JakaTarub was a
handsome and diligent young man. He lived in a village near a lake. One day,
when JakaTarub passed the lake, he heard some giggles and laughs of some girls
who were bathing in the lake. He was curious, so he peeped through the bushes.
There were seven beautiful girls in the lake. They’re fairies from the heavenly
kingdom of kahyangan. JakaTarub saw a scarf near the bushes. It belonged to one
of the fairies. JakaTarub then took it and hid it.
Crack!!!
Accidentally, JakaTarub stepped on a twig. “There’s someone!” said one of the
fairies. “Let’s get back. Hurry!” she said. They pulled over and wear their
scarf. “Where is my scarf?” one of the fairies couldn’t find her scarf. She was
the youngest fairy called NawangWulan. They tried to search for it, but it was
no where to be found. “We’re sorry, Wulan. We have to go back to kahyangan,”
said the eldest fairy. “You’ll have to find it by yourself. We’ll wait for you
in kahyangan,” she said in empathy. The other fairies then flew to the sky
leaving NawangWulan behind. NawangWulan saw them leaving in tears. She was so
sad.
“Excuse me …,” said
JakaTarub, startling NawangWulan. “Are you okay?” he asked. NawangWulan moved
backward, “Who are you?” she asked. “My name is JakaTarub. I was passing by and
I heard you crying, so I came to see what happen,” JakaTarub lied. NawangWulan
then told him about her problem. “I can’t fly without my scarf,” she said.
JakaTarub then asked NawangWulan to come home with him. At first, NawangWulan
refused the offer. But since she didn’t have anywhere else to go, NawangWulan
then decided to follow JakaTarub.
NawangWulan stayed
with JakaTarub in the village. A month passed, and they decided to get married.
NawangWulan was willing to marry a human because she fell in love with
JakaTarub. After a year, they had a beautiful daughter. They named her
Kumalasari. They lived happily.
JakaTarub was also
happy to live with NawangWulan and Kumalasari. Especially because he always got
a lot of harvest since he married NawangWulan. He couldn’t even keep all of his
harvest in the barn because it was always full. “It’s so weird. NawangWulan
cooked everyday, but why is my barn always full,” JakaTarub mumbled to himself.
He was so curious. One day, JakaTarub stayed at home. “I want to stay home
today. I’d like to play with Kumalasari,” he said to his wife. “Well, I’ll go
to the river to wash the clothes. Please keep an eye on Kumalasari,” asked
NawangWulan. “I’m cooking rice now. Please do not open the pan cover before
it’s done,” she said just before she left. “Could this be the secret?”
JakaTarub thought. After NawangWulan left, he curiously opened the pan cover.
He found only one single paddy. “How come?” he wondered.
Before lunch,
NawangWulan came home. She headed to the kitchen to see the rice she had
cooked. She found that the rice turned into only a few grains. “Did you open
the pan cover?” she asked her husband. “I… I’m sorry. I was curious,” JakaTarub
said as he realized his fault.
Ever since,
NawangWulan had lost her power. She couldn’t cook rice with only a single
paddy. Their paddy supply was slowly lessened. Their barn was almost empty. One
day, NawangWulan went to the barn to get some paddy. When she took one of them,
she found a scarf. “What’s this? This is my scarf,” said NawangWulan startled.
That night,
NawangWulan asked her husband about the scarf. JakaTarub’s eyes widened, “You
found it?” he asked. JakaTarub looked down and asked for her forgiveness.
“Because I’ve found my scarf, it’s time for me to go back to where I belong,”
NawangWulan said. JakaTarub tried to stop her, but NawangWulan had made up her
mind. “Please take good care of Kumalasari,” she said. “If she wanted to see
me, take seven grains of candlenut and put it into a basket. Shake it as you
play the bamboo flute. I’ll come to see her,” she explained.
JakaTarub promised to
take good care of their daughter. He once again asked for forgiveness for all
of his mistakes. “I’ve forgiven you, so you don’t have to feel guilty. I must
go now. Take care,” said NawangWulan as she flew to the bright full moon.***
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