Thursday, 30 July 2020

Jaka Tarub

In the village of Tarub, in Central Java Province, there lived a mother named Mbok Randa Tarub. He lived alone, therefore Mbok Randa Tarub then adopted a boy whom he named Jaka Tarub. Mbok Randa Tarub takes care of her adopted child from childhood to adulthood as lovingly as her own child.
Jaka Tarub


As an adult, Jaka Tarub grew into a young man who worked diligently to help his mother. Jaka Tarub also has a very handsome face. Often he hunted animals in the forest using his chopsticks. His good looks and dexterity made many village girls fall in love with him, but Jaka Tarub did not intend to settle down. Mbok Randa Tarub often said that she wanted Jaka Tarub to get married soon.

"Jaka, Mbok wants you to get married soon. Your age is sufficient to settle down. Your face is handsome, so it's easy for you to find the beautiful girl you like. " said Mbok Randa Tarub one day.

"Mbok, currently Jaka doesn't want to have a life companion. The time will come when Jaka will look for a wife. " answered Jaka Tarub.

"All right, if that's your wish, Jaka. Mbok only pray for the best for you. Mbok really loves Jaka. " said Mbok Randa.

Until one day, Mbok Randa Tarub died of illness while Jaka Tarub was not married yet. The departure of Mbok Randa, who had taken care of her since childhood, made Jaka Tarub very sad. Especially considering he was not married when Mbok Randa died. Since the departure of Mbok Randa, Jaka Tarub has turned into a lazy young man. He often daydreamed alone because he felt the spirit of his life lost.

Jaka Tarub Sees Seven Angels

One afternoon, as usual Jaka Tarub slept in his house. In his sleep he dreamed of eating venison very tender and delicious. When he woke up, he felt hungry and wanted to eat venison. He immediately rushed to go into the forest to hunt deer. With his spear he walked slowly in the forest lurking maybe there was a deer. But after all this time roaming in the forest, he did not also find a game. Though he had entered a forest area that he had never been to. Feeling tired, Jaka Tarub then sat and rested on a large rock. Unconsciously he fell back to sleep because of fatigue. While asleep, he faintly heard the voices of women joking. He then woke up to find the source of the sound.

"I heard women's voices. I have to find out who they are? " Jaka murmured.

After searching for the direction of the voice, finally Jaka realized that the voice came from a lake. He also settles on a large rock on the edge of the lake. From behind the stone, Jaka saw seven very beautiful women bathing. He was surprised to wonder, how could there be seven beautiful beautiful women who could take a bath in the middle of the forest.

"How strange are they? Why they can be in the middle of a dense forest. " Jaka told himself.

Jaka Hides the Angel Shawl

The seven women were extraordinarily beautiful. He had never seen women as beautiful as they were, therefore he was eager to marry one of them. When he saw seven scarves lying on the edge of the lake. Jaka Tarub took a piece of shawl and then hid it.

"I want to marry one of them. I better hide one of their scarves. " Jaka murmured.

By late afternoon the seven beautiful women finished their baths. They immediately dressed, put on their scarves and then flew to heaven. Jaka Tarub finally learned that they were heavenly heaven.

"Ah deserves they are very beautiful, apparently they are heavenly heaven." said Jaka.

One of the women named Nawang Wulan, looked confused looking for a selendthe wind while the other six women have flown to heaven.

"Ouch, where is my scarf? I kept it at the edge of the lake. How about this? If my scarf is not found, I cannot return to heaven. " said Nawang Wulan in a panic.

Nawang Wulan turned out to be the youngest sister of the seven angels. After the death of her six siblings, Nawang Wulan burst into tears. He felt afraid because he was unable to live in the human world. Seeing this, Jaka Tarub immediately approached to get acquainted and offer help.

"Hi, what is Adinda crying alone on the edge of the lake? My name is Jaka Tarub. I live in a nearby village. What can I do for you?" Jaka pretended to offer help.

"Oh, I lost my scarf so I can't go back to heaven." said Nawang Wulan.

"Oh, that's how it is. Then Adinda can stay in my house, rather than living alone in the forest. Don't be afraid, I'll take care of you. " said Jaka.

"Alright then. I'll just stay in your house." Nawang Wulan was forced to accept it because she did not know what else to do.

Jaka Married to Dewi Nawang Wulan

Dewi Nawang Wulan finally stayed at Jaka Tarub's house. Soon they married and lived happily. Moreover, when Nawang Wulan conceived then gave birth to a baby girl. They gave him the name Nawangsih.

Despite a happy life with his children and wife, Jaka Tarub has long been surprised because his rice barns have never diminished but instead have increased. Every day his wife cooks by taking rice from the rice barn but not the least rice barn is reduced.

"I don't know why my rice has never been reduced but has actually increased. Even though my wife cooks everyday. " Jaka murmured in amazement.

