Situ Bagendit is a folklore of Indonesia. Once in a time, in a village in Garut, West Java, there lived a widow named Nyi Endit. She was a wealthy widow. With her wealth, Nyi Endit afford to buy anything she wants. There were a lot of poor people in the village who borrow money on Nyi Endit. But, Nyi Endit ask in return, that the villagers had to return the money with interest that is very high. If it has come time to pay the debt, Nyi Endit will charge money to borrowers while carrying guard or bouncer. So if there are borrowers who do not want to pay the debt on time, Nyi Endit guard would do violence.
In the harvest time, the fields belong to Nyi Endit always produce very abundant harvest. Barn belonging Nyi Endit always have lots of food reserves in the face of the famine. But not so with the poor villagers. When the dry season arrives, many farmers who have difficulty even up severely malnourished. The conditions of the villagers are very different to the situation Nyi Endit wealthy widow. She always partying at her home, while many poor people are starving. Villagers often refer Nyi Endit with the nickname moneylenders.
Once a time, famine struck the village. But, Nyi Endit remain unaffected by famine. She is still throw a party at her house. When the party is starting, suddenly one of the Nyi Endit's bodyguards came over and said: "I'm Sorry Nyi Endit, there was a beggar outside force wants to enter the party. Looks like he wants to beg."
"Banish the beggar! Do not let him into the house. "Nyi Endit retorted.
Suddenly, the beggar broke into Nyi Endit home. "You're really greedy and cruel Nyi Endit. We are starving because of drought, give us a little food." Said the beggar.
Nyi Endit became very angry look the beggar so presumptuous broke into her home without permission. "How dare you, such a poor person like you talking like that. Expelled him from my house, quickly!" Shouted Nyi Endit.
Nyi Endit guards dragged out the beggar. But unexpectedly the beggar managed to cripple Nyi Endit guard with just one blow. The guests were amazed by the beggar's magic.
"If you do not want to share your wealth with the poor like me, I'll show you something." said the beggar. He then picked up a tree branch, then jabbing it into the ground. "If you can pull this branch, then you are a good person in the world. If you are not able to pull it out for yourself, you can ask your guard to do it for you."
Nyi Endit ordered the guards to revoke the tree branch. But apparently her bodyguards could not revoke that seems to look brittle twigs.
The beggar said, "It was your bodyguard could not pull it out, now you can see me do it." The beggar was easily able to revoke that branches. After pulled out, it turned out the Water gushed out of the hole. After removing the twigs, suddenly the beggar lost somewhere.
The Great Flood
Strange events then occur. An earthquake shocks come make Nyi Endit and guests surprised. They were so afraid that they ran away out of the house. It turns out the house has taken place with an extremely heavy rain. In an instant, Nyi Endit;s house disappeared submerged by the flood.
Nyi Endit village residence has now turned into a lake. The villager then named it as the Lake Bagendit or Situ Bagendit. It is said in the lake, there is a large leech that is the incarnation of Nyi Endit.
More folklore on West Java:
More folklore on West Java:
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