.jpg "Keramat Riak Bengkulu Folktale of the Golden Net & Monkeys")
In Bengkulu Province, there is a place called Keramat Riak. Long ago, a group of people lived there, ruled by a cruel king named Riak Bakau. He punished anyone who dared to disobey him. But one day, something strange happened. Keramat Riak turned into a thick, green forest, and every one of its people became a monkey!
Chapter 1: The Mysterious Grandfather
Once upon a time, on a hot and sunny afternoon, an old grandfather came walking slowly toward the royal palace of Keramat Riak. His legs were tired, and he limped with every step. Over his shoulder, he carried a shiny fishing net. He had just come home from the river, where he had been catching fish.
When he reached the palace pavilion, the old grandfather stopped to rest. Two royal soldiers stood guard there. The grandfather gently laid his net on the ground. The net was made of golden chains, and it sparkled brightly in the sunlight. The two soldiers could not stop staring at it.
Soldier: "Grandfather, have you just come back from fishing?"Grandfather: "Yes, young man, I have."Soldier: "What a wonderful net you have! It shines like treasure, even from far away."Grandfather: "Thank you. This net was given to me by my parents. I use it every day to catch fish. Oh, it is time for the midday prayer. May I pray in the palace pavilion?"Soldier: "Of course, Grandfather! Please, go right in."Grandfather: "Thank you, kind soldiers. May you always be well."
So the old grandfather went into the pavilion to pray, and he left his net outside.
The two soldiers looked at each other. They were very curious. They bent down to look closely at the net.
First Soldier: "Look! It really is made of gold!"Second Soldier: "Let's pick it up and see how heavy it is."
They tried to lift the net. But oh my, it would not budge! It was stuck to the ground as if it had grown roots.
First Soldier: "Why, this is impossible! It is so heavy!"Second Soldier: "Let's lift it together. One, two, three... heave!"
Still, the golden net did not move, not even a tiny bit. The soldiers were amazed and a little scared. One of them ran into the palace to tell the king about the strange net.
Chapter 2: The King Wants the Golden Net
When King Riak Bakau heard the news, he hurried to the pavilion with his guards. There he saw the old grandfather, who had just finished his prayer.
King Riak Bakau: "Old man, is this golden net really yours?"Grandfather: "Yes, Your Majesty, it is mine. Thank you for letting me pray in your pavilion. Now, if you please, I must be on my way."King Riak Bakau: "Wait, Grandfather! I want something from you. Give me your golden net."Grandfather: "Forgive me, Your Majesty. I do not wish to upset you, but I cannot give it away. This net is the only treasure I have."
The king's face turned red with anger. No one had ever said no to him before!
King Riak Bakau: "Do you know who I am, old man? I am the ruler of this land! Everyone who walks on my land must obey me!"
But the grandfather was not afraid. He stood calm and still.
King Riak Bakau: "Give me that net now, or I will take it myself!"Grandfather: "Please do, Your Majesty. If you can lift it."
The king huffed and puffed. He grabbed the net with both hands and pulled with all his strength. The net did not move. He ordered his soldiers to help him, and they all pulled together. Still, the golden net stayed right where it was.
The king was very clever, though, and he soon thought of a new plan.
King Riak Bakau: "All right, Grandfather. I see that your net is very heavy. Let's have a rooster contest! If my rooster loses, you may have all my riches and my kingdom. But if your rooster loses, the golden net will be mine!"
Chapter 3: The Great Rooster Contest
At first, the grandfather said no. But the king kept begging and begging, until at last the old man agreed.
Grandfather: "Very well, Your Majesty. I will take your challenge."King Riak Bakau: "Hooray! The contest will be in three days, right here in front of my palace!"
The news spread across the whole kingdom. On the day of the contest, everyone in Keramat Riak came to watch. The grandfather brought a small, thin rooster. The king brought a big, strong rooster with shiny feathers.
King Riak Bakau: "Ha ha ha! Look at that skinny little rooster, Grandfather! I have already won!"Grandfather: "We shall see, Your Majesty. We shall see."
Gong! The gong rang out, and both roosters were let go. The king's big rooster rushed forward and attacked again and again. The grandfather's little rooster jumped this way and that to dodge. Sometimes it got knocked down, but it always got back up.
