Cindelaras From East Java

Cindelaras

The story originated from :  East Java

Translated by :  Angela Hanum

Adapted from :  Bahasa Indonesia Version

  

Once upon a time,  there was stood up a kingdom in East Java.  This kingdom called,  Jenggala.  This kingdom was led by the king named Raden Putra.  Raden Putra lived with his queen and one concubine.  His queen is a humble lady and has a kindheart.  Very different with his concubine.  His concubine always jealous and envy with The Queen.  

His concubine tried many ways to harmed The Queen or just made a mistake and appointed The Queen as a person who had responsibility of her mistake so Raden Putra will angry to his queen.

But,  because of her kindheart, Raden Putra never able to wrath to his queen.  This thing made her more angry to her.  The Queen never angry to her husband's concubine.  She always gives a smile every met her,  even she knew that her husband's concubine always harmed her every has a chance.

One day,  Raden Putra's concubine saw her husband kissed The Queen.  He asked permitted to went hunting in the forest.  She more angry to seeing the scenery.  She decided to visited The Palace Commander.  When she arrived in palace guardhouse,  she poked a soldier and asked where she could met with The Commander,

" Please, tell to your commander.  I am, his king's concubine, coming ! "  she ordered.

A soldier whom get the order, ran to inside and reported to The Palace Commander.

" Sir,  there's a king's concubine in outside. "  said him sharply.

The Commander wondering about his king's concubine arrival.  He went to outside and met the concubine in front of the palace gate. He confused when he saw the concubine seemed anxious.  He approached her slowly.

" My majesty......." said him and made her startled when she heard his voice.

" Gosh, I am startled ! "  she cried while stroked her breast.  " I have needed with you. I need to talk something.  Could you speaking with me now ? "

" My majesty, this is a palace of Raden Putra.  What if your husband see you speaking with me without the knowledge of him ? "  asked The Commander back.

" Do not speaking too much ! Could you speaking with me or not ?!! You don't have to worry about your king ! He's going into the forest for hunting. "  she scolded him.

The Commander agreed, nodded his head.

" Ok, My majesty.  I can meet you after my duty.  In the afternoon at my house. What do you think ? "  asked him.

" Your house is a safety place, The Commander ? "

The Commander nodded his head again.  Raden Putra's concubine smiled to him and left him alone with many question marks on his mind.

In the afternoon promised, The Commander heard someone knocked his door house for many times.

" Well....wait for a second. "  he said from inside.  Who's this one doesn't knows visiting etiquette ? He grumbled on his heart.  When he opened the door,  he knows who's the one doesn't has any visiting etiquette !

" My majesty....come in..... "  he said and bowed his back.

Raden Putra's concubine seeing around for make sure no one knows her arrival to The Palace Commander's house.  The Commander invited her to took a place for sit down.

" Well done, My Majesty.  May I know what's your needed with me ? "

Raden Putra's concubine explained her plan to killed The Queen.  She ordered The Commander to killed her and dumped her in the dark forest which far away from The Palace.

" Why does your voice sounds like you really hate her ? What has she done to you after all ? "  asked The Commander.

" I said, do not too much speak ! And you don't have to know why do I really hate her.  Look ! I wannabe The Queen. I wanna replacing her position. Understand ?!" she snarled.

The Commander is a wise and good person.  He really respect to The Queen before Raden Putra married his concubine now.  The Queen known-well as a nice lady.  She cares about guardian's life and guardian's family.  She also suggested to Raden Putra for increased their salary for better live.  Also suggested to the king for build a traditional market for masses.

After he knows about Raden Putra's concubine to killed The Queen.  He accepted that duty but he has another plan for his Queen.  After her arrival to The Commander's house,  she looked into The Palace's traditional healer.  She approached the healer to joined with her plan.

" Healer,  I need your help.  Please, coming into my room and talk private about our plan. "  said Raden Putra's concubine to the traditional healer.

The healer came into concubine's room.  Raden Putra's concubine asked her servants to left them alone.  She invited the healer to sit down.

" Ok.....to the point, Healer. I wanna kill The Queen.  You have to making a danger poison. And you take the poison under The Queen's bed.  Then, you have to saying to The King that I am poisoning beverage because of The Queen. Is that clearly ?! "  said her sharply.

The Palace's Healer nodded his head.  Finally, he's got some money as his rewards to ran the plan of Raden Putra's concubine to killed her.

In the next morning, Raden Putra's concubine saw her husband returned from the forest after hunting.  The Queen greeted her husband.  Suddenly,  The Palace's Healer hurriedly ran over to Raden Putra.  He told to Raden Putra that his concubine poisoned.

Raden Putra shocked and ran over to his concubine for seeing her condition.  He's got wrath when he seeing his concubine get poisoned and looked her condition very badly.

