I Teruna Tua

I Teruna Tua | Edisi Indonesia

Folklore from Bali

A long time ago there was an old man. His name was I Teruna Tua. He was single. He only wanted to marry a girl whose birthday was the same as his birthday.

It was I Teruna Tua's birthday. He heard that his friend's wife just give birth a baby girl. I Teruna visited his friend. His name was Pan Kayan. I Teruna Tua brought his wooden stick.

"I want to put my stick under the baby's bed. I will take it back later," said I Teruna Tua.

"Sure, no problem," said Pan Kayan. 

Several years later, I Teruna Tua came to Pan Kayan's house. He wanted to take his stick back. He was so surprised to see termites had eaten his stick.

"Pan Kayan, the termites have eaten my stick.

Now the termites are mine. However, I will put the termites here. I will get them back later," said l Teruna Tua.

"That's OK. You can take the termites back later" said Pan Kayan.

Several years later, I Teruna Tua came to Pan Kayan'shouse. He saw Pan Kayan's hen was eating the termites.

Several years later, the hen was fighting with Pan Kayan's dog. The hen lost the fight. She died. I Teruna Tua saw the incident.

He said, "Pan Kayan, your dog killed my hen. Now the dog is mine. I want to put the dog here. I will get him back later."

Several years later, the dog was attacking Pan Kayan's buffalo. The buffalo was angry. He killed the dog. And again I Teruna Tua saw the incident. 

He said "Your buffalo killed my dog. Now the buffalo is mine. I want to put the buffalo here. I will get him back later."

The buffalo was sleeping under the mango tree. Unfortunately, a big branch fell down and hit the buffalo's head. The buffalo was dead. And I Teruna Tira then again told Pan Kayan that the mango tree belonged to I Teruna Tua.

Years passed by, Pan Kayan's daughter was a teenager. There were some mangoes in the branches of the tree. She liked to eat mangoes, so she picked all the mangoes. 

I Teruna Tua was surprised when there were no mangoes left. He knew that all the mangoes were eaten by Pan Kayan's daughter.

"Pan Kayan, your daughter ate my mangoes. She is mine now. I want to marry her."

Later I Teruna Tua and the girl got married. Later they had a baby. And when the baby was crying, I Teruna Tua tried to cheer her up. He was singing a song about his wife.

Your mother was first a stick, then changed into termites, then changed into a hen, then changed into a dog, then changed into a buffalo, then changed into a mango tree, then finally changed into your mother."

His wife heard the song. She was angry. She brought the baby and went back to her parents' house.

I Teruna Tua was sad. He tried to persuade his wife to come back to him but she refused it.

Pan Kayan held a ceremony under the mango tree. He gave some offering to the gods. I Teruna Tua was hiding behind the tree. He talked to Pan Kayan as if he was one of the gods.

"l will not accept your offering here. I want you to ask your daughter to give the offerings to her husband."

Pan Kayan heard the voice. He immediately asked his daughter to bring the offering to I Teruna Tua. And when she met her husband I Teruna Tua apologized and promised not to hurt her heart again. Since then, they have lived happily. ***

Balinese Mother and Child