I Tui Tuing

Folklore from West Sulawesi

THERE were a husband and a wife lived in Mandar, West Sulawesi. The husband was a fisherman. They had been married for many years but they had no any children yet. Everyday they prayed to God. They never gave up asking God to give them a child.

“Dear God, please give us a child even though he looks like a tui-tuing fish,” prayed the couple.
Tui-tuing is a flying fi sh found in that area.

And finally God answered their pray, the wife was pregnant. And when the baby was born, they were surprised. The baby looked like a fish. The skin had scales, just like the body of a fish. They remembered their pray. But still they were very happy. They took care of the baby with
great love. They named him as I Tuing-Tuing. I Tuing-Tuing grew as a great boy. He was diligent and obedient to his parents.

Soon I Tuing-Tuing grew as a young man. It was time for him to get married. He asked his parents to fi nd him a girl. The parents knew it was not easy to find a wife for their child. They thought no girls wanted to marry him. However, they did not want to make him sad. So the parents went to the villagers’ houses, proposing any single girl to be their daughter-in-law.

And it happened as they thought. All the girls they met always rejected their marriage proposal. There was one last house they hadn’t visited yet. It was the merchant’s house.

The merchant lived in a very big house. He had six daughters. All the daughters looked very happy. Actually, the third daughter, Rukiah, was not happy. She was the most beautiful daughter and her sisters were very jealous to her. Therefore, they put charcoal dust on her body. Her white skin turned into dark.

In the meantime, I Tuing-Tuing’s parents arrived at the merchant’s house. After they explained the purpose of their visit, the merchant asked all his daughters to answer. All the daughters rejected! They also insulted I Tuing-Tuing as a fish.

Suddenly, Rukiah answered, “Yes, I will marry I Tuing-Tuing.”

All of his sisters were laughing. They said that Rukiah was crazy. They did not know that Rukiah did not want to live with them anymore.

I Tuing-Tuing was very happy. Finally, there was a girl who was willing to be his wife. He did not care although Rukiah’s skin was very dark. And after they got married, they lived in their own house. I Tuing-Tuing worked as a fisherman and Rukiah stayed at home. Rukiah had lot of time washing her skin. Later, it was completely clean. She got her beauty back.

While she was waiting for her husband, a man knocked the door. Rukiah opened it and saw a handsome man in front of the door.

“Who are you?” asked Rukiah.

“My name is I Tuing-Tuing. Where is my wife?” he asked.

“You are lying. I Tuing-Tuing has fish scales in his body.”

“It is true. But after I got married, I’m cured.

My skin has changed into normal. By the way, who are you?” asked I Tuing-Tuing. He also did not recognize his wife.

“I’m Rukiah. My sisters have done a terrible thing to me. They put charcoal dust in my body.
But I have completely washed and cleaned my skin,” said Rukiah.

And they were very happy. They were not ugly anymore. All the villagers really admired their great looks. And Rukiah’s sisters were even more jealous to her.***

Lembusura

Folklore from East Java

BRAWIJAYA was the king of Majapahit Kingdom. He had a daughter, her name was Dyah Ayu Pusparani. She was very beautiful. Many young men fell in love with her. However, she always refused their marriage proposals. King Brawijaya was sad. He really wanted to see his daughter to get married.

“You have to get married soon, my daughter,” said King Brawijaya. He continued, “I’m getting older, I know you are looking for a great husband. I have an idea, I’m going to hold a competition.

If a man can stretch Kyai Garudayaksa’s bow and lift Kyai Sekardelima’s gong, he will be your husband.

Princess Dyah Ayu Pusparani was speechless. She knew her father really wanted her to get married. She just hoped that she would marry a great man. She knew the bow and the gong had supernatural power. So the winner must had supernatural power too.

One by one men tried to stretch the bow and lifted the gong. No one succeeded. They were injured, their hands and backs were broken.

King Brawijaya planned to stop the competition. He thought no one could win the competition. However, before he stopped it, a man came to him.

“Don’t stop the competition now. I haven’t tried it yet.”