" Whom tried to killed my concubine when I wasn't here !!!?!?! Tell me !!! "  Raden Putra shrieked.

" My Majesty, let me tell you. Someone tried poisoned your concubine is your queen. "  explained The Palace's Healer.

" What ?? My queen ?? No.! It's impossible ! "  Raden Putra kept shrieked.

" If you don't believe, you can checking under your bed.  You will find the evidence of poison. "  replied the healer.

" Where do you know my queen hide the poison under our bed ? "  asked Raden Putra.

" I saw your queen walking slowly in midnight while kept something on her hand. I saw her took something under your bed. Then, in the next morning, I saw your concubine screamed. When I saw her on her room, she was poisoned. "  explained the healer again.

The Queen heard The Palace Healer explanation denied all his statements.  She tried to explained to Raden Putra that she was not connected with envenomed his concubine.  But,  Raden Putra which got wrath because of this case rushed to their room and checked the bed.  He found the clear bottle.  He tried to smelled the bottle. Finally, he knew that bottle filled the poison.

" You......I thought you are a good lady ? I marry you because you well known as someone with good heart. Since when you exchange to be bad person like this ?! "  Raden Putra snapped his queen.

The Queen beg to him and tried to explained that she wasn't guilty of what happening to his concubine.  But,  Raden Putra very disappointed with his queen.  He called The Palace Commander and asked him to brought her to the forest and killed her in there.

The Queen struggled to stay in the palace. She was crying very loudly and beg many times to her husband that she wasn't guilty.  But, The Commander's sturdy hands gripped her body very tight.  Even, she hardly to breath.  The Commander took the queen into carriage and riding horse to dumped her in the forest.

" The Commander,  I should to tell my husband that I am pregnant his son now. Please.....take me back to the palace.  I am sure my husband will be gladly when he knows about my condition now. "  she beg to him when they arrived in the dark forest which far away from the kingdom.

But, The Commander shook his head,

" This isn't perfect time to speaking with him again, My Majesty. My Lady, you shouldn't be worry about your husband.  My sixth sense says that you, your son and your husband will gathered together one day. "

" But, how is my baby on my stomach now ? "  asked the queen with fallen tears.

" Don't worry,  I'll be visiting you everyday after I finish my duties in the palace. Right now, you can take a rest in my private hut, My Lady. You'll be save in there. "  added The Commander to the queen.

The Commander showed his private hut for his hermitage.  He often visiting this hut every he needs silence a moment from bustle of the world.  The Queen looked so comfort when she sat in the porch of the hut.

" I'll be lying to the king now.  I won't killing you, My Lady. I am gonna pretending I've done killed you in this forest. I'll covering my sword with rabbit's heart and rabbit's blood. "  said The Commander smiled.

The Queen nodded her head and closed the hut door.  Then,  The Commander returned to the palace with rabbit's heart. He appeared on his king and reported that his queen was murdered in the forest.  He showed the rabbit's heart as though queen's heart.  Raden Putra looked so satisfied.

After 9 months in the forest and lives in the hut,  it's time for queen to give birth her first baby.  The Commander which at that time cutting firewood nearby from the queen, called village midwife to helped the queen give birth her baby.  The first son of Raden Putra was born.  The Queen named his son is Cindelaras.

Cindelaras grew up as skillful boy. He's handsome like his father.  Since his young,  he was making friends with animals in the forest.  One day,  when he ran over to fawn,  he saw in the sky that the condor bird dropped down an egg.  Cindelaras took the egg with the purpose to hatched the egg.

After 3 weeks,  the egg hatched into a cock.  Cindelaras kept the rooster as his pet.  Day by day, he's cock grew up as a dashing rooster.  There's one thing so strange from that rooster,  his crowing !

One day, when Cindelaras and his mother went to the yard of their hut and feeding his rooster,  he heard the rooster's crowing,

" Cuckoo....cuckoo...cuckoooo......my master is Cindelaras....cuckooo...he is the son of Raden Putra. Cuckorooo.....he's house inside of the forest with thatch roof....cuckoooorrooooo......"

Haaaa ??? Cindelaras and his mother, The Queen, very startled.  Cindelaras and The Queen looked each other with gobsmacked.

" What does his mean I am the son of Raden Putra, mother ? "  Cindelaras asked his mother.

The Queen turned around her body and returned to hut without words.  She left her son behind her with tears fallen on her cheeks.  She wanted to kept this big secret.  She left the palace for long time, so she didn't wanted that her son returned to the place of his father.

