0 Cindelaras #5 (Indonesian Folklore Legend)

Cindelaras

After the leave the Queen, took the throne and became the Queen of Raden Putra. Her happiness was beyond measured, especially she knew that the Queen had been executed and would not come back again. With a smug smile, the new Queen sat on the throne for the first time.

Meanwhile, in the forest, the Queen built a modest hut for the shelter from the sun and rain. Month after month had passed, the Queen gave birth a healthy and handsome baby boy.

 “I’ll call you Cindelaras, my Son, said the Queen as she stroked his son’s hair.

Thus, not only farming and hunting, the Queen also raised her son, Cindelaras, with full of love. In the forest, they were alone. The Queen sometimes remembered her beloved husband, Raden Putra, but it was impossible for her to go back to the palace. The Queen also decided not to tell Cindelaras who his father is.

When Cindelaras had grown up and become able to speak, he always ask about his origin to his mother, but his mother never told the truth that he was the son of the king.

“Mom, why do we live in the forest?” asked Cindelaras one time.

“Because this place is far from crowd and we have no shelter if we move to the town, my son,” explained his mother.

“But in this forest only us who live in here. We don’t have to live in the city, we can live on the edge of a village, Mom,” said Cindelaras.

“I already felt comfortable live in this forest, Son,” said the mother tried to give an explanation to her son.

If the mother said so, usually Cindelaras would just follow what his mother wanted. Since in the forest there was no other child, then CIndelaras was playing with the animals, Cindelaras became a brave kid and never gave up.

Year after year, Cindelaras had become a handsome and smart young man. Cindelaras also very devoted to his mother. In their daily live, usually it was Cindelaras who worked to find foods for both of them. He also gathered firewood to sell it to the city, or hunted jungle fowl, and caught fish in the river.

One day as usual, Cindelaras gathered firewood in the forest to sell it to the city. While he gathered the wood cheerfully, suddenly appeared a giant hawk that seemed want to pounce him. Cindelaras so surprised and spontaneously hid behind a giant tree. But the giant hawk seemed to follow wherever Cindelaras hid, and then flew down. Cindelaras covered his face and head with his hands. But, the giant hawk didn’t want to eat Cindelaras. The giant hawk flew down because it wanted to drop something right in front of Cindelaras. When the giant hawk flew back into the sky, CIndelaras opened his eyes and was curious to see what the object that was dropped by the giant hawk, whem it chased him. Then he went to the object.

“Egg? It seemed that the giant hawk dropped that egg in purpose,” thought Cindelaras. Then he brought the egg to his home.

“There must be something special about this egg,” thought Cindelaras. “If not, why that giant hawk bother to drop it in front of me?”, said him again in his thought.

Cindelaras forgot his firewood. When he returned, he was only carrying the egg. Her mother was surprised to see Cindelaras came home with an empty-hand. “My son, what is going on? Are you not felling well?” asked the mother to Cindelaras.

“No, Mom. I found something,” said Cindelaras as he smiled.

“Ummm . . . I thought you were sick so you don’t bring firewood as usual,” said the mother as she felt relieved.

“No, Mom. Look at this! Agiant hawk dropped it right in front of me, Mom,” said Cindelaras excitedly.

“What egg is that?’ wondered his mother.

“I don’t know, Mom, but if you look from the size, it seems a chicken egg,” said Cindelaras.

“Magic egg maybe,” said the mother.

“Hahahaha . . ., you must be kidding, Mom,” said Cindelaras as he laughed.

Cindelaras took care and kept the egg. He even brought other chicken to cover that egg. A few days later, the eggs hatched. A chick that came out from that egg was so beautiful and shinny, that was the best chick ever seen by Cindelaras. He kept the chick like a friend of him. Cindelaras sometimes talked to the chick. His mother often smiled to see Cindelaras’s behavior.

