Once upon a time, in Bali today, there lived a husband and wife who lived in harmony. They live well. However, their lives feel empty because they have not been blessed with a child. Even though they have been married for a long time.
They kept asking Sang Hyang Widi Wasa to please be blessed with a child. Because, their life feels imperfect because of the presence of a child. Not long after, the wife finally became pregnant. They are happy with the presence of the child who is about to be born.
The dreamed child was finally born with the male gender. However, even as a baby, he has a very high appetite. The appetite is equivalent to 10 servings of adults. The longer the child ends up being a child, the appetite always increases. Even the child's body looked very fat. The child was given the name Kebo Iwa, which means uncle buffalo.
Gradually, Kebo Iwa made it difficult for his parents to fulfill their child's appetite. The child eats food that is very far from the normal adult portion, which is 100 times the adult portion per day. The body is also very big and fat.
Because of his very high appetite, Kebo Iwa does not hesitate to get angry when his food portions are insufficient. He is known to be very grumpy. If angry, Kebo Iwa does not hesitate to destroy the residents' houses. Even the temple where he was praying became the target of his tantrum. Many residents are afraid that Kebo Iwa has become angry. However, Kebo Iwa still wants to help residents if someone needs their strength. Kebo Iwa can move houses, build wells, level the ground, transport large stones, and dam rivers. The wage that Kebo Iwa asked for was of course food in large quantities from residents who asked for his help, until their hunger disappeared.
Most of the people in the village where Kebo Iwa lives are farmers. When the dry season arrives, the residents begin to be overwhelmed by feeding Kebo Iwa. It is difficult to meet their family's daily needs for food even during the dry season, let alone meet the food needs of Kebo Iwa. Kebo Iwa will be very angry if the food he gets is not enough to fulfill his hunger. People will be very scared if Kebo Iwa gets angry. Kebo Iwa will go on a rampage by destroying people's homes.
Remembering the impact that would be experienced when Kebo Iwa became angry, the villagers began to carry out deliberations to solve the problem. They did a strategy to deal with Kebo Iwa. They also intended that Kebo Iwa should be removed from their village.
The villagers finally found a way to get rid of Kebo Iwa from their village. They agreed to collect food little by little to give to Kebo Iwa. Apart from food, the villagers also collect limestone. After the food and limestone have accumulated a lot. They finally went to see Kebo Iwa, accompanied by the local village head.
They found Kebo Iwa eating the residents' livestock while sitting relaxed. Kebo Iwa did not feel guilty for his actions. When he saw the residents who came to him, Kebo Iwa began to ask about the arrival of the residents.
"Why are you here? did you guys bring food for me ?! I'm still hungry!" said Kebo Iwa shamelessly.
"Oke, Kebo Iwa, we of course bring more than enough food for you, as long as you want to help us," the village head replied to Kebo Iwa.
"If you want to provide plenty and enough food, of course I want to help you! What should I do for you?" asked Kebo Iwa.
“At this moment, we are having a bad season. Under those circumstances, we couldn't give you enough food. You understand Kebo Iwa, right?" explained the head of the village.
“I don't care whether it's a bad season or not, the important thing is you have to feed me enough. If not, my house will all be destroyed!" said Kebo Iwa without feeling.
“Very well, so that we can feed you enough, of course we need a bountiful crop. However, the availability of water is very limited to irrigate our agricultural land. For that, we ask your help to make a very large well. Because we have believed that in the ground in this village, there is a very large spring. So we ask your help to dig that big well. If the well has been dug, the water needs for agriculture in this village will be met and we can feed you more than enough food,” explained the village head at length.
With sparkling eyes, Kebo Iwa was very happy and immediately wanted to help the residents to make this big well.
"Well then, I'm happy to help build that well."
Finally, Kebo Iwa excitedly dug the land determined by the residents to dig a large well. Kebo Iwa can dig up a large amount of soil. All of his strength was used to dig the well.
Not long after, a group of residents collected a large amount of limestone. The limestone stones were placed right beside the hole made by Kebo Iwa to dig the well. Kebo Iwa also asked about the limestone stones that the residents had collected.
"What are the limestone stones for?" asked Kebo Iwa.
"We intend to build your house using these limestone stones, as a reward for digging the big well you built, Kebo Iwa," said one resident.
Kebo Iwa was very happy to hear the residents' explanation. As it turned out, he was not only given generous food wages, but also a house to live in. He became even more excited to dig the ground.
Finally, the soil that was excavated by Kebo Iwa gave rise to clear and strong springs. The well made by Kebo Iwa became a very large pool of water.
Kebo Iwa felt tired from digging a very large and deep well. The villagers finally gathered and gave food to Kebo Iwa. They provide a lot of food. Kebo Iwa greedily ate these foods.
Tired and very full, finally Kebo Iwa fell asleep. He fell asleep with a loud snoring sound. Seeing this situation, the village head finally ordered his residents to throw the limestone stones at Kebo Iwa who was fast asleep. Kebo Iwa was not aware of the incident that the resident threw the limestone stones at him. The water gushing from the bottom of the spring continued to pour out profusely, while the limestone stones were increasingly being thrown at Kebo Iwa. Kebo Iwa's nose was entered by one of the limestone that was pelted by the residents. With this incident, Kebo Iwa choked. She woke up. But whatever power, even though Kebo Iwa has great strength, he is unable to cope with the water that comes out and the limestone that rains on his body. Kebo Iwa finally died buried under limestone.
The water that gushed from the land continued outward, inundating the village land. So that a very large lake appeared. The lake was finally named Lake Batur. The mound of soil that was excavated by the well by Kebo Iwa eventually became a mountain. The mountain was named Mount Batur.
Such is the Folklore from Bali entitled Kebo Iwa. The wisdom of the story that can be taken is the greed and crime of Kebo Iwa due to destroying the residents' houses and finally getting a reply, namely the sinking of Kebo Iwa in the well which eventually became the lake.
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