Traditional Children's Folk-Tales

(26 June 2007)

Click on covers above to enlarge.

Sang Kancil and the Crocodile

Sang Kancil is known as the smartest animal in the jungle and this is the story about how he tricked the crocodiles. Eager to taste the fruits in the orchard on the other side of the river, he informed the crocodiles that Raja Sulaiman had ordered Sang Kancil to do a head count as he wanted to give them a gift. Sang Kancil ordered them to form a queue stretching until the other end of the shore. Deftly, he jumped on them until he crossed the river. Upon reaching the shore, he happily told the crocodiles that he had tricked them and there were no gifts forthcoming from Raja Sulaiman The crocodiles became angry and until today bear a grudge.

Sang Kancil Helps Kerbau

This tale is about an ungrateful crocodile called Sang Bedal. Trapped under a tree, Sang Bedal's cries for help were heard by Sang Kerbau. Using his horns, Sang Kerbau freed the crocodile. The wily crocodile decided to make a meal of Sang Kerbau and swiftly captured the latter's leg. During the scuffle comes Sang Kancil, who cleverly devised a way to help Sang Kerbau. Feigning disbelief, he asks Sang Kerbau to demonstrate how he removed the tree off Sang Bedal. His leg freed from the crocodile, Sang Kerbau upon Sang Kancil's instructions dropped the tree back on the crocodile. The ungrateful Sang Bedal, who does not appreciate a good deed was trapped under the tree again.

Bawang Putih Bawang Merah

Once upon a time there was a girl named Bawang Merah who lived with her stepmother and stepsister named Bawang Putih who always abused her. One day, she heard the call of a carp fish from the well who wanted to help her. Unfortunately, her stepmother and stepsister found out. They caught the fish and cooked it. Bawang Merah's mother appeared in her dreams and told her about the fish. She told Bawang Merah to bury the fish bones. Bawang Merah buried them and amazingly, a tree attached with a golden swing grew before her eyes. One day while happily swinging on her golden swing her melodious voice attracted the attention of a prince who eventually married her and they lived happily ever after.

Badang

Once there was a young man called Badang who discovered he was not able to catch any fish from the rivulet for the past three days. Realizing that someone was stealing his fish, he decided to keep watch. At midnight, he saw a strange form with red shinning eyes and beard that reached to its stomach emerge and it quickly devoured his fish. Badang grew angry and rushed at the creature to kill it. Pleading for its life, it promised to make Badang strong by eating the fish he threw up and ran way. Still angry, Badang grabbed a huge branch and to his surprise, broke it easily. Eventually, Badang found he had great strength and used it to help the people. The King found out and appointed Badang as his warrior.

Mat Jenin

This is a story about Mat Jenin who loved to daydream. After he picked fifty coconuts, and while resting comfortably on a coconut palm leaf, Mat Jenin starts to daydream. The money from selling the coconuts will be used to buy twenty chicken eggs, once hatched to be sold for goats and later sell the goats for some cows and a horse. While riding on the horse he met with a princess and they ride the horse together. While galloping, the horse suddenly stumbles. Mat Jenin opens his eyes and found himself floating in the air on the palm leaf. He makes a safe landing and a neighbor who witnessed the incident said, "Only hard works pays. daydreaming only brings disaster".

Si Tanggang

This story is about an ungrateful son called Si Tanggang and the consequences of his disloyalty to his parents. One day, Si Tanggang was captured and put to work on a ship. The Captain grew fond of him and eventually made him his son-in-law as well as the ship's Captain. One day, caught in a storm, Captain Tanggang was forced to moor his ship in the village his parents lived. When they came to meet Si Tanggang, he was embarrassed they looked so old and refused to acknowledge them. Saddened by her son's behavior, his mother cried out to the heavens. Suddenly lightning, strong wind and waves tore the ship to pieces. Captain Tanggang, his wife and crew turned into stone.

Technical Details

Source :