“Chick, I will call you Kokoh,” said Cindelaras whispered to that chick. And so the chick, Kokoh, became Cindelaras’ beloved pet and they often played together.

Month after month, the chick has grown up into a tough and strong rooster. Cindelaras so impressed with the rooster. The rooster was so beautiful and strong. The rooster’s crow was also very beautiful. One day, the rooster crowed and made Cindelaras extremely surprised.

“Cock-a-doodle-doo . . . My master Cindelaras! His home is in the forest, made of wood, palm leaf roof, his father is Raden Putra.”

Cindelaras did not believe on what he heard. It is impossible a rooster can talk like a human. But, the more Cindelaras did not believe it, the rooster crowed louder.

“Cock-a-doodle-doo . . . My master Cindelaras! His home is in the forest, made of wood, palm leaf roof, his father is Raden Putra.”

“Wow, a magic chiken! It knows how to say my name, Cindelaras. Then, wjo is Raden Putra?” thought Cindelaras as he felt confused.

“According to rooster, Raden Putra is my father, but who is he?” There were may questions in Cindelaras’s head, and he got confused.

Cindelaras wished to ask her mother about Raden Putra, but he put off his intention because her mother probably would not answer his question and he did not want make her sad. Because every time he asked about his father, the mother always became sad and cried.

One day, as usual, Cindelaras brought firewood to sell it to the market. That time CIndelaras did not go alone, but he took the rooster with him. Everyone at the market admired the beauty of Cindelaras’ rooster.

“Hey, young man, how beautiful your rooster is!” said a fruit seller.

“Thank you, Kakang ( brother),” said Cindelaras proudly.

“Yeah, I’ve never seen such a beautiful rooster like yours,” said an old lady who was at the market.

“Yes, Ma’am, thank you,” said Cindelaras.

Cindelaras also wanted to say that chicken is not an ordinary chicken, it also can say words like a human, but he put that intention out of his mind. He did not want to seem presumptuous and arrogant to the residents of the city.

After sold the firewood, CIndelaras bought something that his mother has told him. Usually it was Cindelaras who went for shopping. His mother almost never set her foot into this city. Cindelaras went to every goods seller such as rice, sugar, fish, and his favorite coffe, and every seller he met admired his rooster.

“Hey, young man, are you going to sell your rooster?” said a chicken seller.

“No, Sir,” said Cindelaras.

“This chicken is not just an ordinary chicken for me, but he is my best friend, a friend cannot be sold,” explained Cindelaras proudly.

“Very true, Youngman,” said the man. “We should not betray our friend, right?” said the man again as he laughed loudly.

Cindelaras also laughed with that man. Some other sellers also asked about the same thing.

“Are you going to sell that chicken, Boy?” asked a vegetable seller woman.

“Oh no, Ma’am. I will not sell it,” said Cindelaras as he hugged his chicken more tightly as if he did not want to lose it.

“Come on, I’ll but it with a high price,” said other man, the cloth seller. “Whatever  ever the price you mention, I will but it,” said the man as he persuaded Cindelaras.

“Forgive me, Sir, but I really don’t want to sell my chicken,” said Cindelaras.

“So why should you bring it to the market?” asked the father upset. “People bring goods to a market in order to trade it,” said a man still with irritated voice. “Are you brought it only to show it off to the other people that you have a wonderful and tough chicken?” snapped the man.

Although Cindelaras was not pleased with what that man has said, but he thought that what was said by that man was also right.

“Why would I take this beautiful chicken to this market? But I had no intention to show it off,” thought Cindelaras.

However, he did want the people see the beauty of this rooster.

“is it also called show off?” thought Cindelaras.

Anyway, the point was Cindelaras as wanted other people can also see the beauty of his rooster, without intending to brag about himself.

On the way home, Cindelaras passed an arena of cockfight. Actually in his heart, Cindelaras never liked this cockfight activity. He felt pity to see the roosters were forced to fight.

