The Most Popular Legend in Indonesia – Our country has many legends which are spread all over Indonesia. In these legends indirectly teach readers about commendable things. Even some families also make legends or folklore as bedtime stories.
Most of the legends that circulate throughout Indonesia tell about the origins of an area. However, there is also a legend that tells about the story of human life in general.
Then, what are the most popular legends in Indonesia? What is the content of the story in this popular legend?
Come on, see an explanation of the following popular legends in Indonesia!
1. The Legend of Rawa Pening
Rawa Pening is the name of a large swamp located in Semarang Regency, Central Java. According to a legend that has been passed down from generation to generation, at the bottom of Rawa Pening there is a large dragon named Baru Klinting. This big dragon guards Rawa Pening and the environment around it.
The legend regarding the occurrence of Rawa Pening tells of a small boy named Baru Klinting who has a strange face, that is, he is half dragon and half human. Baru Klinting was required to meditate by wrapping his dragon’s body on the top of Mount Telomoyo.
Incidentally, at that time, local residents were having a big party. The residents went into the forest to look for game, but did not find any game. When they were resting by sitting on a tree that had collapsed, one of the residents played with his knife by sticking it into the tree. Suddenly, the tree splashed blood. Suddenly, all the residents were confused and busy looking for what was behind the tree.
As it turned out, it was the body of a dragon from Baru Klinting who was in meditation. Without further ado, in the end the dragon’s body was sliced up by the residents to be taken home.
Baru Klinting, who could not finish his meditation activities, finally changed his form into a strange-looking human. Then, he walked to the party to ask them for some food. Unfortunately, Baru Klinting’s arrival was met with rejection and insults from the residents.
There was only one resident who helped and fed Baru Klinting, namely an old grandmother. After eating the food given by the old grandmother, Baru Klinting told her to immediately prepare a boat and oars.
Due to the arrogance of the residents, Baru Klinting stuck a stick in the ground and made a challenge to the residents to pull out the stick. Miraculously, no one managed to pull the stick out of the ground and only Baru Klinting could do it.
Suddenly, water appeared from the hole where the stick was stuck. The water that was sprayed gradually became heavier and became a flood. The old grandmother who remembered the message from Baru Klinting immediately saved herself using the boat and oars that had been prepared beforehand.
The flood eventually became a large puddle and formed a swamp that drowned the village and its arrogant citizens. Only the old grandmother survived the disaster and gave the name of the swamp to ” Rawa Pening “. “ Dizzy ” means “ clear ”, because at that time, the puddles were clear.
2. Malin Kundang
Indonesian children will definitely know this legend that comes from Padang, West Sumatra. Yep, this legend tells of a boy named Malin who was cursed to turn into stone due to disobedience to his mother.
Starting from Malin’s desire to migrate to other areas for a better life. This desire was initially opposed by his mother because she was not willing to part with her only child. However, in the end, his mother allowed Malin to wander and advised him to always remember his mother in the village.
Malin departed to wander using a ship. After several years, Malin came back to his village and became a rich man. Accompanied by his beautiful wife and some of his merchant ships.
Hearing the news that Malin had come back, of course, made the mother happy and immediately approached and hugged Malin. The wife was surprised because suddenly there was a shabby old woman who hugged her husband and confessed that she was the mother of Malin.
Unfortunately, Malin didn’t want to acknowledge his mother and instead pushed her to the ground. Malin snapped and scolded his mother with words that hurt her mother. As a result of Malin’s yelling, of course the mother felt sad and angry. He did not expect that Malin, his only child, would turn into a rebellious child. Then, the mother begged God to give punishment to Malin by turning him into stone.
Suddenly, the wind and thunder rumbled to destroy Malin’s ship. Not long after, Malin Kundang’s body was struck by lightning and turned to stone.
3. Cucumber Mas
The next popular legend is titled Timun Mas, which comes from Central Java. This legend tells of a pact between a pair of farmers and a green giant known as Buto Ijo.
At that time, a couple of farmers had been married for years and were not blessed with a child. A couple of farmers have been praying to God continuously to be given a child. One day, Buto Ijo heard their prayers and made them an offer to have children. You do this by giving a cucumber seed to plant, but with the condition that the child will be taken back by Buto Ijo at the age of 17. Finally, the offer was approved by a pair of farmers.
Not long after, the seed was planted until it bore fruit into a large cucumber and when it was split open there was a baby girl, who was later named Timun Mas. For years the three of them lived together until they did not realize that Timun Mas was 17 years old. The farmer’s wife or the mother of Timun Mas is not willing to part with her child.
Finally, it was time for Buto Ijo to come to claim the promise to the pair of farmers. Unfortunately, they broke their promise by telling Timun Mas to run for her life. Before Timun Mas ran away, she was provided with 3 magical objects, namely a needle, salt and shrimp paste.
