The Brave Prince: The Rise of Onu Muti
Raja Laku Leik dan Ono Muti | Edisi Indonesia
Folklore from Nusa Tenggara Timur
ONCE upon a time there was a mean king. His name was King Laku Leik. He behaved very badly. He liked to gamble, got angry easily, and often hit people who did not obey him.
King Laku Leik wanted to be a king forever. He did not want anybody to replace him and not even his own son. Therefore he always told his wife that if they had a baby boy, the king would kill him!
The queen was pregnant. She was very happy however she was also worried.
She hoped the baby would be a girl. She did not want her husband to kill their own child.
The king would go hunting.
Before he left, he said to his wife, "Remember, kill the baby if he is a boy. Bury him in'the backyard!" ordered the king.
The queen was helpless when 'she heard the king's request. She just wished that the baby would be a girl. Unfortunately, she did not get her wish come true. She had a baby boy! The queen was so confused. She did not know what to do. She loved her baby son and she did not have the heart to kill him.
The queen went to Feto Ikun's house. He was the king's younger brother. Unlike his brother, Feto Ikun was wise, kind, and helpful to people. He refused to live in the palace with the king. Well, Feto Ikun was the only person that the king could not order. People said that it was because Feto Ikun had a magical power. That was why the king was afraid of him.
Feto Ikun was angry when the queen told him that she had to kill her baby son.
"I know what to do," said Feto Ikun. He continued,
"Leave your baby here and I will take care of him. You can come and visit him later. In the mean time, build a grave in the backyard. Tell your husband that the baby was a boy and you already killed him. Show him the grave."
The queen understood. She immediately went back to the palace. She built a grave in the backyard.
When the king arrived from hunting, he asked, "How's the baby? A boy or a girl?"
"It's a boy and I already killed him. Let me show you the grave," said the queen.
The king believed when he saw the grave
Time passed by and the queen's son was getting bigger. She named him Onu Muti. He became a strong and powerful young man. He was also wise and kind to people. His uncle had taught him how to be a good man. He also taught him about magical power.
One day the king held a cock-fight competition. He invited many people to come and join the competition. Feto Ikun heard about the event.
He said, "Onu Muti it's time for you to meet your own father. Go to the palace and bring this cock. Please also bring this gold. Use this to gamble with the king."
Onu Muti arrived at the palace. He immediately challenged the king.
'Your Majesty, i want to challenge you!" said Onu Muti bravely.
"Hahaha... what do you have?" mocked the king.
He did not know that he was facing his own son. However Onu Muti knew that the king was his father.
His uncle already told him. "I have gold, Your Majesty! If i lose, i will give you my gold. But if you lose, you have to give me your kingdom!"
The king was upset. He felt being humiliated and underestimated. He accepted the challenge.
"Sure, I agree!" said the king.
Soon, the two cocks were fighting. It was not too difficult for Onu Muti's cock to beat the king's cock. Onu Muti won!
The king was angry! He asked, "Who are you?"
Suddenly, Feto Ikun showed up.
He said, "He is your own son. Your wife did not kill him, you can dig the grave to find out
The king immediately dug the grave, and there was nothing inside!
"Now you have to give him your kingdom. Otherwise, we will kill you!" said Feto Ikun.
The king was terrified. He knew there was nothing he could do. He gave his kingdom and let his son to be the new king. Since then people lived happily and peacefully. Onu Muti was a great king. He led his people wisely. ***
Folklore from Nusa Tenggara Timur
ONCE upon a time there was a mean king. His name was King Laku Leik. He behaved very badly. He liked to gamble, got angry easily, and often hit people who did not obey him.
King Laku Leik wanted to be a king forever. He did not want anybody to replace him and not even his own son. Therefore he always told his wife that if they had a baby boy, the king would kill him!
The queen was pregnant. She was very happy however she was also worried.
She hoped the baby would be a girl. She did not want her husband to kill their own child.
The king would go hunting.
Before he left, he said to his wife, "Remember, kill the baby if he is a boy. Bury him in'the backyard!" ordered the king.
The queen was helpless when 'she heard the king's request. She just wished that the baby would be a girl. Unfortunately, she did not get her wish come true. She had a baby boy! The queen was so confused. She did not know what to do. She loved her baby son and she did not have the heart to kill him.
The queen went to Feto Ikun's house. He was the king's younger brother. Unlike his brother, Feto Ikun was wise, kind, and helpful to people. He refused to live in the palace with the king. Well, Feto Ikun was the only person that the king could not order. People said that it was because Feto Ikun had a magical power. That was why the king was afraid of him.
Feto Ikun was angry when the queen told him that she had to kill her baby son.
"I know what to do," said Feto Ikun. He continued,
"Leave your baby here and I will take care of him. You can come and visit him later. In the mean time, build a grave in the backyard. Tell your husband that the baby was a boy and you already killed him. Show him the grave."
The queen understood. She immediately went back to the palace. She built a grave in the backyard.
When the king arrived from hunting, he asked, "How's the baby? A boy or a girl?"
"It's a boy and I already killed him. Let me show you the grave," said the queen.
The king believed when he saw the grave
Time passed by and the queen's son was getting bigger. She named him Onu Muti. He became a strong and powerful young man. He was also wise and kind to people. His uncle had taught him how to be a good man. He also taught him about magical power.
One day the king held a cock-fight competition. He invited many people to come and join the competition. Feto Ikun heard about the event.
He said, "Onu Muti it's time for you to meet your own father. Go to the palace and bring this cock. Please also bring this gold. Use this to gamble with the king."
Onu Muti arrived at the palace. He immediately challenged the king.
'Your Majesty, i want to challenge you!" said Onu Muti bravely.
"Hahaha... what do you have?" mocked the king.
He did not know that he was facing his own son. However Onu Muti knew that the king was his father.
His uncle already told him. "I have gold, Your Majesty! If i lose, i will give you my gold. But if you lose, you have to give me your kingdom!"
The king was upset. He felt being humiliated and underestimated. He accepted the challenge.
"Sure, I agree!" said the king.
Soon, the two cocks were fighting. It was not too difficult for Onu Muti's cock to beat the king's cock. Onu Muti won!
The king was angry! He asked, "Who are you?"
Suddenly, Feto Ikun showed up.
He said, "He is your own son. Your wife did not kill him, you can dig the grave to find out
The king immediately dug the grave, and there was nothing inside!
"Now you have to give him your kingdom. Otherwise, we will kill you!" said Feto Ikun.
The king was terrified. He knew there was nothing he could do. He gave his kingdom and let his son to be the new king. Since then people lived happily and peacefully. Onu Muti was a great king. He led his people wisely. ***
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Moral Message
The moral message of this story is:
1. Kindness and Wisdom Triumph Over Cruelty: Despite the king's cruelty and evil intentions, the kind and wise actions of Feto Ikun and the queen ensure the survival and eventual triumph of the rightful heir, Onu Muti.
2. Injustice Will Be Exposed: The king's unjust and tyrannical behavior is eventually revealed and punished, demonstrating that wrongdoing will not go unpunished indefinitely.
3. The Power of Love and Sacrifice: The queen's love for her son leads her to make great sacrifices to protect him, showing the strength of maternal love and the lengths a parent will go to protect their child.
4. True Leadership Is Earned: Onu Muti's rise to the throne and his subsequent wise and kind leadership illustrate that true leadership is based on merit and moral character, not on tyranny and fear.
