MANIK ANGKERAN
A long time ago,
lived a rich man named Begawan Sidi Mantra. He was very famous for his kindness
and also for his supernatural power. He had a son named Manik Angkeran who
liked to gamble. Because of Manik Angkeran’s bad habit, his father soon
bankrupt. Begawan Sidi Mantra had spent all of his money to pay his son‘s
debts. But, Manik Angkeran still liked to gamble and he still owed some people
a lot of money.
Begawan Sidi
Mantra wanted to help his son to pay the remaining debts. He meditated for
days, and finally he got a clue from the gods to go to Agung Mountain. He went
to the mountain. There, he met with a dragon named Naga Besukih. It is said
that Naga Besukih could provide gold and jewelries to those who could say a
certain prayer and ring the sacred bell. Fortunately, Begawan Sidi Mantra had
the bell, and he also knew the prayer from his meditation. “My name is Sidi
Mantra. I have a problem. My son likes to gamble. I’ve spent all of my money to
pay his debts, but it’s still not enough. I came here to ask for your help,”
explained Begawan Sidi Mantra after he met with Naga Besukih. “I’ll help you,
but you have to advise your son so he would not gamble again,” said Naga
Besukih. The dragon then shakes his body and cause some of his scales fall of.
Magically, the scales turn into gold and diamonds.
Begawan Sidi
Mantra took the gold and diamonds and return home. He paid all the remaining
debt and advised his son about his gambling habit. Manik Angkeran promised to
stop gambling, but soon he broke the promise. Bagawan Sidi Mantra had to go to
the dragon for help once again. “What brought you here again?” asked Naga
Besukih. “I’m very sorry, Naga Besukih. My son had disappointed me; he broke
his promise to me. I beg for your help once again,” said Begawan Sidi Mantra to
the dragon. “I’ll help you, but this is the last time,” said Naga Besukih.
Begawan Sidi
Mantra once again paid Manik Angkeran’s debts and advised him not to gamble
again. Manik Angkeran promised and soon he broke his promise again. This time, Begawan
Sidi Mantra didn’t want to help him anymore. He was too ashamed to meet with
the dragon.
Manik Angkeran
knew that his father got the jewelries from the dragon. So, he stole his
father’s sacred bell and went to Agung Mountain. After he arrived, Manik
Angkeran rang the bell. Naga Besukih heard the bell but there’s no prayer. He
decided to see who was calling him. “Hey, Manik Angkeran. What are you doing
here with your father’s bell? Did you steal it?” asked Naga Besukih angrily
when he saw Manik Angkeran. “Please help me, Naga Besukih. I really need the
money to pay my debts. Those people would kill me if I don’t pay them in time.
Please, I beg for your mercy,” said Manik Angkeran to the dragon. “Okay, I’ll
help you. But this is the last time, and you have to promise to stop gambling,”
Naga Besukih then give him the jewelries.
But suddenly,
Manik Angkeran had a bad idea. He wanted to kill the dragon and take all the
jewelries. So he drew his keris and attacked Naga Besukih. He managed to cut
the dragon’s tail, but he was no match for Naga Besukih. With his great power,
Naga Besukih burned Manik Angkeran and killed him instantly.
In his home,
Begawan Sidi Mantra couldn’t find his sacred bell. He knew that his son had
stolen it, so he went to Agung Mountain. He was so sad when he found out what
happened in the mountain. “I’m very sorry, Naga Besukih. But he was my only
son. I beg you, please bring him back to life,” Begawan Sidi Mantra begged the
dragon for mercy. Naga Besukih agreed with one condition, Manik Angkeran had to
stay at Agung Mountain. Naga Besukih said some prayer and after few moments,
Manik Angkeran lived again. Begawan Sidi Mantra then used a stick to make a big
line between them on the ground. From the line, water flowed. Soon it became a
river. Finally it became a strait. It separated Java and Bali. People then
named the strait as Bali Strait.
The End
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