Princess Aji Bedarah Putih: Legend of Lipan Lake (Indonesia)

Chapter 1: The Beautiful Princess of the Kingdom

It is said that in ancient times, there lived a kingdom ruled by a wise and powerful king. The king had a daughter named Princess Aji Bedarah Putih. She was given this unusual name because whenever she chewed betel leaves and tasted the betel sap, the red juice would flow clearly down her throat, visible beneath her fair skin. Besides this strange and wondrous trait, Princess Aji Bedarah Putih was known throughout the land for her extraordinary beauty. Her face shone like the moon on a clear night, and travelers who passed through the kingdom always spoke of her grace and charm.

The people of the kingdom loved her dearly, for she was not only beautiful but also kind-hearted and wise beyond her years.

Chapter 2: A Proposal from the King of China

As time passed, the news of Princess Aji Bedarah Putih's beauty spread far beyond the borders of her father's kingdom. It traveled across oceans and mountains, until it reached the ears of a powerful King of China.

Captivated by what he had heard, the King of China grew determined to make the princess his wife. He sent his most trusted messenger to the kingdom, carrying his sincere intention to propose marriage. Not long after, the King of China himself arrived at the palace, eager to see the princess and win her hand.

To welcome their royal guest, the king ordered a grand banquet to be prepared. Servants filled the palace hall with the finest dishes the kingdom could offer, and the King of China was invited to dine together with the royal family.

But Princess Aji Bedarah Putih was clever. Before any words of marriage were spoken, she decided she would first test the character of this foreign king.

Chapter 3: The Feast That Revealed the Truth

The banquet began with music and laughter, and the King of China was seated right beside the princess. Yet as the meal went on, something troubling caught the princess's eye.

While everyone else at the table ate gracefully with their hands, the King of China did not. Instead, he lowered his face to his plate and ate directly with his mouth, just as an animal might, without any of the manners expected of royalty.

Princess Aji Bedarah Putih watched in quiet disbelief. She felt her heart sink with disappointment. How could a man who calls himself a king behave with so little dignity? she thought to herself.

By the time the feast ended, the princess had already made up her mind.

Chapter 4: The Princess Refuses

After the meal, the King of China could wait no longer. He turned to the princess with hopeful eyes and asked for her hand in marriage.

King of China: "Dear beautiful daughter, will you be my wife?"

Princess Aji Bedarah Putih bowed politely, but her answer was firm.

Princess Aji Bedarah Putih: "I apologize, Your Majesty, but I am not willing. There are many other girls in this world who are prettier and more worthy of you than I am."

The King of China's face turned red with anger. He could not believe that anyone, let alone a princess from a small kingdom, would dare to reject him.

King of China: "What?! You dare to refuse my proposal? How dare you insult me this way! I am a king with great power, and I command a mighty army. No one refuses me and lives to boast about it!"

Princess Aji Bedarah Putih stood tall, unafraid despite the king's fury.

Princess Aji Bedarah Putih: "I have spoken the truth, Your Majesty. My answer will not change, no matter how much you threaten me."

Chapter 5: War Descends Upon the Kingdom

Humiliated and enraged by the rejection, the King of China vowed revenge. He returned to his homeland and gathered a massive army, determined to punish the kingdom that had dared to refuse him.

Before long, thousands of Chinese soldiers marched toward the small kingdom of Princess Aji Bedarah Putih. Drums of war echoed across the land, and the sky grew dark with the dust of marching feet.

The princess's kingdom, though brave, had only a small number of royal troops compared to the enormous invading force. It was clear to everyone that this would be an unbalanced and dangerous war.

Chapter 6: The Princess's Oath

Watching her kingdom's soldiers bravely but hopelessly facing the endless waves of enemy troops, Princess Aji Bedarah Putih felt anger rise within her heart. She could not simply stand by and watch her people suffer.

She reached for a betel leaf and began to chew it slowly, her eyes fixed upon the battlefield.

Princess Aji Bedarah Putih: "Oh God, hear my oath. Turn these bits of betel into a giant centipede, mighty and terrible, that will destroy the King of China and every soldier who follows him!"

With those solemn words spoken, the princess spat the chewed betel toward the raging battlefield below.

Chapter 7: The Birth of the Giant Centipedes

What happened next was beyond anything anyone had ever witnessed. The instant the betel touched the ground, it began to twist and grow, transforming before the soldiers' eyes into an enormous centipede, its body long and terrifying, its many legs tearing across the earth.

More centipedes followed, rising from the battlefield one after another, each one as large and fearsome as the last.

Chaos erupted among the King of China's troops. Soldiers who had marched so confidently now screamed and scattered, trying desperately to escape the monstrous creatures. But there was no escape. The giant centipedes attacked without mercy, and in a matter of hours, the once-mighty army was crushed and destroyed.

The King of China himself met a pitiful end upon that same battlefield, his pride and cruelty finally brought to ruin.

Chapter 8: The Origin of Lipan Lake

And so, through the courage and clever oath of Princess Aji Bedarah Putih, the small kingdom achieved a victory that no one thought possible. The land where the terrible battle had taken place, now scattered with the remains of giant centipedes, was forever changed.

In time, the area became known as Lipan Lake — "lipan" meaning centipede in the local language — in memory of the extraordinary creatures that had once saved the kingdom.

Today, Lipan Lake is a real place, a wide stretch of marshland and shrubs located in Muara Kaman sub-district, near Tenggarong, the capital of Kutai Kartanegara Regency in East Kalimantan Province, Indonesia. Local legend says the area earned its name because, long ago, it was filled with giant centipedes born from a princess's brave and furious oath.

So ends the tale of Princess Aji Bedarah Putih — a story of beauty, dignity, and the fierce protection of one's homeland, passed down through generations from the land of East Kalimantan.

Give it a try! Follow Princess Aji Bedarah Putih's vow, all the way to the origin of Danau Lipan.

References:

1. Agni, Danu. 2013. Cerita Anak Seribu Pulau. Yogyakarta: Buku Pintar.
2. Komandoko, Gamal. 2013. Koleksi Terbaik 100 plus Dongeng Rakyat Nusantara. PT Buku Seru.