Cerita rakyat from West Java
Lutung Kasarung
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
![download[4]](http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4042/4278913170_e7973277d8_o.png)
