Batara Kala and Senjata Cakra

 This is one of the legend that is commonly told in Java. People from some villages in Java believe that an eclipse happens when the sun or the moon is swallowed by Batara Kala, an evil giant. The story says that although Batara Kala is not one of the gods in heaven, he is very powerful

One day Batara Wisnu (god, the protector) distributed “tirta amerta sari” or the drinks of the gods. Anyone who drank it would never die. Batara Kala wanted to have some too, so he tried to cheat by appearing like a god. Batara Surya (the sun god) and Batara Chandra (the moon goddes), however, knew this trick and told Batara Wisnu about it.. when Batara Kala’s turn comes to receive the drink, Batara Wisnu shot him from a distance with his famous weapon. “The Cakra” and it cut his head off. Some of the drink, however, spilled over Batara Kala’s head and this made Batara Kala’s head continue to live without his bod

Batara Kala’s was very angry with Batara Surya and Batara Chandra and tried to eat them, but the god and goddess escape. Batara Kala got angrier and from that time on he has never stopped chasing them

Batara Wisnu wanted to protect the god and goddess and orderedthe people on earth to make a lot of noise whenever there is aneclipse. The noise would help Batara Surya and Batara Chandra toescape from Batara Kala’s throat. To this day people beat object like rice grinders when they see aneclipse. They stay in their houses and pregnant women are told to hide under their beds in order to avoid Batara Kala’s anger.

The magician and banana

Long ago there lived a man called Nai Ha Thong. He loved gold more than anything else in the world. Nai Ha Thong had a wife and family, but he spent all his time trying to discover the secret of making gold. Before long, he had used up all his money and all his wife's money, and the children began to look pate from lack of food.

Nai Ha Thong's wife went to see her father. He told her to send Nai Ha Thong to visit him. When his son-in-law came to the house, the old man did not scold him. Instead, he spoke gently. He said, "I didn't know you were interested in magic. It interests me too. In fact, I have discovered the secret of making gold."

This excited Nai Ha Thong. He asked his father-in law to tell him the secret.

"Alas," said the old man, "I have almost everything I need to make gold, but there is one thing missing, and I am an old man. Of course, if someone would help."

"I'll help," said Nai Ha Thong. "Just tell me what to do."

"Well, in that case, I'll let you in on the secret. What we need are three kilos of the white fluff from under banana leaves. These leaves must be from your own banana trees.

When you have the fluff, bring it to me and we will make our gold."

Nai Ha Thong was so pleased to hear this that he hurried home and told his wife. The next day they started planting ba­nana trees. Soon the trees grew tall. When they were fully grown, Nai Ha Thong carefully scraped the white fluff from un­der each leaf. He did not notice that his wife and children were picking the bananas and taking them to market.

At the end of three years Nai Ha Thong had collected only half a kilo of fluff. It was very hard work, but he kept his mind on the gold he and his father-in-law would make some day. He and his wife planted more banana trees so he could collect much fluff each year. At last, after ten years, Nai Ha Thong had collected the three kilos of white fluff. He put it _in a large jar and took it to his father-is-law's house.

"I see you have followed my instructions very carefully and worked very hard," said the father-in-law. Now there is only one more thing to do. Open that door over there."

When Nai Ha Thong opened the door he found a room full of gold. His wife and children were standing in the centre.

"This is the gold we have made by selling our bananas for the last ten years," said his wife, smiling.

"You have become a rich man," Nai Ha Thong's father-in-law told him. “Now go home and^: help your wife look after the banana trees. You have turned bananas into gold.”

The Crying Stone

Once upon a time, in Kalimantan there lived a mother with her daughter. The daughter, named Lisa Yadomaru, was a beautiful girl. However, she had a bad personality. She was an arrogant, lazy girl. She never helped her mother do the housework.

One day, Lisa and her mother wanted to buy something in the market. The location of the market was really a long way from their house, so they had to walk miles away.

Lisa walked in front of her mother. She wore a beautiful dress. Meanwhile, her mother walked behind her. Her dress was dirty and ugly. No one expected that the two people were a mother and her daughter.

Along the journey, people were so impressed with Lisa's beauty. However, they wondered who the old woman walking behind her was. Then, one of them asked Lisa, "Hey, beautiful girl, is that your mother who is walking behind you?"

Lisa arrogantly said, "Of course not. She is my maid."

They continued their journey. And then, a young man met them and asked, "Hey sweetie, is that your mother who is walking behind you?"

"No. She's really different from me. How could you say that she's my mother? She is my maid," replied Lisa.

Every time they walked, Lisa said that the woman walking behind her was her maid. She never admitted that the woman was her mother.

Her mother was really disappointed with Lisa. She couldn't bear it. Lisa's sentences had hurt her. The poor mother finally prayed to God, "Oh, God. I can't stand this. My daughter always humiliates me. I am so disappointed with her. Please give her punishment."   With the power of God, suddenly Lisa's body turned into a stone. Lisa cried and asked for a help, "Please

forgive me, Mom ... please help me.

But, it was too late. All of Lisa's body had turned into a stone.

Although all of Lisa's body had turned into a stone, people could see that the stone was crying. The people called the stone 'The Crying Stone'.

Adopted from: fanfiction.net

Crows and Snake

A pair of crows had made their nest on a big tree. Each time the mother crow laid eggs and hatched them, a cruel snake that lived at the hollow at the bottom of the tree trunk would come out. Then, he would eat up the young ones. The crow couple felt sad at the loss of their young ones.

One day the mother crow saw the snake approaching her nest. She cawed loudly for help as she saw the snake nearing her young ones. She tried to chase away the snake, but all was in vain. The snake ate up all the young crows and the unhatched eggs.

The mother crow mourned for this great loss. She cried her heart out. The other crows joined her sorrow.

An old and wise crow thought deeply and replied, "Don't worry, I have a plan. Tomorrow many ladies from the royal family will come to the river for a dip. They will keep all their precious jewellery and clothes aside before they get into the river for a swim. Their belongings would be watched from a distance by some royal guards. When you get a chance, you must pick a piece of precious jewellery and fly off. The others should make a lot of noise to attract attention of the guards. Once you are noticed flying away with the jewellery, you should quickly fly to the tree and drop the precious jewellery in the snake's hollow. They will try to reclaim the precious jewellery from the snake's hollow. Thus the snake would surely die at their hands."

The crows agreed to the plan and the next morning mother crow flew to river. She saw some ladies swimming in the river and their jewellery lying aside.

The mother crow did as the old crow had advised, and all the plans succeeded. She dropped the jewellery in the snake hollow. The guards beat the cruel snake with their spears until he died and retrieved the necklace from the hollow.

The crow couple was overjoyed at the snake's death. They thanked the old crow profusely. There was no one to disturb their happy life from then on.