Children's Fairy Tales Group
Origin of the Javanese Letters

Origin of the Javanese Letters

In the village of Majethi, Central Java, there lived a young man named Aji Saka. It has an heirloom keris and a magic turban. The young man had two servants named Dora and Sembada. When Aji Saka wanders, Dora is chosen to accompany him. Sembada was assigned to bring the heirloom keris to the Kendeng Mountains. Aji Saka advised that the keris was not given to anyone. Aji Saka himself will take it.

On the way, Aji Saka heard the news about the cruelty of Prabu Dewata Cengkar who likes to eat human flesh. Aji Saka also came to the kingdom. He wants to free the people of Medang Kemulan. When he meets Prabu, Aji Saka pretends to turn himself in. He said, "Before Your Majesty eats the servant, allow the servant to ask for one condition. Give the servant a piece of land. It's the size of a slave turban."

Prabu Dewata Cengkar agreed. He began to spread Aji Saka's turban and measure it. It turned out that the turban was growing in length and width. The Prabu is very angry. That's when, Aji Saka jerked his victim until it wrapped around the body of the Prabu. He was thrown into the South Sea and turned into a white crocodile. Later, Aji Saka was crowned as the new king in the Kingdom of Medang Kemulan.

One day, Aji Saka asks Dora to pick up his keris in the Kendeng Mountains. However, Sembada refused to give the keris. He remembered Aji Saka's message. Dora insisted, while Sembada also remained. Finally, the two friends fought to maintain their respective responsibilities. In the end, both died of exhaustion.

The restless Aji Saka soon caught up with Dora. How surprised he was when he saw the condition of his two brothers. Both of them died trying to prove their loyalty to their master. In memory of the loyalty of his two brothers, Aji Saka created the Javanese script or known as dhentawyanjana. The Javanese script tells of a fight between two of his servants who had equal devotion and died together. These letters are known as carakan.

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Wrong Three

In ancient times, Semarang was led by the Duke of Pandanarang. He is known as an honest leader, but also likes abundant possessions. The poor nature of this Duke was heard by Sunan Kalijaga. Sunan intends to remind the Duke by disguising himself as a grasshopper. When Sunan passed by in the county courtyard, the Duke bid the grass at a very low price.

Sunan agrees. He put his grass in the cage. Before leaving, he slipped five cents between the grass. The money was found by the court. The man immediately reported to the Duke.

The Duke of Pandanarang was angry to hear that answer. He feels insulted. However, the words of the grasshopper were true. There was a golden jewel within the palace grounds. The Duke finally found out the grassman was Sunan Kalijaga. The Duke apologized. He begged Sunan Kalijaga to be his teacher. Sunan Kalijaga agreed as long as the Duke gave up his penchant for collecting property.

Nyi Pandanarang wants to come with her husband. However, he was not willing to leave his possessions. Especially if it should be given to the poor. She asked her husband to leave first. He kept his gold and jewels in bamboo sticks.

Meanwhile, the Duke had gone a long way with Sunan Kalijaga. On the way, they were confronted by three bandits. "If you want valuables, wait. Soon an old woman will pass. Intercept him. You'll get the gold jewels in the bamboo sticks" Sunan Kalijaga said.

Shortly thereafter, Nyi Pandanarang appeared walking limped with a bamboo stick. The three rogues blocked and seized the bamboo stick. Nyi Pandanarang could do nothing. When she caught up with her husband and Sunan Kalijaga, she recounted her robbery while crying.

"You did not listen to your husband" Sunan Kalijaga said. "To study with me, you must leave behind worldly treasures. This is your own fault."

Nyi Pandanarang and her husband tried to understand Sunan Kalijaga's words. They realized his fallacy, too love of worldly possessions.

"There are three parties who made a mistake here" Sunan Kalijaga told Nyi Pandanarang. "You yourself, your husband, and the thieves. Later, this place will be a crowded place and remembered by people."

To recall the incident, Sunan Kalijaga named the area "Salah Tiga". In the next development, Salah Tiga shifted his speech to Salatiga. Now Salatiga is a bustling city as Sunan Kalijaga once predicted.

Moral message: Treasures are not always going to bring happiness and good fortune. Sometimes, it becomes a source of disaster.