Folklore From West Java

The Legend Of Situ Bagendit

Once upon a time there lived a very wealthy woman in a small village .She lived
alone in a very big house .She was very greedy so people called her Bagenda Endit,
the greedy wealthy woman.

“I’m the richest woman in this village. Ha…ha…ha all these wealth are mine. No
one can take even a little cent from me.”

“I have all of these by my own. So why do I have to share the things with the
other?” That was what she thought about. She didn’t care with the people around
her,although they were very poor and were starving.

One day, a very old woman came to her and asked for help.

She said,” Bagenda Endit, please help me. My son has never had any food for
days. We are starving”.

“Hi, the ugly old woman! Get away from me! I don’t care with you or your son.
Whether you are starving or even dying, it is not my bussiness.” Bagenda Endit
shouted.

The old woman didn’t move from Bagenda Endit sight so Bagenda Endit sprayed
the woman with some water. The old woman and her son got wet.

Bagenda Endit was so cruel. She didn’t feel a little sorry for the old woman. Even
she got angrier. She forced the old woman to get out of her yard .

“Hi…hi…hi ! What such a foolish woman! Who does she think she is, so that she
comes to me for a help.”

A few days later, a very old man ,with a stick to walk, came to Bagenda Endit and
asked for some water.

“Bagenda, please give me some water. I am so thirsty. If you don’t mind I’ll take
the water from your well.” Asked the old man.

“Hey, the poor old man. I don’t want you to take my water. Any drop of my water
is only for me. No one can take any of them. Go away!”said Bagenda Endit.

The man went by…, He used his stick to walk. He stopped by the Bagenda
Endit’s house yard,put his stick on the ground and shouted ,”Bagenda Endit, you don’t
want to loose any drop of your water. Now I will give you more water.”

He took his stick out of the ground and the water came out , bursted into the air.
It swept all over the village and it turned into a lake. Bagenda Endit was drowned with
all of her wealth. People called the lake Situ Bagendit.

Moral value : people should live together and help each other. Don’t be greedy
because it only brings dissaster.
Sangkuriang
In upon times, there lived a princess named Dayang Sumbi. She was the daughter of the king in
West Java. He had a son named Sangkuriang who likes to hunt. When hunting, Sangkuriang
accompanied by his beloved dog named si Tumang which was the real father of Sangkuriang.

When Sangkuriang hunting in the woods, Sangkuriang saw a bird and shot it directly. Then,
sangkuriang ruled si Tumang to take the prey, but si Tumang unwilling to follow orders and then
the si Tumang was expulsion.

After got home, Sangkuriang recounted the incident to his mother. His mother (Dayang Sumbi)
was very angry. She then took the spoon and banged on the head Sangkuriang. Sangkuriang
waas disappointed and decided to leave home.

After the incident, Dayang Sumbi sorry for what she had dilperbuatnya. After so long, Dayang
Sumbi given miracles by the god in the form of beauty and youth forever.

After many years, Sangkuriang finally went home. he was very surprised because his village had
changed. On the road, he met a very beautiful woman. Absolutely stunned, then he immediately
proposed. The proposal is accepted by the woman and planning to get married.

One day, before leaving for the hunt, Sangkuriang asks his future wife to spruce belt. What a
surprise, because when his future wife was tidying headband, she saw a scar on the head
sangkuriang. The scar was equal to her wounds. Yes, she was the Dayang Sumbi that no other is
her mother Sangkuriang. Dayang Sumbi was supprised today to inquire further into
Sangkuriang. Why not, it is true that her husband was her own son.

Because there may be married with children, then Dayang Sumbi asked Sangkuriang cancel the
wedding plans. The request was rejected because he did not believe that Dayang Sumbi is his
mother.

Dayang Sumbi finally find the perfect and best way. If Sangkuriang want to marry her, then
Dayang Sumbi poses two terms Sangkuriang. First he wants the Citarum river dammed. Second,
Sangkuriang asked to make a very large boat. In fact, Dayang Sumbi requested that two
conditions must be finished before dawn.

Sangkuriang was capable with both the request, and promised to finish it on time. Sangkuriang
exert the jinn to help him. Dayang Sumbi was not to be outdone, she then asked the help of
citizens to hold a red silk cloth in the east that Sangkuriang thought it was late morning.

