LUTUNG KASARUNG
Once upon a time in Tatar Pasundan (It
refers to the monarchies of the Sundanese region prior to the establishment of
Indonesia in 1945) there was a kingdom who was ruled by a wise king, he was
known as Prabu Tapak Agung (King Tapak, the great).
Prabu Tapak Agung has two beautiful
daughters, they’re Purbararang and her younger sister, Purbasari.
The moment before the end of his days,
Prabu Tapak Agung appointed Purbasari, his younger daughter as a replacement.
“I am already old, its the time I abdicate,” said Prabu Tapak.
Purbasari has an older sister called
Purbararang. She disagreed the fact that her younger sister has been appointed
to replace their father. “I am the older daughter, father supposed to choose me
as his replacement,” grumbled Purbararang to her fiance who was called
Indrajaya. Her furiousness which have been peaked made her has an evil intention toward her
younger sister. She went to meet a witch to bewitch Purbasari. Purbasari was
bewitched by the witch, thereby at that moment Purbasari’s skin suddenly
becoming into black freckles. Therefore Purbararang has a reason to chase out
her younger sister. “Someone who has been condemned like her, inappropriate to
be a queen!” said Purbararang.
She then asked a Patih (Governor) to
exile Purbasari to the forest. Once they arrived in the forest, the Patih still
attentive toward Purbasari by building a cottage for her. Then he advised
Purbasari, “Please, be patient Princess. This trials undoubtedly will end, The
Almighty God certainly will always be with the Princess”. “Thank you uncle”,
said Purbasari.
While in the forest, she has many
friends, they’re all the animals who always good to her. Among these animals,
there was a misterious black monkey. But, the monkey was the most attentive
toward Purbasari. The black monkey’s name was Lutung Kasarung. Lutung Kasarung
always makes Purbasari happy by picking some beautiful flowers and fruits with
his friends.
At the time of the full moon, Lutung
Kasarung was acting oddly. He walked to a peaceful place and then meditate. He
was begging something to the god. This proved that Lutung Kasarung wasn’t a
normal creature. Not so long after that, the ground nearby Lutung Kasarung was
cracked and formed a small lake, the water was very clear. The water contained
drug which was very irresistible.
The next day, Lutung Kasarung met
Purbasari and asked her to take a bath in the lake. “What’s the benefit for
me?”, thought Purbasari. But, she was willing to oblige him. Wasn’t so long after
she plunged herself. Something happened to her skin. Her skin became so
spotless like before and she became pretty again. Purbasari was shocked and
thrilled when she looked at herself in that lake.
In the palace, Purbararang has decided
to see her younger sister in the forest. She went with her fiance and the
guards. When they arrived in the forest, she eventually met with her younger
sister and look at each other. Purbararang doesn’t believe seeing her younger
sister returned to normal. Purbararang doesn’t want to loose face, she asked
Purbasari to compete in the leght of the hair. “Who has the longest hair is the
winner!” said Purbararang. At first Purbasari dosen’t want to do it, but because
been constantly urged she attended to her older sister wished. It turned out
that Purbasari’s hair was longer.
“Alright, I am lost, but now let’s us
compete in our fiance handsomeness, this is my fiance”, said Purbararang while
approaching Indrajaya. Purbasari started to be nervous and confused. Finally,
she glanced and pulled Lutung Kasarung’s hands. Lutung Kasarung jumped around
look alike trying to calm down Purbasari. Purbarara roared with laughter, “So,
that monkey is your fiance?”.
In that moment, Lutung Kasarung
immediately meditated. Suddenly, something magical happened. Lutung Kasarung transformed
into a handsome young man, more handsome than Indrajaya. All were shocked
seeing the incident while cheering happily. Eventually Purbararang admitted her
lost and her faults for all this time. She asked for her younger sister’s
forgiveness and begging not to be punished. Kind-hearted Purbasari forgave
them. After that incidents, they all went back to the palace at last.
Purbasari became a queen, consorted by a
young man of her dream. A young man, who apparently all this time along always
stood up by her in the form of a lutung (monkey).
LUTUNG KASARUNG
Cerita Rakyat Jawa Barat
The Indonesian Version Original Source:
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