Suri Ikun and the Two Birds

Once upon a time, on the island of Timor, East Nusa Tenggara, there lived a farmer with his wife and fourteen children. Of the fourteen children, seven are boys & seven are girls. This large family lives on the produce of their sizable garden. However, even though they have a large garden, the garden's produce cannot fulfill the family's needs. The reason is that a wild boar often destroys the crops in their garden.

The Wild Boar Destroying Gardens

To solve the wild boar problem, the farmer then assigns his sons to take turns protecting their garden from the wild boar. Unfortunately, out of Pak Tani's seven sons, only a boy named Suri Ikun was brave. Suri's six brothers are cowardly, jealous children. Just because they hear the boar snort, they will run hurriedly leaving the garden. Unlike the case with Suri Ikun, if he heard the sound of wild boar grunts, he would deftly take his bow and shoot his bow.

If Suri Ikun manages to kill a wild boar, he will bring it home. At home waiting for his siblings. Usually, Suri Ikun's eldest brother was in charge of handing out the boar meat. Because of his dengkin disease, he used to only give Suri Ikun the head of a wild boar. Of course not much meat can be obtained from the head. However, Suri Ikun was always heartened. Suri Ikun still respects his brothers.

One time, Pak Tani's grinder was left in the middle of the forest. He then ordered his eldest son to take his grinder in the forest. Suri Ikun was then asked by the eldest brother to come look for his father's grinder that was left in the middle of the forest.

Suri Ikun Captured by Evil Ghosts

It was getting late. According to the story, the forest is inhabited by evil ghosts at night. With a feeling of fear, Suri Ikun followed her brother. She did not know that her cowardly brother had taken another route back home. Stay alone Suri Ikun in the middle of a dense forest. He walked uncertainly the longer it got into the middle of the forest. Repeatedly he called out his brother's name. Suri Ikun's call is heard by the evil ghosts in the forest. The evil ghosts then answered Suri Ikun's call. They answered as if they were Suri Ikun's older brothers. They purposely misled Suri Ikun in order to catch him. After Suri Ikun was in the middle of the forest, the ghosts caught him.

Suri Ikun was surprised to realize that the one who answered her call was evil ghosts. Luckily he didn't eat it right away, because according to the ghosts he was still too thin. He was then taken by the ghosts to be locked up in the middle of the cave. He was fed regularly by evil ghosts. The cave was very dark. But fortunately, in the cave there was a gap beside it, so that Suri Ikun could still see light entering the cave. From the opening of the cave, Suri Ikun saw two hungry chicks. He then shared his food with the chicks.

Suri Ikun assisted by two birds

After so many years Suri Ikun was held captive in a dark cave, the chicks grew into very big & strong birds. The birds feel sorry for Suri Ikun's fate. The birds want to free him from the evil ghost. At one point, the ghosts opened the cave door, two birds immediately took the opportunity to attack and injure the owl. Then they brought and flew Suri Ikun to a hilly & high area. It turns out that the two birds that Suri Ikun have helped so far are magical birds. With their magical powers, these large birds built a magnificent palace complete with palace guards & servants. Finally, Suri Ikun now lives happily in a magnificent palace complete with palace guards & servants.

Tha's it, the folk tale of Suri Ikun and Dua Burung from the East Nusa Tenggara area.