It is said that in ancient times, on the island of Madura, there lived a man named Aryo Menak. Aryo Menak's penchant is wandering in and out of the forest. He usually wandered during the full moon. Once upon a time, the island of Madura was still filled with dense forests.
At one night, during the middle of a full moon, after a long walk in a dense forest, Aryo Menak rested under a large tree on the edge of a lake. When sitting, from a distance he saw a light glowing from the direction of the lake. Aryo Menak then walked sneaking closer to the light source. How surprised Aryo Menak was after learning that the light came from seven heavenly angels bathing in the lake. The seven beautiful angels, bathing while joking and laughing, did not realize that they were spied on by Aryo Menak.
"Beautiful, celestial angels. I want to marry one of them." Aryo Menak said to himself.
Aryo Menak Steals Angel's Scarves
Aryo Menak's intention arose to steal one of the scarves of the angels so that they could not return to heaven taking a bath. He then sneaked close to the edge of the lake. He then took one of an angel's scarf.
Not long after the angels finished bathing. They immediately rushed to get their clothes. After taking the scarf, then they returned to heaven. Except for the youngest angel.
Aryo Menak saw an angel left behind. She was seen crying while looking for something. Seeing this, Aryo Menak did not waste the opportunity. He immediately approached the angel by pretending to ask what had happened.
"Wow, beautiful girl, why are you crying? What can I do for you?" asked Aryo Menak.
"My scarf is gone. Even though I saved it here while taking a bath. As a result, I can't go home to heaven." answered the Angel, crying.
"Oh, so you are an angel from heaven. Tell you what, what if you stayed in my house for a while until your scarf was found. It's not good for a beautiful angel like you to be alone in the forest." said Aryo Menak.
Did not has a choice, finally, the angel agreed to stay at Aryo Menak's house. Not long after, Aryo Menak married the angel. After marriage, the angel, of course, cooks for her husband. She has the power to be able to cook a pot of rice only from a rice. But there is a condition, namely, Aryo Menak should not see her when she is cooking.
"I will cook in this house but the condition is that you cannot see me cooking." said the angel.
"Okay if you really want it," said Aryo Menak.
Every day the angel always cooks but Aryo Menak's rice barn remains full. This made Aryo Menak become curious to know. But he still remembered the promise that he should not see his wife cooking. But over time Aryo Menak could no longer hold back his curiosity. He then went to the kitchen and opened his wife's cooking pot. After Aryo Menak opened his wife's cooking pot, that was when his wife's cooking pot immediately disappear.
When his wife came home to cook rice, as usual, she was surprised because her pot's magic was gone. The angel realized that her husband had opened her pot. Since then, she can no longer cook with only one rice. As a result, her husband's rice barn gradually began to diminish.
One day, Aryo Menak's wife will cook rice. As usual, she went to the rice barn to get rice. But how shocked she was when she saw a piece of cloth protruding from her husband's rice barn which began to diminish. Apparently, it was during this time that her husband stole and hid her scarf under a rice barn. Because she had got her scarf, the angel decided to return to heaven.
"My husband turned out to be you who stole and hid my scarf until I was left on earth. Apparently, this is all your plan. I will go back to heaven now. Goodbye, my husband." said the angel to Aryo Menak.
"I'm sorry my dear. Please don't leave me." Aryo Menak begged.
But his wife still doesn't care. She immediately flew to heaven. Aryo Menak felt sad when his wife left. He deeply regretted his actions. Since then Aryo Menak and his descendants never eat rice again.
Folklore of Aryo Menak And The Seven Angels originated from the East Java region, precisely the island of Madura. Aryo Menak's story resembles the Jaka Tarub folklore, Central Java.
More folklore on East Java:
- The Story of Rangga Gading
- The Origins of Reog Ponorogo
- The origin of the name of Surabaya
- Joko Dolog
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