects that have historical valuearound the site.

The phenomenon of "Crying Stone" Natural Factors and Pareidolia

Meanwhile, the pareidolia itself is a psychological phenomenon that allows humans to assess a particular object has similarities with what is imagined by him. This is caused by the human brainhas the ability to store a specific memory about appearance and shape. For example, we'll often seeclouds of various shapes and we assume that the cloud is so similar to what we imagined. Not only that, humans do have the ability to identify human faces even from a considerable distance.However, in some circumstances ultimately it makes people interpret random images, shadows andpatterns of light.

But did you know that people can lose is the ability to identify faces and so on? Stroke, tumors andtrauma to the ventral fusiform gyrus cause a person to lose the ability to identify faces. It is also called Prosopagnosia disorder where a person experiences that make it difficult to identify even hisown face! It is caused by acute brain damage. It can still be done to cure such example is the treatment of a specific identification with remembering faces.

So, there are many things about the man himself so that we can create a different perception. One of them dates back to the phenomenon of stone cry. Human beings are creatures of God who has the uncanny ability!