Everybody was looking at him. He was very strange. His head was unlike human’s head. He had a bull’s head.

“What’s your name?” asked the king.

“My name is Lembusura.”

Then he tried to stretch the bow, he succeeded. The next test, he had to lift the gong. Again, he succeeded. Everybody applauded. They all were amazed by his power. However, Princess Dyah
Ayu Pusparani was sad. She never thought that she would marry a man who had a bull’s head. King Brawijaya was also sad. But he had no choice. He had to keep his promise.

Later, he asked his men to prepare a wedding ceremony. The ceremony was getting closer and Princess Dyah Ayu Pusparini was really sad. She really wanted to cancel the wedding. She was thinking very hard. Finally she had an idea. She told his father.

“Father, ask Lembusura to make a well on the top of Kelud Mountain. The well is for me to take a bath,” said Princess Dyah Ayu Pusparini.

King Brawijaya understood the plan. He asked Lembusura to go to the top of Kelud Mountain. Lembusura agreed. When he arrived, Lembusura dug the ground. He was digging until the hole was deep. Suddenly, some soldiers pushed him into the hole. They buried him alive. Lembusura was helpless. He could not do anything.

Before he died, he cursed the King. “King Brawijaya, wait for my revenge. I will destroy your kingdom!” cursed Lembusura.

Everybody was so scared. They really believed that Lembusura would revenge to the kingdom. Until now, every time Kelud Mountain erupts, people say that Lembusura is doing his revenge!***

Dayang Kumunah

Folklore from Riau

Once upon a time, lived an old fisherman. His name was Awang Gading and he lived alone. His wife died a long time ago and he did not have any child.

In one morning, Awang Gading was fishing. He hoped he could catch some fish today. Sadly, he was not lucky. It was almost dark but he still did not catch a fish yet. He planned to go home and rowed his sampan to the riverside.

When he reached the riverside, he heard a baby cry. He was surprised. It was almost dark and he did not see anyone there. However, he still tried to find the baby.

Finally he found the baby! It was a baby girl and she was very beautiful. Carefully, Awing held the baby and brought her home.

In the morning, he told the head of the village about the baby.

When the head of the village saw the baby, he said, “You are lucky. The baby is the child of the spirit of the river. Please take care of her.”

Awing Gading was very happy. He named the baby girl Dayang Kumunah. He took care of her with great love. Dayang Kumunah grew as a very beautiful and diligent girl. However, there was
something strange about her. She never laughed. Dayang Kumunah was so famous for her beauty.

One of the young men who fell in love with her was Awangku Usop. He was a handsome and rich man. He proposed Dayang Kumunah to be his wife.

Dayang Kumuna agreed, but he had to promise one thing. He never asked Dayang Kumunah to laugh.

Though he felt very strange, Awangku Usop agreed to promise. Then, they got married. Sadly,
after they got married, Awing Gading died. Dayang Kumunah was very sad. He loved his father very much.

Days passed by, now Dayang Kumunah and Awangku Usop had five children. Awangku Usop actually wanted to know why Dayang Kumunah never laughed.

However, he did not want to break his promise. Their youngest child was still a toddler. He just learned how to walk. One day, the whole family gathered in the house.

They saw the youngest child tried to walk. Everybody was laughing because the child was so funny. Everybody was laughing except Dayang Kumunah.

This time Awangku Usop could not hold it anymore. And he broke his promise, he asked his wife to laugh.

“I have told you not to ask me to laugh, why did you break your promise?” Said Dayang Kumunah.

“I am really curious. We have been married for years but I never see you laugh,” said Awangku Usop.

Then Dayang Kumunah did it, she laughed. And when she laughed people could see her fish gills. Dayang Kumunah was so sad. She ran to the river and swam. Awangku Usop and the children followed her. They saw Dayang Kumunah slowly changed into a fish. Awangku Usop was really sad. He already broke his promise.

“Please take care of our children. I am not a human. I am from the river and I will live here,” said Dayang Kumunah.

She then changed into a fish. People named the fish as Patin Fish.***