Indonesia has a variety of folk tales and legends from the past. One of the Indonesian folk tales is the Legend of Ajisaka and the Origin of Javanese Script
The origin of Javanese script is closely related to the legend of Ajisaka, a powerful young man from Majethi with two loyal servants, namely Dora and Sembada. These two servants are both loyal and powerful. One time Ajisaka wanted to leave Majethi Island.
He appointed Dora to accompany him on his wanderings. While Sembada, was told to stay on the island of Majethi. Ajisaka left his flagship heirloom to be looked after by Sembada. He advised not to hand over the heirloom to anyone, except for Ajisaka himself.
Another story, on the island of Java there is a very prosperous kingdom, namely the Medhangkamulan kingdom. The people live in prosperity. The Medhangkamulan kingdom was led by a wise king named Dewatacengkar. Prabu Dewatacengkar really loves his people.
One day, the royal cook of Medhangkamulan who was in charge of making food for King Dewatacengkar had an accident while cooking. One of his fingers was hit by a knife until it broke off and went into the dish without him knowing. Dewatacengkar ate the food. He felt a good taste in the dish.
He asked what kind of meat it was. Ki the cook just realized that the meat was eaten by Dewatacengkar and replied that it was human meat. Dewatacengkar is addicted and advised to cook human meat dishes every day. He asked the royal grand vizier to sacrifice his people every day to eat.
Due to continuously eating human flesh, Dewatacengkar’s character changed 180 degrees. He turned into a ruthless king again. The meat he eats now is the meat of the people. The people now live in fear. None of the people dared to fight him, so did the royal grand vizier.
At that time Ajisaka and Dora arrived at the Medhangkamulan kingdom. They were surprised by the lonely and scary situation. From a citizen, he got a story that the king Medhangkamulan liked to eat human flesh. Ajisaka devised a strategy. He met the governor to be handed over to Dewatacengkar to be used as a meal. Initially the patih did not agree and felt sorry for him. But Ajisaka insisted and was finally allowed.
Dewatac quarreled with amazement because there was a handsome and clean young man who wanted to surrender. Ajisaka said that he wanted to be used as a meal as long as he was given the land as large as his headband and the one measuring the land had to be Dewatacengkar. The King agreed. Then start Dewatacengkar measuring the ground.
When used to measure, suddenly Dewatacengkar’s headband extends infinitely. The cloth turned hard and thick like a slab of iron and continued to expand, pushing Dewatacengkar. Dewatacengkar continues to be pushed to the cliff of the southern sea coast. He was thrown into the sea and immediately turned into a white crocodile. Ajisaka was later crowned the king of Medhangkamulan.
After the coronation, Ajisaka sent Dora to the island of Majethi to pick up her flagship heirloom. Then go to the island of Dora Majethi. Arriving at Majethi Island, Dora met Sembada to take an heirloom. Sembada remembered Ajisaka’s message when he left Majethi Island not to hand over the heirloom to anyone except Ajisaka.
Dora, who also clings to Ajisaka’s order to take the heirloom, insists that it be handed over. The two loyal servants argued, insisting on their respective opinions. And finally the two of them fought. At first they both were careful in attacking because they were fighting against their own friends.
But in the end there really was bloodshed. Arriving at the final point, the two servants died in the fight because they were both powerful.
The news of Dora and Sembada’s death reached Ajisaka. He was very sorry for his mistake which caused two of his staff to die in the fight. He recalled the story of his two staff through a series of characters. Are you interested in this folk legend from Indonesia? Come on, get interesting information from Indonesiar.com.