Cindelaras suddenly surprised by a shout of someone with a very shrill voice. That man was yelled at him.

“Hey, young man!” yelled a man with a fierce face.

Cindelaras got confused for a moment wondering was it him that had been called. “But for what?” thought him. He did not any of the cockfight players.
“Me?” asked Cindelaras.

“Yes, you,” said the fierce face with arms akimbo like a master ordered his servant.

“Come here, take your rooster here!” said the other man with baldhead.

“Come on, young man, if you dare, match your rooster with our roosters,” said another man.

“Yeah right,” said the fierce faced man.

“Oh, I’m sorry gentlemen, my rooster is not that kind of rooster,” explained Cindelaras politely.

“Huh, are you scared?” yelled a fat man.

“Yeah, don’t be a coward!” yelled the bald man.

“Come on, let your rooster fight!” yelled the fierce faced man.

Cindelaras hesitated for a moment, but he was also got irritated since he was mocked as a coward and timid. Then he looked at his rooster as he asked for an agreement. Surprisingly the rooster looked as if it nodded. Cindelaras laso looked to understand the agreement from the rooster.

“Alright,” said Cindelaras as finally.

Then the cockfight between Cindelaras’ rooster and the fat man’s rooster has begun. Rooster of the fat man was relatively quite big with a strong beak.

It was said that the fat man’s rooster is tough enough especially when he fight against beginner rooster. It can be defeated by the fat man’s rooster only by one peck.

The game more become interesting. Cindelaras’ rooster was very strong and tough, and also not easy to give up. Although it was it’s first cockfight, but the way it fought looked like an experienced cock-fighter.

“Come on beat it!” supported the fat man.

Cindelaras himself, he did not have any supporter.

“Come on, Kokoh, come on!” yelled Cindelaras in low tone.

After a tough fight, finally Cindelaras’ rooster could defeat the fat man’s rooster.

“Yeah, hooray!” shouted Cindelaras happily.

The other fighter rooster owners did not look happy. Then the bald guy straight away asked him something.

“Come on, now fight with my rooster,” said him too.

“Alright,” said Cindelaras as he started to feel confident with rooster toughness. Once again, Cindelaras’ rooster defeated the attacks from the bald man’s rooster.

“Hooray!” shouted Cindelaras again.

Another fighter cock owner became curious and wanted to try the CIndelaras’ cock’s toughness.

“Come on, now fight my rooster,” said the fierce faced man.

The rooster of the fierce faced man was known as the number on e cock-fighter and has never defeated. Heard such a reputation, Cindelaras lost little bit of his guts, but when he looked at his rooster, he became confident again that his rooster would not lose, and he believed that it was a supernatural special rooster.

Again, Cindelaras’ rooster beat the rooster of the fierce faced man. This time several people at the arena shouted “hooray”. Cindelaras no longer alone, he had supporters now.

Then the fierce faced man said, “Congratulation,  young man! Your rooster is really tough,” said the fierce faced man and his face became not fierce again.

“Thank you, Sir,” said Cindelaras politely.

“Your chicken is totally awesome!” yelled the bald man.

“Ah, no, I was just lucky,” said CIndelaras modestly

“But, Young man, where did you buy that rooster?” asked the fierce faced man.

“I did not buy it, Sir,” said Cindelaras again.

“Oh, Boy, You’re very lucky!”  yelled the fat man.

Cindelaras blushed as he heard the compliment from the fat man.

“It was just a coincidence,” said CIndelaras modestly.

“It must be interesting if your roster fight with Raden Putra’s rooster,” said the other man.

“Cindelaras curiosity appeared again with the name of Raden Putra.

“RadenPutra?” said Cindelaras in low tone.

“Yes, Young man. I heard that Raden Putra has a very tough fighter rooster. Very very tough, just by it eyes, other rooster can be defeated,” said the fierce faced man jokingly as he smiled.

