LUTUNG KASARUNG

Written by : Linlin Herlina S.S.

Prabu Tapa Agung was an old king. He had two daughters, Purbararang and Purbasari. Prabu Tapa Agung planned to retire as a king. He wanted Purbasari to replace him as the leader of the kingdom. Purbararang was angry to hear this.

“You cannot ask her to be the queen, Father. I’m older than she is. It’s supposed to be me, not her!” said Purbararang. But the king still choose Purbasari to be the next queen.

Purbararang then set a bad plan with her fiancé, Indrajaya. Together they went to a witch and asked her to put a spell on Purbasari. “I want you to make her suffer.”

“All right. Now, you may go home and see what you want,” said the witch.

Then, something happened to Purbasari. Her skin became full of black dots. “You are not as beautiful as I am. You cannot be the queen. Instead, you have to leave this palace and stay in a jungle,” said Purbararang.

Purbasari was very sad. Now, she had to stay in the jungle. Everyday she spent her time playing with some animals there. There was one monkey that always tried to cheer her up. It was not just an ordinary monkey, he had magical power. And he also could talk with humans. The monkey’s name was Lutung Kasarung. He was actually a god. His name was Sanghyang Gurumina. Lutung Kasarung planned to help Purbasari. He made a small lake and asked her to take a bath there.

“You have to take a bath in the lake, Purbasari,” said Lutung.

“What is it for ? asked Purbasari.

“Just get into the water and you will see,” said Lutung.

Purbasari obeyed Lutung Kasarung. She jumped into the water. Amazingly, her bad skin was cured. Now, she got her beautiful skin back.

After that, she asked Lutung Kasarung to accompany her to go back to the palace. Purbararang was very shocked. She knew she had to come up with another bad idea. She then said, “Those who have longer hair will be the queen.”

The king then measured his daughters’ hair. Purbasari had longer hair. But Purbararang did not give up. “A queen must have a handsome husband. If my fiancé is more handsome than yours, then I will be the queen,” said Purbararang.

Purbasari was sad. She knew Purbararang’s fiancé, Indrajaya, was handsome. And she did not have a fiancé yet. “Here is my fiancé, Indrajaya. Where is yours?” asked Purbararang. Lutung Kasarung came forward. Purbararang was laughing very hard. “Your fiancé is a monkey, ha ha ha…”

Suddenly, Lutung Kasarung changed into a very handsome man. He was even more handsome than Indrajaya. Purbasari then became the queen. She forgave Purbararang and her fiancé and let them stay in the palace.

The moral value of the story is don’t be arrogant and don’t be jealous !

Read More

CINDERELLA

Written by : Linlin Herlina S.S.

Once upon a time there was a beautiful girl named Cinderella. She lived with her bad step-mother and two step-sisters. She had to do all the household chores. 

One day, the king invited all the ladies in the kingdom to go to a ball in the palace. He wanted to find the crown Prince a wife.

“Ladies, please come to the ball in the palace tonight,” said the man.

The step sisters went to the ball that night with their mother. “You may not go, just stay at home!” Ha…. Ha….. ha………. (Said the step sister). Cinderella was left alone. She cried because she actually wanted to go to the ball. “Hik ….. hik….. Help me, please! I want to go to the ball.”

Just then, a fairy godmother came. “Don’t cry Cinderella! I will help you to go to the ball.” With her magic wand, she gave Cinderella a coach, two horses, and footmen. She also gave Cinderella a lovely dress and a pair of glass shoes. “Sim Salabim! …. Ok, Cinderella. Now, everything is ready. You can go to the ball. But, remember! You must go home before midnight,” said Godmother. “Ok, Mother. Thank you very much,” said Cinderella.

At the ball, Cinderella danced all night with the Prince. The Prince fell in love with her. At midnight, the clock strike twelve. Cinderella ran home. Unfortunately, one of her glass shoe slipped off at the door. She did not have time to put it back on. The Prince was sad as he could not find Cinderella again that night.

The next day, the prince and his men brought along the glass shoe. They went all over the kingdom to search for the owner. “Please try this shoe, all ladies!” said the man.

After searching for a long time, finally, they came to Cinderella’s house. The man knocked at the door. “Please try this shoe, all ladies!”  Cinderella and the two step sisters tried the shoe. Amazingly! The shoe fitted Cinderella. The Prince was very happy to find Cinderella again. They got married and lived happily ever after.

Read More

THE LEGEND OF SITU BAGENDIT

Written by : Linlin Herlina S.S. 

 Far away in an isolated village, there was a young rich woman. The house that she had living in was very big. Her wealth was plentiful. The young woman lived by herself. She didn’t have any friend at all.

“Wow, I am very rich! Ha …. ha …. ha, I am the richest woman in this village!” said the young woman while she was looking at her gold and jewelries. The young woman was very miserly.

“All of the wealth is mine, isn’t it? So, why should I give to others?” the young woman thought. However, many of villagers were poor. Some villagers were hunger.

Because of the young woman miserly, the villagers called her Bagenda Endit. Bagenda Endit meant the miserly rich person. “Bagenda Endit have mercy on me! My child has not eaten for few days,” said an old woman sadly.

“Hi, you are crazy old woman! Get away from me,” yelled Bagenda Endit. Because of  the old woman didn’t want to go, Bagenda Endit splashed her with water. Splash!, and all over the old woman body and her baby became wet.

Although Bagenda Endit was very miserly, the village people kept coming in. They came for the water wheel. “No, I won’t let you to take away the water from my wheel! The water in the wheel is mine!” Bagenda Endit yelled angrily.

“Ha….ha…ha… you are all stupid! You think you just can take the water from my wheel!”  Bagenda Endit said. Suddenly, a decrepit man was walking tottery to the wheel, holding his stick.

Bagenda Endit saw it. She hit the old man with ponder. “Have mercy on me, Bagenda Endit! I want to take the water just for a drink,” said the old man when he was trying to get up.

Bagenda Endit kept beating the old man. And then, an astonishing thing happened. The old man got up with a healthy body. He walked closer to Bagenda Endit. He pointed his stick on the cruel rich woman’s nose.

“Hi, Bagenda Endit, take the punishment from me!” said the old man loudly. He pointed at the wheel with his stick. Wus….byur, the wheel was sprinkling the water swiftly. The water was flooding up. Bagenda Endit couldn’t save herself. She drew with all of her wealth. Help! …. Help me! ….

Finally, the village was disappeared. It became a wide lake. The lake was named Situ Bagendit.

Read More