Girilawungan | Edisi Indonesia
Folklore from West Java
A long time ago, there was a kingdom in West Java. The king was King Giri Layang. He had a sister, her name was Princess Giri Larang. She was so beautiful and she also had supernatural power.
One day the princess told her brother that she wanted to find a teacher to study.
"Where do you want to study?" asked the king.
"I don't know but I want to leave this palace and find a teacher," said the princess.
The king was sad. However, he finally let her go.
"You can leave this palace but there is something that you have to obey. If you go to the east, don't cross the border. Otherwise half of your power will be gone," said the king.
The princess left the palace and started her journey,to find a teacher. She went to the east. She walked days and nights. She arrived in a jungle. When she wanted to find a safe place to rest, she saw a beautiful garden. She was so curious why there was such a beautiful garden in the jungle. There was a big pond in the jungle. The water was so clear and fresh. The princess had not taken a bath for days. She then cleaned her body in the pond.
Apparently, the garden belonged to a king of a neighboring kingdom. The garden was guarded by a soldier. He saw Princess Giri Larang was taking a bath in the pond. He remembered that his king was single and he was sure that the king would fall in love and marry her.
The soldier secretly stole the princess' scarf. The princess saw it! She was angry and chased the soldier. The soldier ran to the palace. He gave the scarf to the king. The princess then arrived at the palace.
"Return my scarf now!"
The king was so amazed to see how beautiful she was.
He said, "I will return your scarf but you have to marry me."
The princess just realized her mistake. She already crossed the border and she lost half of her power. She knew she could not refuse the king's request. She agreed to marry the king but she asked the king not to interfere her business.
Later they got married. The princess used half of power to cook. She only cooked little rice, but the rice was much when it was served. That made the king was so curious. He asked his wife how she did it. The princess was sad.
She said, "You've promised not to interfere my business."
She then left her husband and went back to her hometown.
King Giri Layang welcomed his sister happily. He had heard what happened to her sister. King Giri Layang ordered his Chief Commander to prepare for the attack. The Chief's name was Endang Capang. He also asked the chief to make a big underground room. The king had a plan. He would use the room to hide the princess. After the room was ready, they went inside. Chief Endang Capang and the soldiers were ready for the attack.
Finally they came! Princess Giri Larang's husband sent lots of soldiers. They were under the command of Chief Mangkunagara.
"Where are King Giri Layang and Princess Giri Larang?" asked Chief Mangkunagara.
"They are dead. These are the tombs," said Chief Endang Capang.
He pointed to the underground room that looked like tombs.
Chief Mangkunagara did not believe it. He dug the 'tombs'. Suddenly he felt so weak. Inside the underground room, King Giri Layang attacked him with his supernatural power.
Chief Mangkunagara was so helpless, but he refused to give up. He asked his soldiers to wait
for King Giri Layang and his sister to go out. They waited for months and still the king and his sister did not leave the underground room.
People then named the place as Girilawungan. It is from the word ngawalung
which means face to face. Yes, both Soldiers from the opposing kingdoms were facing each other when they waited for King Giri Layang and his sister to go out. ***
Folklore from West Java
A long time ago, there was a kingdom in West Java. The king was King Giri Layang. He had a sister, her name was Princess Giri Larang. She was so beautiful and she also had supernatural power.
One day the princess told her brother that she wanted to find a teacher to study.
"Where do you want to study?" asked the king.
"I don't know but I want to leave this palace and find a teacher," said the princess.
The king was sad. However, he finally let her go.
"You can leave this palace but there is something that you have to obey. If you go to the east, don't cross the border. Otherwise half of your power will be gone," said the king.
The princess left the palace and started her journey,to find a teacher. She went to the east. She walked days and nights. She arrived in a jungle. When she wanted to find a safe place to rest, she saw a beautiful garden. She was so curious why there was such a beautiful garden in the jungle. There was a big pond in the jungle. The water was so clear and fresh. The princess had not taken a bath for days. She then cleaned her body in the pond.
Apparently, the garden belonged to a king of a neighboring kingdom. The garden was guarded by a soldier. He saw Princess Giri Larang was taking a bath in the pond. He remembered that his king was single and he was sure that the king would fall in love and marry her.
The soldier secretly stole the princess' scarf. The princess saw it! She was angry and chased the soldier. The soldier ran to the palace. He gave the scarf to the king. The princess then arrived at the palace.
"Return my scarf now!"
The king was so amazed to see how beautiful she was.
He said, "I will return your scarf but you have to marry me."
The princess just realized her mistake. She already crossed the border and she lost half of her power. She knew she could not refuse the king's request. She agreed to marry the king but she asked the king not to interfere her business.
Later they got married. The princess used half of power to cook. She only cooked little rice, but the rice was much when it was served. That made the king was so curious. He asked his wife how she did it. The princess was sad.
She said, "You've promised not to interfere my business."
She then left her husband and went back to her hometown.
King Giri Layang welcomed his sister happily. He had heard what happened to her sister. King Giri Layang ordered his Chief Commander to prepare for the attack. The Chief's name was Endang Capang. He also asked the chief to make a big underground room. The king had a plan. He would use the room to hide the princess. After the room was ready, they went inside. Chief Endang Capang and the soldiers were ready for the attack.
Finally they came! Princess Giri Larang's husband sent lots of soldiers. They were under the command of Chief Mangkunagara.
"Where are King Giri Layang and Princess Giri Larang?" asked Chief Mangkunagara.
"They are dead. These are the tombs," said Chief Endang Capang.
He pointed to the underground room that looked like tombs.
Chief Mangkunagara did not believe it. He dug the 'tombs'. Suddenly he felt so weak. Inside the underground room, King Giri Layang attacked him with his supernatural power.
Chief Mangkunagara was so helpless, but he refused to give up. He asked his soldiers to wait
for King Giri Layang and his sister to go out. They waited for months and still the king and his sister did not leave the underground room.
People then named the place as Girilawungan. It is from the word ngawalung
which means face to face. Yes, both Soldiers from the opposing kingdoms were facing each other when they waited for King Giri Layang and his sister to go out. ***
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| Javanese wedding garden |