The others laughed, and then the bald man said, “It’s true, Young man. I heard that Raden Putra has an unbeatable fighter rooster,” said him seriously.

“Who is Raden Putra?” asked Cindelaras curiously.

“Ah . . . you, are you really don’t know who he is?” wondered the fat man.

“What? Are you kidding me?” said the fierce faced man.

“No, I really don’t know who he is,” said Cindelaras.

“Where do you live, Young man?”

“ I live in the forest, Sir,” said Cindelaras politely.

“Ah, no wonder you don’t know who he is,” said the bald man.

The others laughed and some of them smiled and understood why Cindelaras don’t know Raden Putra.

“Raden Putra is the king and the leader of this Jenggala Kingdom, “explained the fierce faced man.

“Oh, he is a king,” amazed Cindelaras.

“Right, and I heard that he has an extremely tough rooster,” said the fat man.

“Oh, how could a king take my rooster to fight?” said Cindelaras modestly.

“Oh, Young man, when we heard about your rooster toughness, undoubtedly he will become curious and want to prove whether the tough rooster can defeat his tough fighter rooster,” said the man with long explanation.

“Oh well, Sir. Thank  you for the invitation, but I must go home now. It is getting dark, too dark to walk in the forest,” said Cindelaras as he asked to leave the place to his new friends.

After he arrived at the hut in the forest, Cindelaras told her mother about his experience today.

“Mom, I brought Kokoh to the market this afternoon and all who saw it admired Kokoh’s strength and good looks,”  said Cindelaras with his sparkling eyes.

“Is that right, do you intend to sell it, my Son?” asked the mother.

“No, Mom, Kokoh is a special and miraculous rooster,” explained Cindelaras.

“Why did you say that, Dear?” asked his mother.

“Yes, Mom, actually there is something that I have not tell about Kokoh to you, Mom,” said Cindelaras.

“What’s that, Son?” wondered the mother.

“I’ll tellyou later, Mom,” said Cindelaras.

Then Cindelaras continued his story. “Mom, I also joined in a cockfight,” said Cindelaras.

“My Son don’t join a cockfight, that’s a gamble,” said the mother unpleasant.

“No, Mom, I did not gamble, just wanted to show skill and toughness of my rooster” said Cindelaras as he stroked his rooster’s head. “And one of the spectators in the cockfight with my rooster,” said Cindelaras excitedly.

The mother’s face became pale and she got confused as she heard the name of Raden Putra. It has been a long time she had not heard that name. Moreover, she also never went to the city to find out the news about her husband. She could not help to cry when she heard that name.

“Mother, who is Raden Putra?” asked Cindelaras on low tone.

“Oh… he’s the King of Jenggala, my Son,” said the mother as she tried to hide her confusion.

“Besides King of Jenggala, who is he, Mom?” asked Cindelaras again.

“He is no one, Dear,” said the mother with low voice.

“Mom, why you became sad when you heard his name?” asked Cindelaras.

“Oh . . . no, Son, I don’t feel sad,” said the mother lied to his son.

“Mother, Kokoh has a uniqueness that I want to show you,” said Cindelaras as he put down the rooster on the ground.

“Look and listen, Mom,” said Cindelaras again.

Then Cindelaras whispered to his rooster.

“Come on, Kokh, say what you ever said to me,” said Cindelaras as he stroked his rooster.

Suddenly the rooster’s flapped it wimgs, and said, “Cock-a-doodle-doo . . . My master Cindelaras! His home is in the forest, made of wood, palm leaf roof, his father is Raden Putra.”

The mother, who heard the words of the rooster, felt like she had been struck by a lighting. She was very surprised. “How could a rooster talk? How come it knew that Cindelaras’ father is Raden Putra?” The mother said to herself confusedly.

She thought she must have been dreaming.

“Mom, is it right what was said by Kokoh?” asked Cindelaras.

The mother sat on a boulder with a sad face and surprised. She did not know what she should say to her son.

