Indonesian Folklore (Folklor Indonesia): Tales from Nusantara (Archipelago): Banta Seudang

The Blind King and the Brave Banta Seudang: A Tale of Courage and Family Loyalty

Banta Seudang | Edisi Indonesia

Folklore from Aceh

Once upon a time, in the lush and vibrant land of Aceh, there stood a prosperous kingdom by the sea. The people lived in harmony, and the palace echoed with laughter and music. At the heart of this kingdom were the King and Queen, a wise and gracious couple who had long ruled with kindness and fairness.

Their hearts were full of joy, for after many seasons of longing, they had been blessed with a child—a healthy, radiant baby boy. The entire kingdom rejoiced at the news. Drums and flutes filled the air, and colorful banners danced in the wind. The King held the newborn in his arms, his eyes brimming with pride and love.

“This child shall be named Banta Seudang,” he declared, his voice steady and full of hope. “May he grow to be brave, just, and beloved by his people.” From that day on, the birth of Banta Seudang was remembered as a time of great blessing, marking the beginning of a story that would live on for generations.

The king loved hunting. One day, while he was hunting in a jungle, he got an accident! It was a terrible accident. It was so bad that made the king blind!

The king was no longer able to run the kingdom. He decided to cure his illness. In the meantime he asked his younger brother to be a temporary king. His brother was extremely happy. Nobody knew that he secretly wanted to be a king. When he got the opportunity, he really made good use of it very well.

The king's brother built a house in the jungle and asked the king, the queen and Banta Seudang to live there. Banta Seudang was still a baby when his father got the accident. He did not know why they had to live in the jungle.

Time passed by and Banta became a young man. He had become a good son. He always helped his parents. He also helped his father heal his blindness problem. Although, his father was still not able to see, Banta never gave up.

His parents never told Banta that his father was a king. They just wanted to treat Banta like any other kids.

One day Banta told his parents that he wanted to leave the house to find a cure for his father. The parents were touched. They knew Banta loved them and wanted to do anything. Although it was very difficult, they let Banta leave the house.

Banta had been away from home for many days. He arrived in a strange house. He saw some people were praying. Strangely, after they finished praying they disappeared. Banta stayed in the house.

On the following day, some people came to the house again. After they finished praying, Banta immediately grabbed one of the men's hands.

"What's the matter my child?"

"Can you help me? I need a cure for my father. He is blind," said Banta.

"I cannot help you. But I know someone who can. He is a genie. Just wait here, a white elephant will come and take you to meet him."

Not long after that the men disappeared. And it was true! A white elephant came. It was so tamed. Banta jumped and sat on the back of the elephant. They were going to meet a genie.

Finally, Banta met the genie.

"I know why you are here to see me. I will show you the cure. It is a flower that grows in the middle of a pond. I will take you there, but you have to pick the flower by yourself."

They continued their journey. Later they arrived in the pond. Banta swam and picked the flower. Then the three of them went to Banta's house.

When they arrived, Banta immediately put the flower in a glass of water.

He asked his father to drink it. Amazingly, his father was able to see again. He was completely cured!

The king then told the truth to Banta that he was a king. Later the king asked his family to go to the palace. Banta also asked the genie and the elephant to join them. The king's brother was surprised to see the king was able to see again. He did not hope that his brother would come back. He asked the king to leave the palace. He also ordered the soldiers to get rid of the king and his family.

Well, the king's brother did not know that his nephew, Banta, had become a young great man. He was fighting against the soldiers. And he was not alone, the genie and the white elephant also helped him. It was not difficult for Banta, the genie, and the white elephant to beat the soldiers. They won! Then the king took his crown back. He punished his brother by sending him to the jungle! ***

Moral Message: True courage comes from love and loyalty to family, and even in the face of hardship, hope and determination can lead to great change.