During the chase, three magical objects actually saved Timun Mas from Buto Ijo. The shrimp paste is Timun Mas’s savior because when he threw it at Buto Ijo, suddenly the shrimp paste turned into mud. Finally, Buto Ijo sank into the mud.
4. The Legend of the Occurrence of Lake Toba
Lake Toba is a famous lake located in North Sumatra. This legend tells of a man named Toba who fell in love with a goldfish.
One day, Toba was going to fish in the river and saw a fish with beautiful golden scales. Toba immediately caught the fish and suddenly the fish changed its form into a beautiful woman.
Toba fell in love with the goldfish princess and asked her to marry him. The fish princess agreed with the condition that Toba should not tell anyone about her identity.
After marriage, they were blessed with a son who was later named Samosir. Their lives were very harmonious and Samosir grew up to be a good boy. One time, Mrs. Samosir asked her son to deliver food to Toba who was working in the fields. Samosir obeyed the order and headed for the fields. As it turned out, the distance between the house and the fields was very far and Samosir ate the provisions that were supposed to be for Toba.
When he arrived at the field, Samosir apologized to his father that he had eaten the food. Toba, who was tired and hungry at that time, was of course angry. In his anger, Toba spontaneously shouted that Samosir was a child of a fish.
Suddenly, the sky darkened and it rained heavily for days. It was a sign that Toba had broken his promise to the princess fish. The rain succeeded in creating a large lake and submerging Toba, which was later referred to as Lake Toba.
Meanwhile, his son, namely Samosir, ran towards an island and the island was eventually named Samosir Island.
5. Golden Conch
The legend entitled Keong Mas originates from East Java. In this legend tells of a royal princess who was cursed to become a conch with a golden shell.
At that time, there lived a king who had two beautiful daughters, named Dewi Galuh and Candra Kirana. They live happily and sufficiently. One time, a handsome prince named Raden Inu Kertapati came who wanted to propose to one of the King’s daughters, namely Candra Kirana.
However, the application process made Dewi Galuh jealous because she had a crush on Raden Inu Kertapati. The feeling of jealousy develops into a feeling of hatred. Until one day, Dewi Galuh met a witch and asked her to bewitch Candra Kirana into something disgusting.
Finally, the curse made Candra Kirana change into a golden snail and her marriage to Raden Inu Kertapati failed. After successfully bewitching Candra Kirana, the witch immediately threw her, in the form of a golden snail, into the river. The witch shouted that Candra Kirana’s curse would disappear when she met Prince Kertapati again.
For years, Candra Kirana, who was in the form of a golden snail, lived at the bottom of the river. Until one day, there was a grandmother who was fishing in the middle of the river. Finally, the golden snail got stuck in the grandmother’s nets. The grandmother who was amazed and amazed at the golden color on the golden snail shell intended to take it home and store it in a jug.
The next day, the grandmother returned to the river to find fish. However, he did not catch any fish and finally decided to go home. After arriving home, the grandmother was surprised to see that there were lots of delicious food served on the table and the house was clean. This continued to happen every day, until finally the grandmother decided to make a plan.
The Grandmother planned to pretend to go to the river as usual, when in fact she was back at home and snooping to find out who had done such a noble thing.
Grandmother was shocked when she found out that the golden snail that was kept in a jug had changed into a beautiful princess. Finally, the grandmother immediately approached Candra Kirana and asked about her origins. Candra Kirana also explained who she was and the reasons why she could change her form like that.
Meanwhile, Prince Kertapati was still looking for Candra Kirana because he was sure that he was still alive. In fact, Prince Kertapati promised not to return to the kingdom before being able to find Candra Kirana again.
The witch, knowing this, finally disguised herself as a crow and approached Prince Kertapati. Prince Kertapati thought that the crow was a clue, and therefore, he followed the crow’s instructions. However, these instructions turned out to be wrong and caused Prince Kertapati to get lost.
On the way, Prince Kertapati ran out of supplies and luckily he saw a house. Without further ado, Prince Kertapati went straight to the house and asked for a glass of water. Prince Kertapati did not know that it was his grandmother’s house and when he arrived, he saw Candra Kirana cooking.
Prince Kertapati suddenly shouted with joy because he had found Candra Kirana. Finally, the curse of the golden snail is gone and they return to the kingdom. Not to forget, they brought their grandmother with them to come to the kingdom. Candra Kirana also explained the evil deeds that Dewi Galuh had done to the King.
The king was immediately angry and punished Dewi Galuh. Dewi Galuh felt scared and ran away into the forest. Finally, Prince Kertapati and Candra Kirana decided to get married and they lived happily in the kingdom.
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Source:
https://labineka.kemdikbud.go.id/language/ceritarakyat/
http://www.indonesia-osaka.org/
https://portal.smkn1bogor.sch.id/elibrary/
https://ppid.bandung.go.id/knowledgebase/
https://www.kemenparekraf.go.id/ragam-pariwisata/