“Mom, answer it, tell me the truth. Is it true that my father is Raden Putra?” asked Cindelaras with soft voice.

The mother nodded her head and cried.

“But my Son, don’t let anyone know that you are the son of Raden Putra,” said the mother as she hugged her son.

“Why not?” asked Cindelaras surprised.

“Because first we should have been killed by the Patih, but the Patih felt pity to us and let us live as long as we stay in the forest,” explained the mother as she wiped tears from her ayes.

“But why they wanted us dead?” asked Cindelaras curiously.

“Your father has a beautiful concubine. However, behind her beauty there is an evil heart. She and the royal physician accused me for poisoning her.

Unfortunately, your father believed them more than me,” said the mother as her eyes still full of tears.

“Oh, Mother, it is impossible you did not that evil dee! Why father did not protect you, Mom?” said Cindelaras as could not believe it at all.

His mother who has a heart of gold and very kind would not commit a crime to other people. Cindelaras could not take it. He decided to clear his mother’s name and tell Raden Putra what was really happened.

“Yes, Son, Mother never have an intention to harm anyone,” said his mother sincerely.

Secretly, Cindelaras hoped that Raden Putra heard about the greatest oh his rooster. So, for the ske of clearing his mother’s name, every time Cindelaras went to the town to sell firewood, he would bring Kokoh with him to fight with other’s people rooster in that city. By defeating tough chickens of other people in that town, Cindelaras hoped that Raden Putra heard about the greatest of his rooster and invite him to the palace in order to put his rooster in cockfight with his rooster.

As usual, Cindelaras went to the market to sell firewood. On the way home, he came to the cockfight arena and hoped to find a tough opponent in that day, because from few days ago, Kokoh could not find a formidable opponent. The rooster that became his opponent could quickly defeated by Kokoh.
Only two roosters that have been Kokoh’s opponent today and both of them could be defeated easily. Cindelaras wondered when Raden Putra would hear about the greatness of his rooster. Then he asked the fierce faced man who was became his friend.

“Sir, how can I make my rooster cockfight with Raden Putra’s rooster?”

“Oh, why?” asked the man.

“I’m just curious whether It is true or flase that Raden Putra’s rooster very tough,” said Cindelaras.

“Yeah, also actually want to know, which rooster is the most powerful,” said the manexcitedly.

“Yes, I am also, Sir, very curious,” said Cindelaras with a sad face, though he had another purpose to meet Raden Putra who caused him and his mother exiled in the forest.

“Alright, come tomorrow. I have a friend who worked as a palace guard. I’ll tell him that you have a tough rooster,” said the man.

“Thank you, Sir,” said Cindelaras happily. Then he walked back into the forest whistling.

In the next day with enthusiasm, CIndelaras backed to the market with happy feeling. After sold the firewood, he walked toward the cockfight arena.

The fierce faced man had been waiting for him over there. As his promise, the fierce faced man brought his friend who worked in the Kingdom of Jenggala.

“Young man, I heard that you have a very tough rooster?” asked the palace guard.

“Yes, Sir,” said Cindelaras confidently.

“Alright,” said the palace guard as he stroked his rooster.

Cindelaras’ rooster fought against the guard’s rooster and the cockfight was won by Cindelaras’ rooster. The guard was impressed with the toughness and greatness of Cindelaras’ rooster.

“His rooster is very great, Sir,” said the fierce faced man as he pointed at Cindelaras’ rooster. “I wonder if Cindelaras’ rooster could beat Raden Putra’s rooster,” said the fierce-faced man again.

“Yeah, you right. Raden Putra’s rooster also great,” said the palace guard.

“Try to tell the greatness of this rooster to the Raden. He may be interested to put his rooster into cockfight with Cindelaras’ rooster,” said the man again.

“Absolutely right, I’m also curious about it,” said the guard.

Then the guard returned back to the palace and planned to tell Raden Putra.