Legenda Maung Kajajaden (Harimau Panjalu) dalam versi Bahasa Inggris
It
was long, long time ago, in a great kingdom, there was a king named Brawijaya
who was looking at a full moon. He reminded about a past event, an event which
had separated the relationship between two Kingdoms, Majapahit Kingdom and
Sunda Galuh Kingdom. That event was famous as Perang Bubat.
A
wise intention arose in his heart to reunite those kingdoms. It was by
marriage. Incidentally, Brawijaya was still single. Then he spoke to his duke for
asking his opinion.
“O
my loyal duke, do you have any idea to reunite our kingdom with Pajajaran?” he
asked curiously.
“My
Majesty, I beg your forgiveness, I suppose it’s difficult due to the last war.”
He replied politely.
“There
is just one way” the king said laconically.
The
duke was curious “What is it?”
“It
is by marriage, I suppose it will be success to reunite both kingdom and
Pajajaran must be agreed.” He explained.
“So
what is the next plan?”
“Go
to Pajajaran and inform about this!’ he ordered.
And the duke agreed with the king’s
intention. On that day, he asked a royal minister to send a message to
Pajajaran. Briefly, the aim was accepted by Pajajaran and it is also directly
determined the weeding day.
At
the appointed time, the royal entourage of Majapahit was ready to go to
Pajajaran centered in Kawali, Ciamis to be coupled with an amazingly beautiful
princess, named Kencana Rarang. Her beauty was unsurpassed. On the way to
Pajajaran, the royal entourage enjoyed the natural beauty of Sunda an
enchanting area where the birds were chirping regularly, the farmers cropped
their field diligently, and children played together happily. After arriving in
Pajajaran, the handsome prince finally sat to be married with the beautiful princess,
accompanied by a great feast for seven days long. After the feast finished,
Kencana Rarang lived with her husband in Majapahit to star her new life.
In
Majapahit, the sun was beginning to lose its heat and the sky was tinged with
pink at its corner. The afternoon passed quickly and pleasantly. The princess
lay perfectly for a moment. She had given herself to the prince with total
abandon, no doubt revealing her love, her need for him.
As
she was in an old pregnancy, Kencana Rarang desired to meet her parents in
Pajajaran and wanted to give birth there. By a heavy hearted, Brawijaya allowed
his wife to return to Pajajaran accompanied by a royal minister.
“I
am so sorry, I cannot come along with you because I am still ruling the
kingdom. Actually I am so worried about you.”
“Don’t
worry honey, everything will be alright.” the princess responded brightly,
kissing her husband’s cheek.
The princess finally went along with the
entourage. After many days along the wilderness, climbing hills, and crossing
rivers, the entourage stopped in somewhere in the tribe of Sawal Mountain. The
princess looked exhausted and her stomach ached terribly so much.
“Help
me!! Ouch this is so pain!” the princess groaned
The
minister knew that the princess would give birth soon. Then he ordered soldiers
to build a hut. When they built the hut, there were so many trees felled. In
Javanese, it was called tumbang so
now the place was called “Panumbangan”. Accordance with the previous
allegation, it turned out that the princess actually gave birth to a pretty
pair of twin babies like the parents. The umbilical cords of the babies were
put into a jug and buried under a big tree. Then the entourage went on their
way.
As
they arrived at the palace, people welcomed the arrival of the princess. The Pajajaran’s
King was very happy. Both babies were named by their grandfather. A male baby
named Bongbang Rarang while the female one named Bongbang Kencana. Both babies
were taken care by their grandfather and their mother until they were teens. As
they were adolescence, they felt curious about their real father, because their
mother called Pajajaran’s king father. They asked to their mother, but her
mother usually answered the same answer.
“O...
mom it is our pleasure to know our real father...” they asked curiously and
cautiously denying their mother getting disappointed.
“You
have proposed the same question for a thousand times”
“Yes
mom, and we eager to know about it” they replied hoping to look forward to
hearing their mother’s answer.
