THE KASARUNG LANGUR

 

Image by https://pixabay.com/photos/monkey-langur-animal-gray-langur-1646400/

Once there lived a princess called Purbasari. She was Prabu Tapa Agung’s youngest daughter and Prabu Tapa himself was the ruler of Pasir Batang Kingdom.

Purbasari had six elder sisters; they were Purbararang, Purbadewata, Purbaendah, Purbakancana, Purbamanik and Purbaleuih.

Princess Purbasari was kindhearted and had a very good manner. She was kind, sweet and liked helping others. She would undoubtedly stretch out a hand of mercy to the people who needed help.

Princess Purbasari had a pleasing appearance. Everyone liked her at the first sight as if her body produced a magnetic field that attracted people around her.

On the contrary, her elder sister, Purbararang, didn’t possess such a virtue. Though Purbararang was pretty, she was very rude, proud, evil and jealous. If she disliked a person, she would surely ask her bodyguards to get that person out of her sight.

Prabu Tapa Agung decided to step down from the throne after he had ruled his country for a long time. He made up his mind that he would crown Purbasari the Queen of the kingdom.

The old king had observed that Purbasari was the right person who would replace him and ruled the country. He hoped her youngest daughter would successfully bring prosperity to the country and let all the people live out of poverty.

Eventually, the old king handed over the power to Purbasari in front of the officials and the seven princesses. Afterwards, Prabu Tapa Agung left the palace and lived as a hermit.

Purbararang was very angry that his father had crowned her youngest sister the queen. She was upset that her father didn’t trust her at all. She thought she was much capable than her youngest sister.

A day after Purbasari was crowned queen of the Pasir Batang kingdom, Purbararang contacted her boyfriend. Both went to ask the help of a witch to bewitch Purbasari.

The witch gave black liquid to Purbararang and said, “Spray this to Purbasari’s face and body.”

Purbararang did what the old witch told her to do. She sprayed the black liquid to her youngest sister’s face and body. Not long after that, black spots grew on Purbasari’s skin. Therefore, Purbararang had the reason to expel her youngest sister out of the palace.

Purbararang said, “A cursed person suffering a scary disease can’t be the queen of Pasir Batang Kingdom.”

“She should be isolated in the forest, so the disease won’t spread.”

Purbararang then took her youngest sister’s position and crowned herself queen. She ordered Uwak Batara, the advisor of the royal family to exile Purbasari to the forest.

While Purbasari was in exile, a big problem happened in the heaven. Prince Guruminda didn’t want to marry the angels under his mother’s order. He just wanted to marry a woman who was as beautiful as his mother.

The prince’s mother, Sunan Ambu, said that the woman who was as beautiful as her would only be found in the mortal world. If the prince insisted to meet such a good woman, he should transform himself into a langur.

“Your name will be Kasarung Langur.” His mother said. “Do you really want to go?”

Prince Guruminda said he was ready, no matter what the consequences were. Soon after the prince transformed himself into a langur, he set out to the mortal world.

He arrived in the forest and became the king of the jungle in a short time. No langurs or other monkeys could defeat him as he was very intelligent and strong.

The Kasarung Langur knew the evil and cruelty done by Purbararang who was now the queen of Pasir Batang Kingdom. He intended to teach the wicked queen a lesson. While he heard that the queen wanted to seek animals for sacrifice, he let himself be caught by hunters from the palace.

Before becoming the sacrificed animal, The Kasarung Langur suddenly became mad and damaged a lot of things in the palace. The guards tried their best to catch the langur but they failed. The entire situation was a mess because the langur showed obvious hostility towards all the palace guards.

As it was hard to catch the langur, Purbararang asked Uwak Barata to tame the animal. It was strange that the langur didn’t show the intention to hurt Uwak Batara. The animal didn’t fight when he was caught by Uwak Batara.

Purbararang ordered Uwak Batara to throw the monkey in the forest where Purbasari was exiled. The queen hoped the langur would kill her youngest sister she hated.

Uwak Batara sensed that the langur wasn’t an ordinary monkey. That was why Uwak Batara told the langur that he should take care of Purbasari after he found her. The palace advisor also said the kind hearted Purbasari was indeed qualified to be the queen.

The langur nodded his head to show that he understood what the palace advisor said. He found the princess in the deep forest and became her faithful bodyguard and good friend.

The princess was less upset as the langur by her side would cheer her up. The langur ordered the monkeys to bring food and fruit to the princess every day. They became close to each other and no one could break their friendship.

Langur Kasarung asked her mother to build a beautiful flower garden with bathing pool for the princess. His mother asked the gods and goddesses to go to the earth to complete the work.

The gods and goddesses built the flower garden with a very beautiful bathing pool. The fountains were made of gold. The wall and the floor were made of marble. The water came from a clean little lake, which had been blessed by the gods and goddesses.

The gods and goddesses named the flower garden Jamban Salaka. Besides, the angels also prepared clothes for Purbasari. All the clothes were very attractive and eye-catching. They were made of soft clouds and diamonds from the sea. There were no clothes in the world could match the beauty of Purbasari’s clothes.

While looking at the lake with beautiful fountains, Purbasari intended to clean herself. At the time she was taking a bath, the black spots with evil curse on her face and skin faded away. The langur was extremely surprised to see such a sudden change.

Purbararang heard that her youngest sister had freed herself from the curse and successfully restored her beauty, but she didn’t believe it.

Purbararang and her boyfriend went to check whether the information was true. She saw that Purbasari was really more beautiful than before. The dress that Purbasari wore was of high quality and she looked very noble and attractive.

Purbararang was so worried that Purbasari could pose a threat to her. She tried to find the way how to get rid of her youngest sister forever. Purbararang challenged her sister to have a long hair competition.

“If my hair is longer, Purbasari’s neck will be cut off by the executioner,” said Purbararang.

Purbasari realized that she would never win. She held the langur’s hands and tears dropped down her face. The langur wiped the tears that wetted her cheeks.

“Ha……. Ha…….. Ha……… you love the monkey,” said Purbararang, mocking.

“Yes, I do,” answered Purbasari confidently.

Before Purbararang ordered the executioner to cut Purbasari’s head, the langur closed his eyes and sat in cross legged position. His lips moving and he was chanting some magic formulas.

White smoke grew around the langur, obstructing everyone’s view. After the smoke dispersed, the ugly langur had transformed itself into a young prince.

All the people were very surprised to witness such a great miracle. The prince was far more handsome than Purbararang’s boyfriend.

The prince announced that Purbasari was the real queen of Pasir Batang Kingdom and Purbararang was the traitor.

Purbararang couldn’t defend herself anymore and admitted that she was the loser. There was nothing she could do, except hand over the throne to her sister.

Purbararang begged for pardon and Purbasari kindly forgave her elder sister and her boyfriend, Indrajaya.

Purbasari returned to rule the country again and all the people were very happy to welcome back their beloved queen. They were also very glad to know that their queen would marry Guruminda the handsome prince. Both the prince and the queen lived happily ever after.

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