Kebo Iwa Story: How Mount Batur and Lake Batur Were Formed

Chapter 1: The Long-Awaited Miracle

Once upon a time, on the beautiful, sunlit island of Bali, there lived a kind husband and wife. They shared a peaceful and happy home, yet their hearts felt a little empty because they did not have a child of their own. Day after day, they prayed to the heavens.

The Husband: "Oh, Sang Hyang Widi Wasa, please bless us with a little one to fill our home with laughter. Our lives would be perfectly complete."

Not long after, their heartfelt prayers were finally answered. The wife became pregnant, and the couple was overjoyed as they waited for their little miracle to arrive.

Chapter 2: The Hungry Little Giant

When the baby boy was finally born, he was strong and healthy, but there was something very special about him: he had a gigantic appetite! Even as a tiny baby, he could eat as much as ten grown adults.

The Wife: "Oh my, he has finished the food again! Where does he put it all?"

As the boy grew, his appetite grew right along with him, increasing to a hundred times a normal meal. He became very tall and exceptionally round. Because of his great size and strength, the villagers named him Kebo Iwa, which means "Uncle Buffalo."

Chapter 3: The Helpful but Grumpy Neighbor

Feeding Kebo Iwa became a very difficult task for his parents. When he was full, Kebo Iwa was a gentle giant who loved to help the villagers. He could move entire houses, build deep wells, flatten bumpy hills, and even carry giant boulders to dam the rivers.

A Villager: "Thank you, Kebo Iwa! We could not have moved that giant rock without you."

Kebo Iwa: "You are welcome! Just make sure you have a mountain of rice ready for me to eat!"

However, if his tummy was rumbling and there wasn't enough food, Kebo Iwa would throw a terrible temper tantrum. He would stomp his massive feet and accidentally destroy the villagers' houses, and even smash the beautiful temples. The villagers were very terrified of his angry outbursts.

Chapter 4: The Dry Season Problem

Most of the villagers were hardworking farmers. One year, a terrible dry season struck the village. The crops withered, and it became extremely hard for the families to find enough food for themselves, let alone feed the giant Kebo Iwa.

The Village Head: "We are in great danger. If Kebo Iwa does not get his giant meals, he will destroy our entire village in a fit of hunger!"

A Farmer: "We must come up with a clever plan to protect our homes and our families."

The villagers held a secret meeting and came up with a strategy to solve their giant problem once and for all. They all agreed to save up little bits of food until they had a massive feast. Alongside the food, they secretly gathered piles and piles of heavy limestone.

Chapter 5: The Great Well

Once the mountain of food and limestone was ready, the Village Head bravely led the villagers to meet Kebo Iwa. They found him sitting lazily, chewing on a few of the villagers' farm animals without a care in the world.

Kebo Iwa: "Why are you all here? Did you finally bring me a proper meal?! My tummy is still grumbling!"

The Village Head: "Yes, Kebo Iwa. We have prepared a feast more than big enough to fill your belly, as long as you are willing to help us with one important task."

Kebo Iwa: "If there is a mountain of delicious food waiting, of course I will help! What must I do?"

The Village Head: "Right now, we are facing a terrible drought. We cannot grow enough food for you in these dry conditions. You understand our trouble, don't you, Kebo Iwa?"

Kebo Iwa: "I do not care about the dry season! The only thing that matters is that you feed me. If you do not, I will smash every house in this village to splinters!"

The Village Head: "We know, we know! To grow a bountiful harvest just for you, we desperately need water. We believe there is a massive underground spring right beneath our village. We need your incredible strength to dig a giant well. Once the water flows, our crops will grow, and you will never go hungry again."

Kebo Iwa’s eyes sparkled with excitement at the thought of unlimited food.

Kebo Iwa: "Well then, stand back! I will gladly dig this giant well!"

Chapter 6: The Legend of Lake Batur

Kebo Iwa excitedly began to dig. He scooped out massive piles of dirt, using all of his mighty giant strength to dig deeper and deeper into the earth. Soon, the villagers brought the heavy limestone rocks and placed them right next to the giant hole.

Kebo Iwa: "What are all these white stones for?"

A Villager: "We want to build you a magnificent house out of this limestone as a special reward for your hard work, Kebo Iwa!"

Hearing this, Kebo Iwa felt very happy and dug even faster. Finally, he struck the underground spring. Clear, cool water burst from the ground, quickly filling the giant hole. Exhausted from his hard work, Kebo Iwa climbed out and greedily gobbled down the massive feast the villagers had prepared.

With a full tummy and very tired muscles, Kebo Iwa fell fast asleep right inside the edge of the giant well, snoring so loudly the trees shook. Seeing their chance, the Village Head gave the signal. The villagers quickly pushed the heavy limestone rocks down onto the sleeping giant.

By the time Kebo Iwa woke up, choking from the dust and the rising water, it was too late. Even with all his giant strength, he could not escape the rushing water and the heavy rain of limestone.

The water kept flowing and flowing until it completely flooded the area, creating a very large, beautiful lake that is known today as Lake Batur. The giant mound of dirt that Kebo Iwa had scooped out to make the well slowly turned into a towering mountain, now known as Mount Batur. The tale of Kebo Iwa remains a gentle reminder to children everywhere that greed and unnecessary anger can lead to a person's own downfall.

Play the legend of Kebo Iwa interactively! Feed baby Kebo Iwa, save the village houses, help dig the great well, and witness how Lake Batur and Mount Batur in Bali came to be. Comes with voice narration (mutable) and a choice of Indonesian/English language. 

More folklore from Bali:

• Garuda Wisnu Kencana: The Epic Tale of Devotion and Victory
• The Legend of Calon Arang: A Magical Story of Good vs. Evil
• The Legend of Trunyan Village, Kedisan & Abang Dukuh Bali
• Kebo Iwa Story: How Mount Batur and Lake Batur Were Formed
• The Myth of Mount Agung & The Origin of the Bali Strait