Ed.Tech.TESOL

Long time ago, there was a kingdom named Prambanan. All the people of Prambanan lived peacefully. But then, Prambanan kingdom was attacked and occupied by the Pengging kingdom. Prambanan then was ruled by Bandung Bondowoso of Pengging kingdom. He was a mean king. He also had great supernatural power. His soldiers were not only humans, but also genies.

The king of Prambanan had a beautiful daughter named Loro Jonggrang. Bandung Bondowoso fell in love with her and wanted to marry her. “You’re very beautiful. Would you be my queen?” asked Bandung Bondowoso. Loro Jonggrang was shocked. She didn’t like Bandung Bondowoso because he was a mean person. She wanted to refuse, but she afraid that Bandung Bondowoso would be angry and endangered the people of Prambanan. Then, she came up with a plan. “If you want to marry me, you have to build a thousand temples for me in just one night,” said Loro Jonggrang. “What? That’s impossible!” said Bandung Bondowoso. But he did not give up. He consulted with his advisor. “Your Majesty can asked the genies to help built the temples,” said the advisor.

So, Bandung Bondowoso summoned his entire genies soldier and commanded them to help him built a thousand temples. The genies worked in unbelievable speed. Meanwhile, Loro Jonggrang heard from her servant that the building of a thousand temples was almost finished. She was so worried. But again, she came up with a great idea. She asked all of her servants to help her. “Please prepare a lot of straw and mortar. Please hurry up!” said Loro Jonggrang. “Burn the straw and make some noise pounding the mortar, quickly.” All those servants did what Loro Jonggrang ordered them; burning straw and pounding the mortar, making the genies think that the sun is going to rise.

“It’s already dawn. We have to go,” said the leader of the genies to Bandung Bondowoso. All the genies immediately stopped their work and ran for cover from the sun, which they afraid of. They didn’t know that the light was from the fire that burning the straw, not from the sun.

Bandung Bondowoso can’t stop the genies from leaving. He was angry. He knew Loro Jonggrang had just tricked him. “You cannot fool me, Loro Jonggrang. I already have 999 temples. I just need one more temple. Now, I will make you the one-thousandth temple.” He pointed his finger to Loro Jonggrang and said some mantras. Magically, Loro Jonggrang’s body turned into stone. Until now, the temple is still standing in Prambanan area, Central Java. And the temple is called Loro Jonggrang temple.

Long time ago in the island of Java, Indonesia, lived a couple of farmer. They had married for some years but they had no children. So they prayed to a monster called Buta Ijo to give them children. Buta Ijo was a ferocious and powerful monster. He granted their wish on one condition. When their children had grown up, they had to sacrifice them to Buta Ijo. He liked eating fresh meat of human being. The farmers agreed to his condition. Several months later the wife was pregnant.

She gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. They named her Timun Emas. The farmers were happy. Timun Emas was very healthy and a very smart girl. She was also very diligent. When she was a teenager Buta Ijo came to their house. Timun Emas was frightened so she ran away to hide. The farmers then told Buta Ijo that Timun Emas was still a child. They asked him to postpone. Buta Ijo agreed. He promised to come again. The following year Buta Ijo came again. But again and again their parents said that Timun Emas was still a child.

When the third time Buta Ijo came their parents had prepared something for him. They gave Timun Emas several bamboo needles, seeds of cucumber, dressing and salt.

‘Timun, take these things’

‘What are these things?’

‘These are your weapons. Buta Ijo will chase you. He will eat you alive. So run as fast as you can. And if he will catch you spread this to the ground. Now go!’

Timun Emas was scared so she ran as quickly as she could. When Buta Ijo arrived she was far from home. He was very angry when he realized that his prey had left. So he ran to chase her. He had a sharp nose so he knew what direction his prey ran.

Timun Emas was just a girl while Buta Ijo was a monster so he could easily catch her up. When he was just several steps behind Timun Emas quickly spread the seeds of cucumber. In seconds they turned into many vines of cucumber. The exhausted Buta Ijo was very thirsty so he grabbed and ate them. When Buta Ijo was busy eating cucumber Timun Emas could run away.

But soon Buta Ijo realized and started running again. When he was just several steps behind Timun Emas threw her bamboo needles. Soon they turned into dense bamboo trees. Buta Ijo found it hard to pass. It took him some time to break the dense bamboo forest. Meanwhile Timun Emas could run farther.

Buta Ijo chased her again. When he almost catch her again and again Timun Emas threw her dressing. This time it turned into a lake. Buta Ijo was busy to save himself so Timun Emas ran way. But Buta Ijo could overcome it and continued chasing her.

Finally when Timun Emas was almost caught she threw her salt. Soon the land where Buta Ijo stood turned into ocean. Buta Ijo was drowned and died instantly.

Timun Emas was thankful to god and came back to her home.

A long time ago, in a small village near the beach in West Sumatra, a woman and her son lived. They were Malin Kundang and her mother. Her mother was a single parent because Malin Kundang's father had passed away when he was a baby. Malin Kundang had to live hard with his mother.

Malin Kundang was a healthy, dilligent, and strong boy. He usually went to sea to catch fish. After getting fish he would bring it to his mother, or sold the caught fish in the town. One day, when Malin Kundang was sailing, he saw a merchant's ship which was being raided by a small band of pirates. He helped the merchant. With his brave and power, Malin Kundang defeated the pirates. 

The merchant was so happy and thanked to him. In return the merchant asked Malin Kundang to sail with him. To get a better life, Malin Kundang agreed. He left his mother alone. Many years later, Malin Kundang became wealthy. He had a huge ship and was helped by many ship crews loading trading goods. Perfectly he had a beautiful wife too. When he was sailing his trading journey, his ship landed on a beach near a small village. The villagers recognized him. The news ran fast in the town; “Malin Kundang has become rich and now he is here”. An old woman ran to the beach to meet the new rich merchant. She was Malin Kundang’s mother. 

She wanted to hug him, released her sadness of being lonely after so long time. Unfortunately, when the mother came, Malin Kundang who was in front of his well dressed wife and his ship crews denied meeting that old lonely woman. For three times her mother begged Malin Kundang and for three times he yelled at her. At last Malin Kundang said to her "Enough, old woman! I have never had a mother like you, a dirty and ugly woman!" After that he ordered his crews to set sail. He would leave the old mother again but in that time she was full of both sadness and angriness. Finally, enraged, she cursed Malin Kundang that he would turn into a stone if he didn't apologize. Malin Kundang just laughed and really set sail.

In the quiet sea, suddenly a thunderstorm came. His huge ship was wrecked and it was too late for Malin Kundang to apologize. He was thrown by the wave out of his ship. He fell on a small island. It was really too late for him to avoid his curse. Suddenly,

He turned into a stone.