The crowd gasped and cheered. Slowly, the king's big rooster grew tired. Its wings drooped, and its legs wobbled. Then the grandfather's little rooster leaped up and gave one mighty kick. Thump! The king's rooster fell to the ground and could not get up.
The little rooster had won!
But the king did not want to lose his kingdom. He stamped his feet and called out.
King Riak Bakau: "Again! We must fight again!"Grandfather: "No, Your Majesty. More fighting will not help anyone. Let's call this contest a tie. I will not ask for anything from you. Just let me go home with my golden net."
The king had no choice, so he nodded.
King Riak Bakau: "Very well. You may go."
Chapter 4: The Magic Sticks
Before leaving, the grandfather stopped at the pavilion to pray once more. He left his golden net outside. But what the grandfather did not know was that King Riak Bakau had followed him in secret. The king still wanted the golden net!
When the king saw the grandfather bowing in prayer, he did a terrible thing. He pulled out his dagger and struck the old man from behind.
But something wonderful happened. Even though he was badly hurt, the grandfather did not stop. He finished his prayer, slowly and peacefully.
When he was done, he stood up and picked up a stick. One by one, he pushed it into the ground at the four corners of the pavilion.
Grandfather: "These sticks will stay here until the one who put them in is the one who pulls them out."
Then the old grandfather left the land of Keramat Riak, hurt but still walking tall.
After he had gone, the soldiers rushed to pull out the sticks. They pulled and pulled, but not one stick would move.
Soldier: "Your Majesty, we cannot do it. The sticks will not come out!"King Riak Bakau: "Move aside! I will do it myself!"
The king tugged and tugged, and at last, one by one, the sticks came out. And then...
Whoosh! Water burst out of the ground where the sticks had been! It gushed faster and faster, and soon it became a mighty flood. The water rose higher and higher, flowing across all of Keramat Riak.
Chapter 5: The Kingdom of Monkeys
The people were frightened. They ran in every direction to save themselves. Some ran up to the mountains. King Riak Bakau and his followers climbed up into the tallest trees.
Villager: "Quick! Climb higher! The water is coming!"King Riak Bakau: "Hold on tight, everyone! Don't fall!"
The flood did not reach them, and they were safe up in the branches. But the sky suddenly turned dark. The wind began to howl, and heavy rain poured down. The trees swayed and shook, and the king and his followers held on with all their might.
Then a deep, mysterious voice echoed from behind the clouds.
Mysterious Voice: "O cruel King Riak Bakau! O people of Keramat Riak! You have done wrong. Now you will hang from the trees like monkeys!"
In a flash, the king and everyone with him turned into monkeys! Their arms grew long, their bodies grew furry, and they had tails. The rain stopped, the clouds went away, and the water slowly drained from the land.
Where the kingdom once stood, there was now only a thick, green forest. And swinging from the branches were hundreds of monkeys. As for the mysterious grandfather, he had disappeared, and nobody knew where he had gone.
Chapter 6: The Sacred Tomb
Many years later, a ship came sailing from far away in China. The sailors landed near the dense forest of Keramat Riak. They were merchants who had once been helped by the mysterious old man. They had come to keep a promise. The grandfather had asked them to build a tomb for him in the sacred forest.
Sailor: "This must be the place. The grandfather told us to build his resting place here."Captain: "Then let's build it with care and respect, for he was very kind to us."
Together, they built a beautiful tomb in the middle of the forest. On the gravestone, they carved a name: Sheikh Abdullatif. This was the true name of the mysterious grandfather.
From that day on, the people nearby called it the Tomb of Keramat Riak. It still stands in the forest today, where the monkeys play in the trees all around it.
References:
- Prahana, Naim Emel. 1988. Cerita Rakyat Dari Bengkulu 2. Jakarta: Grasindo.
- Agni, Danu. 2013. Cerita Anak Seribu Pulau. Yogyakarta: Buku Pintar.
- Komandoko, Gamal. 2013. Koleksi Terbaik 100 plus Dongeng Rakyat Nusantara. Jakarta: PT Buku Seru.
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