Prambanan Fable

A long time ago there was a kingdom in central Java named Prambanan. The people lived in peace and prosperous. However it didn’t last longer after Prambanan was invaded by Pengging Kingdom ruled by Bandung Bondowoso. He had magical power so he could control genies.
“Anyone who disapproves me will be punished!” he said always. People were living in fear.
After capturing Prambanan Kingdom, Bandung Bondowoso was in love with beautiful Roro Jonggrang, the princess of Prambanan Kingdom.
“Would you, the most beautiful princess Roro Jonggrang, be my queen?” he proposed Roro Jonggrang to be his wife, the queen of Pengging Kingdom.
The princess was very angry, “How come he who captured our kingdom propose me to be his queen,” she thought. But if she refused, then Bandung Bondowoso will be very mad and endanger her family and the Prambanan people as well. However, it was impossible to accept him since the deep hatred in her heart.
"So, what do you think Roro Jonggrang?" urged Bandung Bondowoso. Suddenly Roro Jonggrang got an idea.
“In fact, I am prepared to be the queen and my honored to be proposed by you Your Highness,” she said politely,”…but on one condition…”
“Tell me princess, what’s the condition?" Bandung Bondowoso asked in curiosity, “The abundant wealth? or a grand palace?”
"Not that, Your Highness,” said Roro Jonggrang, “Just make one thousand temples for me”.
"One thousand temples?" shouted Bondowoso.
"Yes, and those temples must be finished in one night."
After that Bandung Bondowoso kept thinking how he can make 1,000 temples in one night. Giving up on thinking of the way to make his dream comes true, he finally asked his kingdom counselor about his problem.
"I believe that Your Highness can make those temples by the help of genies!" said the counselor. Bandung Bondowoso gladly agreed and ordered him to set up everything he needed to build the temples.
After all had been set up, Bandung Bondowoso stood in front of an altar.
“To all my genies, help me build one thousand temples in one night!" He shouted with his rumbled voice. Suddenly, sky turned into dark. The wind and thunder were roaring and howling.
In a short time the genies had built hundreds of temples and almost reached one thousand in few hours.
In the meantime, silently Roro Jonggrang observed them from the distance. She was worried, realizing that Bandung Bondowoso was helped by the genies, “What can I do?” she asked to her servants. One of them told her to burn straws so the fire set the sky to flame in the Prambanan Kingdom sky. It will make the genies think that the night has turn to dawn.
"Quick, burn all the straws!" Roro Jonggrang ordered. While some servants quickly gathered and burn straws, others pounded mortars and pestles to make sound that people of the kingdom had started their morning activities.
Seeing the eastern sky flared with red color and the pounded sound made the genies thought that morning had broken.
"We must immediately leave before our bodies scorched by the sun," the genies yelled to each other. All the genies jumped out of the unfinished temples.
Later in the morning, Bandung Bondowoso visited the princess room and told Roro Jonggrang that the one thousand temples had been built completely. Roro Jonggrang and Bandung Bondowoso then counted the temples together. Unfortunately, the temples were only 999!
"It means that you have failed to fulfill the requirement to marry me".
"It’s impossible!!" yelled Bandung Bondowoso angrily. He pointed at Roro Jonggrang and cursed her, “…then you must be the one to complete the one thousand temples!”
Magically, Roro Jonggrang at once turned into the stone statue.
At present, these temples are still existing and located in the Prambanan Temple complex, Klaten, Central Java. Today, the stone statue of Roro Jonggrang is known as Roro Jonggrang Temple.

Bromo Mountain Fable

At the former times when Gods frequent go down to the earth, Majapahit that was the biggest kingdom in the world was attack from another country. Civilian was confused to flee for safety, and also the Gods feel it. At that moments Gods goes to the Bromo mountain and stay at there. Bromo Mountain environment is so tranquil, covered by a smooth fog, and good bird sing their song. The Gods go down to stay in Penanjakan hill that we can see the sunrise and sunset.

Around Penanjakan hills stay alived hermits in their hermitage. Day by day they pray to God to get peacfull in the world and their life. There is a son of sacred hermit, he is called Joko Seger. Joko is mean boy and seger is mean health. And a beautiful girl descendant of Goddess, she is called Roro Anteng. Roro Anteng is mean a girl with calmness.