Until one day, his wife was cooking rice but had necessities in the river. Nawang Wulan then advised her husband to take care of the fire and not to open the lid on the steamed rice. "Sis, I'm cooking rice but there is a need for a while in the river. Brother please keep the fire from dying or too big. Please also please don't open the lid. said Nawang Wulan.

"OK. Kakanda will take care of him. " said Jaka. After his wife went to the river, Jaka was curious about his wife's message not to open the lid on steamed rice. Unable to resist curiosity, he then opened the steamed rice. He was surprised to find that in the steamer there was only a grain of rice. "It's strange that my wife only cooks a grain of rice. No wonder my granary has never diminished. " Jaka said to himself.

The power of Nawang Wulan is gone

When Nawang Wulan returned from the river, he found that in the steamer there was only a grain of rice.

"In a steamer there is only one grain of rice, meaning my husband broke the prohibition by opening this steamer." said Nawang Wulan.

Nawang Wulan turned out to have supernatural powers that are not possessed by ordinary people. He can cook a grain of rice into a basket of rice. Nawang Wulan finally understood that her husband had opened the steamer. As a result, the power of Nawang Wulan, which he kept secret, was destroyed. As a result, he now has to work as a normal human being, like pounding rice, winnowing until cooking rice into rice. Eventually Jaka Tarub's rice barn was used up.

Dewi Nawang Wulan Returns to Heaven

One time Nawang Wulan was about to take rice in a rice barn. But unfortunately there is little rice available. When taking the remnants of rice, suddenly poking his long-lost shawl. Nawang Wulan finally realized and was angry knowing the fact that it was her husband who hid his scarf. He immediately wore the shawl and then hurried to meet her husband.

"My husband. Because Kakanda opened the steaming lid, my magic became lost and made our rice barns run out. And also it turns out, all this time you hid my shawl. Everything is your plan. At this point our relationship has ended. I will return to heaven. " said Nawang Wulan.

"I'm sorry my wife. I admit all my mistakes. But please don't leave me and your child, Nawangsih. " Jaka Tarub begged his wife.

"Sorry, Sis, I have to go back to heaven. Please take good care of our beloved daughter, Nawangsih. Please make a loom near you. Put Nawangsih every night in the loom. I will come every night to breastfeed our beloved daughter. And please don't peek when I'm nursing Nawangsih. Goodbye." Nawang Wulan then flew to heaven.

Jaka Tarub felt sad and very sorry for his actions. He immediately made a loom near the house. And according to his wife's request, he put his daughter, Nawangsih, in the dangau every night to be breastfed by Nawang Wulan.

Jaka Tarub Ancestor of the Mataram Dynasty

Since then, Jaka Tarub becameadi leader in his village with the title Ki Ageng Tarub. Brawijaya, the king of Majapahit at that time, was good friends with Ki Ageng Tarub. One day, Brawijaya wants Ki Ageng Tarub to take care of his inheritance keris named Kyai Mahesa Nular. Therefore Brawijaya then sent two envoys namely Ki Buyut Masahar and Bondan Kejawan to meet Ki Ageng Tarub. Bondan Kejawan is the biological son of Brawijaya, therefore Ki Ageng Tarub requested that Bondan Kejawan live with him in the village of Tarub.

Since then, Bondan Kejawan has been living with Ki Ageng Tarub and has been renamed as Lembu Peteng. After Lembu Peteng and Nawangsih grew up, Ki Ageng Tarub married both of them. Time passed by Ki Ageng Tarub died. Lembeng Peteng replaces his position as the new Ki Ageng Tarub. Lembu Peteng and Nawangsih have a son named Ki Ageng Getas Pandawa. As an adult, Ki Ageng Getas Pandawa had a son who was titled Ki Ageng Sela. Panembahan Senopati (Raden Sutawijaya) (1587 - 1601) the founder of the Sultanate of Mataram, was the great-grandson of Ki Ageng Sela.

The story of Jaka Tarub and Dewi Nawang Wulan is a folklore from Central Java enshrined in the Babad Tanah Jawi, a collection of Javanese texts - in the form of Javanese poetry. The Chronicle of Tanah Jawi contains the history of kings who once ruled in Java from the Syailendra Dynasty, Sanjaya Dynasty, Medang Kamulan Dynasty, Kahuripan Dynasty, Janggala, Kadiri, Singhasari Dynasty, Majapahit, Demak, Pajang, to the Islamic Mataram kingdom.

Jaka Tarub legend has many versions, but in general still has the same storyline. Jaka Tarub was a young man who lived in the village of Tarub, while Nawang Wulan was an angel who could not return to heaven because she had been hidden by Jaka Tarub. It is said that this story happened in Widodaren village, Gerih Subdistrict, Ngawi Regency, because in the village there was a Jaka Tarub grave. The name of the village Widodaren itself is said to have come from the word widodari which means angel. This story has similarities with the East Javanese folklore, namely, Aryo Menak.

More Folklore on Central Java:

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