Sangkuriang immediately quit his job and felt like a failure. Disappointed, Sangkuriang then
break down the dam that has been made and kicked the big boat that has been made and prone
on the mountain which is now called Tangkuban Perahu Mountain.
 MALIN KUNDANG

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 Legend of Roro Jongrang (Legenda Roro Jongrang)

 Once upon a time, there lived a princess in the Prambanan kingdom named Roro
Jonggrang. There, she lived very happily with the citizens. Everyone loved her because
she was kind. Roro Jonggrang was also very beautiful that many people got interested
to marry her. However, she did not want to marry yet. One day, there was a prince from
the Pengging kingdom who fell in love in the first sight with Roro Jonggrang. His name
was Bandung Bandowoso. Bandung Bandowoso told his desire of having Roro
Jonggrang directly to her but she refused him. (Pada zaman dahulu, tinggallah seorang
putri di kerajaan Prambanan. Puti itu bernama Roro Jonggrang. Di kerajaan sana, sang
putri hidup sangat tentram bersama dengan rakyatnya. Semua orang menyukai putri
Roro jonggrang karena dia baik hati. Terlebih lagi paras sang putri sangatlah cantik
hingga membuat banyak orang ingin menikahinya. Namun, sayangnya, sang putri
belum ingin menikah. Suatu saat, terdapat seorang pangeran dari kerajaan Pengging
yang bernama Bandung Bandowoso jatuh cinta kepada Roro Jonggrang. Bandung
Bandowoso mengutarakan keinginannya untuk menikahi sang putri secara langsung.
Akan tetapi, dia ditolak ole sang putri)

Being rejected by Roro Jonggrang, Bandung Bandowoso was so pissed off. He, then,
declared a war on Prambanan at that time. In the lead of Bandung Bandowoso,
Pengging kingdom won the war while Prambanan lost. After winning the war, Bandung
Bandowoso became the new king who ruled the Prambanan kingdom. Then, without
being shy, he began asking to marry Roro Jonggrang again. (Bandung Bandowoso
merasa kesal karena telah ditolak oleh Roro Jonggrang. Dia pun kemudian
mendeklarasikan perang dengan kerajaan Prambanan. Dibawah kepemimpinan
Bandung Bandowoso, kerajaan Pengging memenangkan perang atas kerajaan
Prambanan. Setelah memenangkan perang, Bandung Bandowoso kemudian diangkat
menjadi raja baru yang memerintah kerajaan Prambanan. Dia kemudian meminta
kembali Roro Jonggrang untuk menikah dengannya)

“I will be ready to marry you in one condition. You must be able to build a thousand of
temples in one night.” Roro Jonggrang said. (“aku siap menikah denganmu dengan satu
syarat. Kamu harus bisa membangun seribu candi dalam waktu satu malam” Roro
Jonggrang berkata.)

“If I am able to make it true, you want to marry me, right?” Bandung Bandowoso asked
for sure. (“Jika aku bisa membangunnya, kamu akan menikah denganku, kan?” tanya
Bandung Bandowoso memastikan)

“Absolutely, I will”, she replied back. (“tentu saja,” dia menjawab)

Because he loved the princess so much, Bandung Bandowoso did not want to give up
on her. So, he asked for help to his genies. The genies were faithful and would obey all
what Bandung Bandowoso asked to. (Bandung Bandowoso tidak ingin menyerah untuk
mendapatkan Roro Jonggrang karena dia benar-benar sangat mencintai sang putri.
Jadi, dia meminta bantuan para jin untuk membangun candi. Para jin sangatlah setia
kepada Bandung Bandowoso dan akan melakukan apapun yang dia perintahkan
termasuk membantunya membangun seribu candi)
Then, Bandung Bandowoso and all his genies started building the temples. In the
middle of building the last temple, Roro Jonggrang asked the women to fail Bandung
Bandowoso’s doing by bringing the mortar and the straw. (Bandung Bandowoso dan
para jin kemudian memulai membangun seribu candi. Namun, disaat mereka akan
membangun candi yang keseribu, Roro Jonggrang menyuruh para wanita untuk
menggagalkan pembangunan candi dengan membawa mangkok dan jerami)

Roro Jonggrang then asked them to burn the straw and hit the mortar in order to make
the genies think that it had been already morning. Roro Jonggrang’s plan was fully
successful. The genies left because they were afraid of the sunrise. Once the genies
got the sunrise, they would disappear. (Roro Jonggrang kemudian menyuruh para
wanita untuk membakar jerami dan memukul mangkok untuk membuat para jin berpikir
jika matahari hampir terbit. Rencana Roro Jonggrang berhasil. Para jin pergi karena
mereka takut akan cahaya matahari. Sekali mereka terkena cahaya matahari, mereka
akan menghilang untuk selamanya)

Bandung Bandowoso felt really disappointed of what Roro Jongrang had done. Yet,
because he did love her, Bandung Bandowoso still built the last temple by himself using
his own ability to be dedicated for the princess. The temple created by Bandung is still
existed now. You could see the temple in Yogyakarta. Its temple’s name is Roro
Jonggrang temple or almost known as Prambanan temple well. (Bandung Bandowoso
merasa sangat kecewa akan apa yang telah dilakukan oleh Roro Jonggrang. Namun,
karena Bandung Bandowoso sangat mencintainya, dia tetap membangun candi terakhir
dengan kekuatannya sendiri untuk dipersembahkan kepada sang putri, Roro
Jonggrang. Candi yang dibangun oleh Bandung Bandowoso tetap ada sampai
sekarang. Kamu dapat melihat candi itu di Yogyakarta. Candi itu bernama Candi Roro
Jonggrang atau lebih dikenal dengan nama Candi Prambanan)