They named it Tengger by the last syllables of their names. The principality did prosper, but the ruling couple failed to conceive children. In their despair they climbed Mount Bromo to pray to the gods, who granted them help, but requested the last child to be sacrificed to the gods. They had 24 children, and when the 25th and last child Kesuma was born Roro Anteng refused to do the sacrifice as promised. The gods then threatened with fire and brimstone, until she finally did the sacrifice. After the child was thrown into the crater, the voice of the child ordered the local people to perform an annual ceremony on the volcano, which is not held today. It's callled Kasada.

Javanese Kids Games

When I was a little kid, we have alot kinds of games that we usually play after school or in holiday. The games that we play are : Jelungan (hide in the midnight), Jamuran (Mushroom games), Benthik (hit, throw and catch), Betengan (defence, fight and run), Dakon (manage the grains), etc.
A. Jelungan (hide and seek inthe midnight)
Before year 1983, We still live in the dark when the night came. We got the light from the lantern at home, or only got the light from the moon and the star. When the full moon come, all the kids in the village play a lot of games. Jelungan is one of our games that we usually played. We gather in the field in front of Pak Lurah house. Before we play, we have a deal that we cann't hide in the house or on the tree. After make a deal, than we do hompimpa to choose who is the player. After we got the player, we close his eyes with cloth and then we hide. The player can open his eyes after we say ready. If one of us catch by th player so become the next player. The purpose of this games is to make we brave and not affraid to stay in the dark.

B. Jamuran ( mushroom games)
Jamuran games play by 4 person or more. This games teach us how become a good teamwork. when we play this games, we standing on one foot and the other foot hooked to other foot of our friends. And in the same time we sing a song together. So if one of us not balance when stand, the mushroom (Jamuran) become fall down

C. New Javanese kids games.
Now a lot of kids already forgot about javanese kids games that give us a lot of lesson. They playing play station, game onlines, fable games, etc. This is normal because we stay a life in different era. Now we only can told our kids about our old games that gives us a lot of function for our think pattern.

Boiling Water Story II

After 20 minutes, his father heat off the pan. He take out carrot and egg and put into the bowl, and pour coffee into the cup.

Father asking: ”what do you see my dear son?”
Son answer: “carrot, egg and coffee”.
Father said: “Come here my dear son I saw something !”.
Father asking: “Feel all this think !”
Son said : “I feel this carrot become mushy and inside the egg become springy”
Father asking: “Taste the coffee my son !, what do you feel?”
Son said : “what is the meaning with all this thing my father?”
At the same time He smile with coffee on his hand and enjoy it.
His father describe:”The carrot, egg and coffee has same hard times during boiling but each other give different response. Before cooked, Carrot is hard and tough but after we cooked become soft and tender. The egg is breakable and soft liquid inside before boiled. After we boiled the egg become hard and springy. The coffee become unique after we boiled, Coffee grounds changed the water become so tasty and nice aroma”
Father asking : “Which one you belonging to?” when hard times come to you. How come are you? Become carrot, egg or coffee?”
Are you a carrot? That it’s look hard but after the hard times come become soft and lost his strengthen and give up?
Are you egg? In the beginning has soft heart, dynamic soul, but after hard times come become hard heart and lifeless.
Or, are you coffee? Coffee grounds changed hot water that gave them painfulness during boiling until 100 degree C but after that become nice coffee drink and feel so delicious and refresh your mind.

So, if you like a coffee grounds, even when the hard times come and all the condition become worse, you will be better and make good condition to all the people around you. The last, NEVER GIVE UP, AND BE SUCCESS MY SON.

Boiling Water Story I

One day in the small village, A son griping to his father about his life. He asking “Why my life feel so hard?”. He didn’t know how to find the solve and almost give up. He felt tired to continue his fight. Because after he found the solve about his problem, the other problem come in.

His father is a chef, He bring his son to the kitchen. He fill three pan with water and heat up on the fire. After the water boiled, He put inside three kind of food into it. The first pan he put carrot, the second pan he put egg, and the third pan he put coffee grounds. Without any word, He let it boiled. His son speechless and waiting with impatient. He thinking “what is he doing?” (to be continued..)

Fables from Java

Java is one of the island in Indonesian Archipelago. People who called Javanese live in Central Java and East Java. They use Javanese language in daily communication. Javanese race have a lot of culture and fables which related with spirituality and good morality. That fables usually used by the parents to educate their child about life and society. As like Kancil Nyolong Timun (A mouse-deer stealing cucumbers).