But,  Cindelaras didn't remained silent.  Next day, when they had lunch with The Commander, he asking to The Commander about his rooster's crowing.  In the beginning,  The Commander didn't believed.  Cindelaras pulled his hands to showed what the rooster's crowing.  Cindelaras called his rooster while sowed chicken food.  Then, the rooster came.  Whilst he ate, he crowing.

" Pok...pok...pok...cuckorooo.....pok...pok...cuckorooo....Cindelaras is my master. He lives inside of the forest with thatch roof.  Pok...Cuckorooo...cuckorooo...he's mother is the queen.  He is the son of Raden Putra...pok..pok..pok...cuckorooo....."

The Commander also surprised.  He stunned after the crowing of the rooster.  Cindelaras more wondering with strange of his rooster's words.  He forced The Commander to answered his recently question about his father.  The Commander speechless.  Only his eyes implied bleary.  He kept shut his mouth and continued his lunch inside.

Cindelaras taught by his mother to respect another one whoever is.  So,  he didn't wanted to forced more and more to The Commander.  Cindelaras didn't knew that man who helped his mother and him for all the time is The Commander of The Palace.  He knew that man is his uncle.

In a beautiful afternoon,  when Cindelaras enjoyed his nap,  his mother awaken him,

" I need to talk to you. "

Cindelaras wondering why his mother looked so nervous.  As usual, he always talked with his mother about everything.  When Cindelaras sat nearby from his mother, finally the story of his mother's past came out of her mouth.

" Son, it's time for you to know who is your father.  I was hurt and shocked after heard your rooster crowed. Probably, your rooster is God's envoy to tells you about your father....."

Cindelaras listened his mother's past story with very well. His mother started talked about her past as The Queen of Raden Putra.  The King whose leading their nation.  She exposed the evil of Cindelaras father's concubine and caused she was driven out of the palace.  His father didn't trusted on her that she wasn't guilty for his concubine whose poisoned.  Also, someone who's being around them for all the time is The Commander of his father's palace, indeed.

" He is The Commander of your father's palace, son. He ordered by your father to dumped me in this forest and killed me. But, he saved my life and yours.  He respect to us, son....."

After Cindelaras listened about his mother's past,  he committed returned to the palace for came across his father. When he get permitted from his mother,  he went to the palace escorted by his rooster and The Commander.

When they were on the way,  Cindelaras saw some people risking rooster.  Cindelaras came closer to them,

" Hey, guess what I carrying with me ! If you all brave to risking your rooster with mine, come here !! "  Cindelaras cried.

Everyone who heard that announcement, gathered around him.  When they pitted,  the rooster of Cindelaras fought with brave. In a short time,  the rooster of Cindelaras won the game.  All roosters pitted with him, lost.

The news of Cindelaras's rooster, spread throughout the country.  Not too long, spread up to Raden Putra's ears.  Raden Putra ordered The Commander to bring Cindelaras to the palace.  The Commander smiled and felt this is the time reconciled between father and son.

The Commander soon to met Cindelaras and talked about his father desired to knowledge him and his rooster.  Cindelaras nodded his head and prepared his self for appear to the king in the next morning.

In the morning promised,  Cindelaras visited the palace escorted by The Commander to showed his rooster.

"  I am facing the majesty. "  said Cindelaras while bowed his body very polite.

" You are so polite besides so handsome and so smart. Why do I have feeling that you are not descendants of commoners ?? "  asked Raden Putra.

Cindelaras only smiled,  " My Majesty will know who am I as soon as possible. "


Raden Putra furred brow, but soon he tried to forget with Cindelaras's words.


" What's your name, young man ? "  asked Raden Putra.


" My name is Cindelaras, My Majesty. "  answered Cindelaras steady.


" Well, Cindelaras, I have 3 roosters as my pet too. I heard about your grandeur rooster.  What about your rooster pit with my roosters.  I really wondering how so grandeur your rooster ! "  challanged Raden Putra overbearing.


" This is the rules. If your rooster lost, you have to willing your head beheaded. But, if your rooster winning the game, half of my wealth would fall into your hands. Deal ? "  added Raden Putra.


Cindelaras nodded his head.  The game started.  All palace guardians, lady's maids, The Commander, and Palace Servants looked on this game.  They given cheer up to rooster owned Raden Putra. 

10 minutes passed,  first rooster owned Raden Putra was lost against rooster owned Cindelaras.


Raden Putra ordered one of his guard to bring out his second rooster to got pitted with rooster owned Cindelaras. The second rooster is coming out. Rooster owned Cindelaras still seen dashing and brave.  The second game started.  Their rooster clashing.


3 minutes passed, the second rooster owned Raden Putra, lost and died.  The second game be won by Cindelaras.


