Folklore for Kids: The Legend of Cianjur: Mr. Stingy and the Great Flood

Chapter 1: Mr. Stingy and His Kind Son

Once upon a time, long ago, in the land we now call West Java, there lived a very rich man. He owned all the rice fields in the village. Every villager worked on his land as a farm laborer, planting and harvesting rice from morning until evening.

Even though he was rich, the man was terribly stingy. He never shared his money, his rice, or even a smile. So the villagers gave him a nickname: Mr. Stingy. (In Indonesian, he is called Pak Kikir.)

Mr. Stingy had one son, and he was stingy even with him! But the son was nothing like his father. He had a kind and gentle heart. Whenever a neighbor was in trouble, he quietly helped them. Of course, he always did it without his father knowing.

Chapter 2: The Thanksgiving Feast

In that village, people believed that a big feast of thanks would bring a good harvest and plenty of rice. One year, Mr. Stingy began to worry.

Mr. Stingy: "Oh dear, what if my next harvest fails? I would lose so much money! I suppose I must hold a thanksgiving feast, just to be safe."

So he invited all the villagers to his grand house. The villagers were delighted!

Villager: "A feast at Mr. Stingy's house? How wonderful! We will eat until our tummies are full!"

But when the day came, the villagers were terribly disappointed. Mr. Stingy had prepared only a few plain dishes, and there was not nearly enough for everyone. Many guests sat with empty plates and rumbling tummies.

First Guest: "Mr. Stingy is truly shameful! He has so much money, yet he invites us and gives us hardly any food."

Second Guest: "Mark my words, no good will come to a man who is so greedy."

The guests whispered and grumbled quietly at the feast.

Chapter 3: The Old Grandmother

While the feast was still going on, a frail old grandmother slowly walked into the yard. Her back was bent and her clothes were worn. She looked tired and very hungry. She stepped up to Mr. Stingy and folded her hands politely.

Old Grandmother: "Sir, please spare me a little alms. Even a mouthful of rice would make me very grateful."

Mr. Stingy: "What? Alms? You beg so easily! Do you know how hard I worked to earn everything I own?"

Old Grandmother: "Please, sir, just a small bite of food. I am so hungry."

Mr. Stingy: "No! Go away at once, or I will call my guards to chase you out!"

The poor grandmother began to cry. Mr. Stingy angrily pushed her out of his gate, and she walked away with tears rolling down her wrinkled cheeks.

Chapter 4: The Kind Son's Gift

Mr. Stingy's son had seen everything, and his heart ached for the old woman. Very quietly, he took his own lunch and ran after her.

Mr. Stingy's Son: "Grandmother, please wait! I'm sorry my father was so unkind. Please take my lunch. It is all I have, but I want you to have it."

The grandmother looked at him with warm, tearful eyes.

Old Grandmother: "Thank you, my kind boy. May your life be blessed and filled with glory."

Chapter 5: The Grandmother's Curse

The grandmother continued on her way until she reached a hill near the village. She stopped at the top and looked down. There she saw Mr. Stingy's house, the biggest and grandest in the village, while the villagers' homes around it looked small and shabby.

Her sadness turned into anger.

Old Grandmother: "Remember my words, Mr. Stingy! Your greed will be the end of you. You will be punished for your wickedness!"

She pushed her walking stick deep into the ground, then pulled it out again. Whoosh! Water began to gush from the hole, more and more, faster and faster. In no time at all, water was rushing toward the village.

Chapter 6: The Great Flood

Villagers: "Flood! Flood! Run for your lives!"

The villagers panicked as the water rushed down from the hill. But Mr. Stingy's son stayed calm and called out loudly.

Mr. Stingy's Son: "Everyone, hurry! Run up to the high hills! It is safer there!"

Villager: "But what about our rice fields and our cattle?"

Mr. Stingy's Son: "Which is more important, your belongings or your lives? There is no time to take anything. Please, run!"

He kept shouting until every villager was on the way to safety. Then he ran to his father's house.

Mr. Stingy's Son: "Father, please, let's leave right now! We must save ourselves!"

Mr. Stingy: "What? Leave all my treasure behind? Don't be silly, boy! I must dig up my treasure chests first!"

Mr. Stingy's Son: "Father, there's no time! Please come with me!"

But Mr. Stingy would not listen. The water was rising fast, and the son had no choice but to run up the hill. Mr. Stingy stayed behind, busily gathering his treasure. In the end, he was too late, and the flood swallowed him up.

Chapter 7: The Birth of Cianjur

When the water finally calmed, most of the villagers had been saved, including Mr. Stingy's kind son. They stood on the hill and looked sadly at their village, now under water.

Villager: "Our homes are gone. What shall we do now?"

Old Villager: "We must find a new place to live. And we need someone wise and kind to lead us. Who better than the boy who saved us all?"

Everyone agreed. They made Mr. Stingy's son their new leader, and together they searched for new land.

The new leader shared the land fairly, so that everyone had a place to live and to farm. He taught the people how to plant rice and how to bring water to the fields in the right way.

The Leader: "Let us take care of our land, and it will take care of us."

The villagers always followed his good advice, or anjuran in their language. So the new village was named Anjuran. As time passed, it grew into a small town called Cianjur. Ci means water, so Cianjur means a place with plenty of water.

And because the wise leader taught the farmers so well, Cianjur rice is known as some of the very best and tastiest rice, even to this day.

Want to experience the story of The Origin of Cianjur in a more exciting way? Play the interactive version below! Help Mr. Miser's kind son serve food at the thanksgiving feast, give alms to a poor old woman, witness the curse that unleashed a great flood, and follow the villagers' struggle to escape — all leading to the birth of a town called Cianjur. The story comes with spoken narration (which can be muted anytime) and is available in both Indonesian and English — perfect to read and listen to together with kids.

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Friday, 30 October 2015

The Legend of Cianjur: Mr. Stingy and the Great Flood