The Legend of Tangkuban Perahu - Legenda Gunung Tangkuban Perahu ( Story telling )

Summary

The legend of Tangkuban Perahu from West Java tells the tale of Sangkuriang, a young man who unknowingly falls in love with his own mother, Dayang Sumbi. After fulfilling an impossible task set by her, Sangkuriang unknowingly kills his own father, Tumang, and is cast out. Years later, they meet again, but Dayang Sumbi recognizes him and sets another challenge: he must build a lake and a boat in one night. When Sangkuriang fails, the boat turns into Mount Tangkuban Perahu, a symbol of his failed love and tragic fate.

Takeaways

• 😀 The story begins with Dayang Sumbi, a beautiful princess from West Java, who had a magical tool that she lost one day.
• 😀 She made a promise to anyone who would retrieve her tool: if male, she would marry them; if female, she would consider them a sister.
• 😀 A male dog named Tumang retrieves the tool, and Dayang Sumbi marries him, eventually having a son named Sangkuriang.
• 😀 Sangkuriang grows into a strong and skilled hunter, often hunting with his faithful dog, Tumang.
• 😀 One day, Dayang Sumbi requests the heart of a deer for her meal, leading Sangkuriang to hunt for one with Tumang.
• 😀 In a moment of desperation, Sangkuriang kills Tumang, not realizing that Tumang is actually his father.
• 😀 Dayang Sumbi, upon receiving Tumang's heart, becomes enraged when she realizes the truth and rejects Sangkuriang, leaving him scarred both physically and emotionally.
• 😀 After many years, Sangkuriang returns to the village, not recognizing Dayang Sumbi, who has been granted eternal youth by the gods.
• 😀 They fall in love and decide to marry, but Dayang Sumbi recognizes the scar on Sangkuriang's head and realizes he is her son.
• 😀 To prevent the marriage, Dayang Sumbi sets an impossible condition: Sangkuriang must build a lake and a boat by midnight. With the help of spirits, he nearly succeeds, but Dayang Sumbi tricks him into failing, causing the boat to transform into Mount Tangkuban Perahu.

Q & A

What is the story of Tangkuban Perahu about?

The story of Tangkuban Perahu is about a king's beautiful daughter named Dayang Sumbi, who is involved in a tragic love story with her son, Sang Kuriang. The plot unfolds with deception, mistaken identity, and an impossible challenge leading to the creation of the Tangkuban Perahu mountain.

Who is Dayang Sumbi, and what is her role in the story?

Dayang Sumbi is a beautiful princess who has a son named Sang Kuriang. She plays a pivotal role in the story as she sets an impossible condition for Sang Kuriang to marry her, ultimately causing the tragic events that follow.

What mistake did Sang Kuriang make in the story?

Sang Kuriang unknowingly kills his own father, Tumang, who was a loyal dog, in his desperate attempt to find a deer heart for his mother. This mistake leads to his mother's anger and his subsequent banishment.

Why did Dayang Sumbi set a difficult condition for Sang Kuriang?

Dayang Sumbi set the condition of building a lake and a boat in one night because she recognized Sang Kuriang as her son and knew they could not marry. The condition was meant to prevent the marriage, as she knew it was impossible for him to fulfill.

What did Sang Kuriang do to try to fulfill the condition?

Sang Kuriang attempted to fulfill the condition by calling on genies and spirits for help. He successfully built the lake by constructing a dam across the Citarum River, and was nearly finished with the boat when Dayang Sumbi tricked him.

How did Dayang Sumbi trick Sang Kuriang?

Dayang Sumbi tricked Sang Kuriang by misleading him into thinking that the boat was finished and that it was time to leave. This caused him to become angry and kick the boat, which then turned into the Tangkuban Perahu mountain.

What is the significance of the Tangkuban Perahu mountain in the story?

The Tangkuban Perahu mountain is the result of Sang Kuriang's anger when he kicked the nearly finished boat. The boat turned upside down, forming the Tangkuban Perahu mountain, which is a real geographical feature in West Java, Indonesia, and is said to have been created by this legend.

What happens to Sang Kuriang and Dayang Sumbi at the end of the story?

At the end of the story, Dayang Sumbi realizes that Sang Kuriang is her son, and they cannot marry. In his frustration, Sang Kuriang causes the transformation of the boat into the Tangkuban Perahu mountain, marking the end of their tragic relationship.

What role does Tumang, the dog, play in the story?

Tumang is a loyal dog who, unbeknownst to Sang Kuriang, is also his father. Tumang’s tragic death at the hands of Sang Kuriang is a key turning point in the story, leading to the curse and separation between mother and son.

What does the phrase 'Tangkuban Perahu' mean?

Tangkuban Perahu means 'upturned boat' in Indonesian, referring to the shape of the mountain created when Sang Kuriang kicked the boat. The mountain’s unique formation is said to resemble an overturned boat, tying it to the legend.