“Well,
there is no such a man whom you have to respect to, he is Pajajaran King, so be
proud of it!” their mother answered steadily. “Are you still doubtful about
it?” the mother asked next suspiciously.
Struggling
with his disappointment, Bongbang Rarang answered dishonestly “No…no, mom.. That
is enough, thank you.”
They left their mother from her room
and went to the kitchen. Feeling dissatisfied with the answer, they asked to
each resident, but all of them answered the same. Until one day they insisted one
of the servants on telling the truth. Feeling pressed, the servant told the
truth.
“Well,
okay I will tell the truth, but you have to promise, you don’t tell to everyone
that I give you the secret thing!” asked the servant.
“We
promise!” they answered while rising their little fingers.
The servant walked and looked around to
make sure that there is nobody around them.
“Mm
well, actually your father was…”
‘”Who?”
he cut the words impatiently.
“Your
father was Brawijaya, a king of Majapahit. You are children of a great king”
she explained slowly.
“And
now where is he?”
“He
is in Majapahit, he did not come along with your mother because he is still
ruling the kingdom. Ok, I must take water” The servant went down towards the
river.
“Thank
you” The answer was enough to make them feel satisfied.
They went to the palace garden where
the over ripe fruit is hanging. They were talking seriously when the twilight
shined.
“Ok,,
the game is started!” said Bongbang Rarang optimistically.
“Well,
let’s kick off the game” his sister chimed firmly.
On
the next day, Pajajaran was shocked by the loss of Bongbang Rarang from the
palace. All people were panic and looked for him. The panics of residents were
firmly increased after it emerged that Bongbang Kancana also missed from the
palace. They met in a place that had been appointed before. They continued
their journey to meet their father in Majapahit. In somewhere, Kencana looked
at his brother
“Oh
how pity you are, my brother, you look so tired!” she looked at his brother
attentively.
“Yes,
I am extremely thirsty and exhausted.” He replied with a low voice.
Felling
pity on her brother, Bongbang Kancana walked around, entered the bush. It
seemed as if she were looking for something while his brother sat under the
tree and watched her sister and shouted.
“Kencana,
what are you doing? What are you looking for?” his voice was impassive, but his
dark brows met in a frown, as he cast her a probing look.
“Be
careful” he chimed
“Don’t
worry” Kencana shouted. “I am looking for something to drink”
After
a while, she yelled cheerfully “Yea... I got it, I got it!”
She
looked at something as if she found a treasure. She found a jug under a big
tree that contained cool water. They did not know that the water in the jug was
their umbilical cords. Then she gave it to Rarang who was looking forward to
having a drink.
He
directly drank the water straight from the jug until he felt exhausted in
drinking. His sister was astonished looking at his brother.
“Oh
God, does our mother teach us to drink like that way?” she said with so
worried.
“Just
forget it today, don’t you see? I am so terribly thirsty.”
His
sister just looked at her brother, wishing nothing happen.
But
something awkward happened to Bongbang Rarang. The jug plunged into his head.
He was very surprised.
“Help
me...help me!!” he shouted.
Bongbang
Kencana was so panic facing the odd thing happened to her brother. She tried to take it off. Bongbang Rarang also
tried harder to remove his head from the pitcher’s head.
“It’s
so hard”
Their
effort was failed so they went to ask for some help. They went to a small
village and asked for some help. Unfortunately, nobody could help him. They
went straight to the settlement. They found a hut. Kencana knocked the door
wishing somebody went out and helped them.
“Excuse
me, is there anybody body home?” Kencana shouted. But nobody answered. The
house seemed empty. She tried to knock the door louder.
Thereafter an old man came out. He was Aki Garahang, a powerful shaman.
“Yes,
what is going on?” Aki Garahang said curiously and got them closer.
Then
Bongbang Kencana told their experiences from palace till they found a jug.
After listening to her story, he took pity on the child. He helped them remove
the pitcher by cleaving using his sword. Amazingly, the jug was split.
