LUTUNG KASARUNG AND THE PRINCESS

A long time ago in west Java there was a kingdom.  The king was Prabu Tapak Agung.  He had two beautiful daughters and no son.  Purba Rarang was his first daughter, and Purba Sari was his second daughter.  When the king was about to pass away he gave the throne to his second daughter, Purba Sari. Purba Rarang was very disappointed.  She thought that she deserve to replace her father as the ruler.  She discussed the situation with her fiancé, Indrajaya.

Then she got an evil idea.  She asked a witch to cast a spell to Purba Sari.  Soon after that Purba Sari had a strange skin disease.  There were black dots on her skin.  She also had skin rash.  Consequently Purba Rarang had a reason to tell people that her sister had a great sin and she was cursed by god.  She told her people that such a person did not qualify to be a leader. After that she ordered the army to send Purba Sari to a wood and had her exiled there. 

The army then built a wooden house for Purba Sari in a wood.  So Purba Sari lived in the wood.  As there were many animals in the wood she got along with them well. Her best friend was a black monkey.  She called the monkey Lutung Kasarung.  Lutung was very attentive and very kind to her.  He gave fruits and vegetables to Purba Sari.

Lutung Kasarung was not an ordinary monkey.  He often meditates like human being.  One night when there was a full moon he sat meditating.  He was praying to God. Suddenly a spring emerged beside Lutung. It became bigger and bigger and finally it became a lake.  The water was very clear and aromatic. The next day Lutung came to see Purba Sari.  He asked her to follow him.  Lutung took her to the lake and asked her to take a bath.  When Purba Sari took bath in the lake something strange happened.  Her skin disease was gone and her smooth fair skin was back.  Purba Sari was very happy and thankful to God. 

Meanwhile Purba Rarang who lived in the palace wanted to see her sister.  So she went to the wood with her soldiers.  She was very surprised when she saw Purba Sari was in good condition and looked beautiful.  Her evil heart led her to find a way to beat her sister. Then she asked her sister to measure the length of their hair.  The one who had the longest hair would win.  Purba Sari’s hair proved to be longer than Purba Rarang’s.

Purba Rarang was very jealous to her sister.  She thought hard to find a way to beat Purba Sari.  Then she got another idea.  She asked her sister to compare their fiancé.  Purba Rarang was sure that she would win because Indra Jaya was very handsome.  She was sure that Purba Sari did not have any fiancé.  When Purba Rarang showed Indra Jaya, Purba Sari was confused.  So she just appointed Lutung Kasarung as her fiancé.

Purba Rarang laughed out loud.

‘So your fiancé is a monkey?’

Lutung Kasarung then sat on the ground.  He was meditating and praying to God. Then amazingly he changed into a very handsome man.  Initially Lutung Kasarung was a handsome man who was punished by God and became a monkey.  After some years that day he got clemency from God and he became human being again.

Purba Rarang was very surprised.  He had no choice but to accept that her sister was better than her.  She asked for apology.  Purba Sari gave her apology.  After that they went back to palace.  Purba Sari became the queen and married to Lutung Kasarung.