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The Queen Mosquito

Ratu Nyamuk >> Edisi Bahasa Indonesia

Folklore from Yogyakarta

THERE was a village in Yogyakarta. The villagers were farmers. They lived happily and peacefully. They had fertile land and healthy livestock.

It was harvest. All farmers were happy because soon they would sell their rice and got lots of money.

However, while they were busy working in the rice fields, one farmer came and told them a bad news.

"The queen mosquito is coming! Save our livestock!" said the farmer.

All farmers immediately left their rice fields and tried to save their chickens, ducks, goats, and cows.

Why were they afraid of the queen mosquito? Well, this mosquito was different from other mosquitoes. She was the queen mosquito. She was very big. She was as big as a goat! Also she could fly as fast as a bird. When the queen was thirsty she would attack any animals and sucked the blood. When there were no animals, the queen would attack humans! That was why farmers were so scared.

After all their livestock was safe, all farmers were having a meeting.

"We have to do something! We have to find a way how to stop the queen mosquito."

An old man spoke. He was known as the Smartest and wisest person.

"I know how to stop the queen. Her power is in her earrings. If we can get her earrings, she will be powerless and she will be as small as other mosquitoes."

"But how can we steal her earrings?" asked one man.

"The queen will lay her eggs soon. She cannot do it alone. She needs help to lay her eggs. I'm sure she will ask Madam Sri to help her."

Who was Madam Sri? Well, she was a nurse. She often helped women deliver their babies. Then the old man talked to Madam Sri. She agreed to help. The old man told her how to steal the earrings. The queen mosquito came. She talked to Madam Sri. Yes, she could talk to humans.

"Please help me to lay my eggs."

"I will help you but you have to give me your earrings. It's too dangerous if you still wear your earrings while you lay your eggs."

The queen mosquito believed her. Without any doubts, she gave her the earrings. Then Madam Sri asked her to sit on the bushes. Again, the queen mosquito listened to her.

The queen mosquito gave her the earrings. Madam Sri immediately kept them in a very safe place. When the queen was sitting comfortably on the bushes, Madam Sri burnt the bushes. The smoke made the queen very weak. Amazingly she slowly became very small, just like any other mosquitoes.

The queen was very angry. She yelled and screamed! She asked Madam Sri to return her earrings. However she was too small. She could not speak clearly and Madam Sri only heard buzzing sound.

The queen thought it was useless so she asked all the mosquitoes to attack Madam Sri. When she saw lots of mosquitoes came to attack her, Madam Sri again burnt the bushes.

The smoke made the mosquitoes very weak and some of them died. However the queen survived and she swore that she would always ask mosquitoes to attack humans.

Well, that is why we hear mosquitoes buzzing. They ask us to return their queen's earrings! ***

Mosquito