“Many
thank you Aki, because of your help, the jug was taken off from my head”
Bongbang Rarang said gratefully.
“Don’t
mention it! It is our obligation to help each other. Besides that, you all are
from Pajajaran and we have to take care of you” He said wisely. “And now, you
will continue your journey to Majapahit, won’t you?”
“Yes,
we want to meet my father as soon but as a sign of gratitude to you, let us
stay in your house for a while!”
“But
what for? I used to live alone! Here, your problem solved. You can continue
your journey!” he smiled.
“We will be your servant before we continue to
Majapahit. Apart from that, we want to learn a lot from you,, please!” they begged.
“Ok
I let you stay here, but as you know, I used to live in simplicity, not as
extravagant as in the palace.” He explained
“That’s
okay, thank you.”
One day, Aki Garahang wanted to leave the hut because
he would do asceticism. Aki Garahang also told them not to go to Cipangbuangan. Cipangbuangan was a lake where
the water was very clear. It is not far from the hut.
When
they were playing behind the hut, they found a lake.
“Look!
The water is amazingly clean!” Bongbang Rarang said to his sister.
“Exactly,
this is what Aki called Cipangbuangan”
Then Bongbang Rarang washed his hand in
the water.
“Wow
great! The water is so fresh. It will be nice if we swim, won’t you?” asked
him.
“It
must be very fresh, but do you remember, Aki forbade us to play and swim here.
Let’s move out!” she remained her brother.
“But
Aki is not here, he will not know if we swim here.” He was eager to swim.
Suddenly, Bongbang Rarang jumped himself into the lake and swam.
“Come
on Kencana!”
Feeling tempted, she followed his
brother to swim in the lake although it had been banned. They looked very
excited.
They broke their promise. It was more
than a broken vow. It was the second mistakes they made.
Suddenly, a strange thing was emerged. Their
entire skin imprisoned overgrown with yellow-black stripped hair. Then
surprisingly they turned into a pair of tigers. As they realized, they hugged
each other, repented for having broken the ban. They cried and regretted. They
asked for apology to Aki Garahang.
“In
this case, I am sorry, I cannot help you a lot.” Aki said regretfully.
They continued to move on because Aki
Garahang could not change back their form bodies.
On
their way, when they were crossing the Cimuntur River, they nearly died trapped
by the root of squash. Once separated, Bongbang Rarang was rushing by the
stream and then got trapped into the “gawul” or a fish trap made of sago tree. Kencana
was so panicky and chased him. Then they were rescued by a farmer. Because the
gawul could not be split, the farmer took them to the Panjalu’s king.
“My
Majesty, I found both tigers next to the Cimuntur trapped by a gawul.
Unfortunately, I cannot let it out!” the farmer said respectfully.
The King had already known who they
were. He was much moved and he let go easily the gawul from Bongbang Rarang’s
body. As a sign of gratitude to the King Panjalu, Bongbang Rarang and Bongbang
Kencana promised to keep the Panjalu’s
descendents.
“As
a sign of gratitude, I, Bongbang Rarang, will keep all your descendants from
harm except for those who did three matters. First, for those who drank
straight from a jug. Second, those who planted squash trees, and the last is
the one who made gawul or a fish trap
made of sago tree that had not been cleaved before.” He gently promised.
Then,
they continued their journey in order to findi their father in Majapahit. They
walked as “Maung Kajajaden”. After so many days, along the wilderness, climbing
hills, and crossing rivers, they found a great palace. Arriving at the palace,
their father knew that the tigers were his children, because the tigers could
speak and retell their experiences. Their father really took pity on them. He
was so sad and hugged them. As a reward, He gave a zone for Bongbang Rarang as
domineer in Majapahit Jungle and Bongbang Kencana dominated Panjalu’s area.
They lived happily ever after. According to the myth, until now both tigers
always meet in Panjalu when it is full moon in Rabiul Awal.
Manjing walagri, bagja walatra, natar udagan, galuh galih
galeuh deudeuh…
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