THE LEGEND OF JAKA TARUB (ENGLISH AND INDONESIAN VERSION)

Summary

The Legend of Jaka Tarub is a traditional Indonesian folktale about a young man named Jaka Tarub who, while hunting in the forest, stumbles upon a group of beautiful angels bathing by a lake. In a moment of curiosity and mischief, he steals the clothing of one of the angels, Nawang Wulan, causing her to be unable to return to the sky. They marry, and she uses her magical powers to provide for the family. However, her magic fades when Jaka Tarub opens the cooking pot she warned him never to open. Eventually, Nawang Wulan discovers the truth and reclaims her celestial form, leaving Jaka Tarub and their child behind.

Takeaways

• 😀 Jaka Tarub is a young man from a village who enjoys hunting in the forest.
• 😀 Jaka Tarub discovers a group of angels (Bidadari) bathing in a lake while hunting.
• 😀 Curiosity leads Jaka Tarub to steal one of the angels' garments, causing one angel, Nawang Wulan, to be left behind.
• 😀 Nawang Wulan loses her magical clothing and seeks Jaka Tarub's help, which leads to them marrying.
• 😀 Nawang Wulan has the magical ability to cook enough rice for the family from just a single grain of rice.
• 😀 Nawang Wulan warns Jaka Tarub not to open the cooking pot while she is cooking to preserve her magic.
• 😀 Despite the warning, Jaka Tarub’s curiosity leads him to open the cooking pot, causing Nawang Wulan’s magic to vanish.
• 😀 After losing her magic, Nawang Wulan is forced to cook rice the normal way to feed her family.
• 😀 Jaka Tarub discovers a piece of clothing in the rice barn, realizing that he had stolen Nawang Wulan's magical garment.
• 😀 Nawang Wulan, realizing the deception, returns to her heavenly form, leaving Jaka Tarub and returning to the sky.
• 😀 The story illustrates the consequences of curiosity, dishonesty, and the loss of trust in relationships.

Q & A

What is the main premise of 'The Legend of Jaka Tarub'?

The legend revolves around Jaka Tarub, a young man from a village, who encounters a group of angels bathing in a lake. He steals one of their clothes, leading to a series of events where he marries one of the angels, Nawang Wulan, who has magical powers. However, his curiosity leads to the loss of her magic, which impacts their family life.

How does Jaka Tarub first come into contact with the angels?

Jaka Tarub, while hunting in the forest, hears the voices of women. Following the sounds, he discovers a group of angels bathing in a lake, where he becomes captivated by their beauty.

What mistake does Jaka Tarub make after encountering the angels?

Jaka Tarub steals one of the angel's clothes, which prevents her from returning to the sky with the others. This leads to his meeting and eventual marriage with Nawang Wulan.

What magical ability does Nawang Wulan possess?

Nawang Wulan has the ability to transform a single grain of rice into enough food to feed her family, using a magical cooking pot. However, her magic is dependent on the pot remaining closed while cooking.

What warning does Nawang Wulan give Jaka Tarub regarding the cooking pot?

Nawang Wulan explicitly warns Jaka Tarub not to open the cooking pot while she is preparing the food, as doing so would cause her magical powers to be lost.

What causes Nawang Wulan to lose her magic?

Jaka Tarub, overcome by curiosity, opens the cooking pot despite Nawang Wulan's warning. This act causes her magical powers to disappear, and she can no longer create enough food with a single grain of rice.

How does Jaka Tarub’s action affect the family’s food supply?

After Nawang Wulan's magic is lost, the family begins to struggle as the rice supply starts to dwindle. What was once an abundant supply in the storage becomes depleted, leading to hardship.

What significant discovery does Jaka Tarub make while searching through the rice storage?

While searching the rice storage, Jaka Tarub finds a piece of clothing belonging to Nawang Wulan, which had been stolen earlier. This reveals to her that he had deliberately taken her clothes, leading to the breaking of their bond.

How does Nawang Wulan react when she discovers that her clothes were stolen?

Upon realizing that Jaka Tarub had stolen her clothes, Nawang Wulan regains her full awareness. She then uses the clothes to transform back into an angel and leaves Jaka Tarub.

What is the final resolution of the story?

After regaining her angelic form, Nawang Wulan leaves Jaka Tarub but continues to care for their child, returning to her celestial existence, which marks the end of Jaka Tarub's connection to her.