Raden Putra getting more curious.  He was bring out the last rooster. Actually,  Raden Putra being afraid if this last rooster lost.  He scared lost of his palace and his wealth.  But his curiosity forced him to winning this game and kicked out Cindelaras from his palace.  Raden Putra thumped to seeing the rooster owned Cindelaras still seeing so fine so far.


2 rooster getting back to clashing. This time, the rooster owned Cindelaras attacked the head of rooster owned Raden Putra with hardly. Then, up to that rooster's head while kept pecked the rooster's head.


Immediately, the rooster owned Raden Putra, died.  Everyone who's looked on this game speechless. There was silence for a moment.  They were being afraid about what's gonna happen to Cindelaras's life.  Especially The Commander.  His face turned to be white when the last rooster owned Raden Putra died.  He committed in his heart will protecting Cindelaras if Raden Putra cut of his head.


Raden Putra sighed,


" Well, it seems I lost in this game now. Everyone, give a big applause to Cindelaras. "  cried Raden Putra.


Everyone who watched over the game followed Raden Putra's instruction to applause.  The spectators carried Cindelaras on their shoulder, hailed.


" Alright, Cindelaras. As my promised, I would give the half of my properties to you. So, enjoy your new wealth, young man.  May I know where did you get this great rooster ? "  asked Raden Putra.


Cindelaras putted his rooster to the ground. He knelt down to his rooster. Seen he whispered something to his rooster.  And then, the rooster emits a very loud crowing.  The typical rooster.


" Cuckoorooo koooo.......cuckoo roo koooo.....my master is Cindelaras....cuckooroo koo.....he lives in the dark forest...cuckoo roo koo......he lives in the hut with thatch roof...cuckoo roooo koooo.......his father is Raden Putra....cuckooo rooo koo.... "


Everyone who watched over the game, aghast after heard the crowing of rooster owned Cindelaras.  They whispered each other.


" Is that right ? Really ? "  asked Raden Putra astonishment.


The Commander who watched over the game behind of Cindelaras, moved forward, conceded the crowed of that rooster.


" That is right, My Majesty.  I am the live witnesses.  I take care of your son a whole this time. I didn't killed your queen.  I just left your queen in my private hut. Your concubine caused this. She wants to replace your queen's position.  She asked The Palace Healer to made a poison and putted under your bed. So, she can blamed your queen and driven out her from the palace, My Majesty. "  explained The Commander.


Raden Putra looked into Cindelaras as if he asked for confirmation.


" Yes, My Majesty.  You are my father. That was my mother's said. I coming to here for take back my mother's place.  I've never met my father before and never brave to asking my mother about that. Before I went to here, my mother told me about her past that she was your queen before your concubine blamed her and she expelled from here.  "  Cindelaras explained sputtered.


Raden Putra hugged his son tight.  He cried because he lost half time to see his son grows up.  He blamed his beloved queen for the mistake that she didn't do.  Everyone who seeing that be touched.  They hugged Cindelaras one by one to showed their support and sympathy.


Raden Putra ordered The Commander and some soldiers to taken his concubine and The Palace Healer faced him. The Commander caught the concubine and the healer by force.


When they appeared on to Raden Putra,  Raden Putra dropped down heavy punishment to them,


" You two makes me separate with my son. He is my heir to the throne.  You two blamed my beloved queen and almost succeeded to made me murdered my beloved queen ! You two not deserve to live anymore ! "  Raden Putra snapped them.


They beg mercy to Raden Putra,  " We really are so sorry....please....mercy us. We promise to do not doing like that to your wife. "


" I am willing to give up my throne to another woman as long as you forgive me, My Majesty..."  Raden Putra's concubine knelt down and tried to achieved her husband's feet.


But,  Raden Putra declined his concubine's hands.  He hates them already.  He ordered Palace Soldiers to decapitated them soon.  Raden Putra didn't care with their screaming to beg mercy.


" Beheading them and show to my people that the best punishment for betrayer ! "  cried Raden Putra loudly.


Everyone is cheering.  They're happy can get rid of them.  Since The Queen driven out of the palace,  the concubine and the healer always did haphazardly to them.  They hate them for long time but didn't braved to reported to Raden Putra considered she was The New Queen of their king.


After few days since he met his son,  Raden Putra ordered The Commander to pick up the queen in the forest. Him, The Commander, Cindelaras and some of Palace Guardians have a horse to the forest.  When Raden Putra seeing his beloved queen, he dropped of his horse and ran to his queen. He hugged her very tight.


Cindelaras invited his mother to returned to the palace.


" All your enemies was dead, mother. "  Cindelaras cried gladly.


In the end of the story,  Raden Putra, his queen and his son, Cindelaras gathered again as one family.  After Raden Putra died,  Cindelaras exchanged his father's position as the king.  He led his nations very well assisted The Commander as his advisory.

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