Damar Wulan

Damar Wulan was born in the village of Paluh Amba, not far from the capital city of
Majapahit. He was the son of Udara, the former prime minister of Majapahit. Since his father
had retired his family live in a quiet and prosperous village outside the capital. Damar was a
smart boy so he could easily learned the lessons his father taught him. He learned martial art,
religion, politics, and literature. He was very good at all those subjects. When his father
thought that he is mature enough, he asked Damar to find job in Majapahit. He told Damar to
apply for a job at the Prime Minister's office. He hoped that his close relation with the new
prime minister would help him get the prime minister's attention. Furthermore Damar was a
smart boy so his father was sure Damar was capable to do any job.
Damar was very confident he would get a good position at the prime minister's office.
Early morning he left his village. At midday he got to Majapahit and he directly went to the
prime minister's house. Prime Minister Logender was his name. The guards sarcastically
questioned him when he told them he would see the prime minister.
'Who do you think you are?'
'I am Damar Wulan. I am the son of the former prime minister Udara. My father told me to
see the prime minister here'
'If you think you can impress us by telling us about your father, you are completely wrong
poor boy. The son of a prime minister would never go anywhere on foot'
'But, that's true. My father told me to find job here'
'Listen poor boy, the prime minister is a very busy person. He does not have time for job
seeker like you. But if you need a job, there is a vacant position here. Let me report my chief'
Then the soldier reported to his superior. After that someone called Damar to get into
the commander's chamber. He told Damar that the prime minister's office needed several boys
to take care of the horses. Damar was surprised because he expected clerical job but then he
accepted the offer. Since that day he lived in a simple hut behind the prime minister's house.
Damar did a good job so his superior was satisfied with him. He was also very
sociable. Soon he had a good relationship with the prime minister and his family. The prime
minister had two sons - Layang Seto and Layang Kumitir and a daughter - Anjasmoro. His
sons were very arrogant and lazy. They treated Damar cruelly. They wanted Damar to do
whatever they want. Every body hated them but nobody dare to express their feeling.
Anjasmoro, on the other hand, liked Damar very much. Gradually she fell in love to Damar.
So did Damar. They had a secret love. When Layang Seto and Layang Kumitir knew what
happened to Damar and Anjasmoro, they were very angry. They treated Damar more and
more cruelly.
At the time the kingdom of Majapahit faced a very serious problem because of the
rebellion of Menak Jinggo. He was a half brother of the Queen Kecono Wungu. He was a
prince of Majapahit and a highly respected general of the Majapahit army. For his great
achievement for his country his father appointed him as the ruler for the kingdom of
Blambangan, a vassal state under Majapahit. When his father passed away he was sure that he
would become the successor. But he was very disappointed when his father appointed his
sister instead. He thought that he was more capable than Kencono Wungu so he rebelled.

Menak Jinggo proved to be a good general. Under his leadership the Blambangan
army could win several battles with Majapahit army. The territory of Majapahit one by one

fell to Blambangan. At the time the morale of the Majapahit army was already down. They
were not sure that they could win the war. So the queen and the prime minister met everyday
to discuss the worsening situation. Some weeks went by but still they did not have any ideas
to solve the problem. Every report they received about the war was only about the defeat of
the Majapahit army.
Prime Minister Logender was shocked when his wife reported to him about the affair
of Anjasmoro and Damar Wulan. For a highly respected person like him, it was a very serious
blow to his ego. He was a very respectable person while his daughter dated with a poor boy.
It was a serious humiliation. He could not accept it. This fact made him very angry. He
thought very hard to find a solution. Suddenly an idea struck his sharp mind when he was
meditating at midnight.
Early in the morning he went to the palace and asked the queen for an audience. Then he
explained his plan.
'Your Majesty, last night I had an idea'
'Tell me about it'
'Our army could not win because we apply a wrong strategy. The Blambangan army is very
good at a frontal open warfare like that. Furthermore our army's morale is now down. So we
have to avoid open warfare. Since now on we have to launch a new tactics of secret
operation. We must send a small army unit to kill Menak Jinggo secretly'
'Who will do that?'
'I have a body guard. His skill in martial art is excellent. He is very capable at individual
fight. So he is ready for this duty. I am sure he is the right person'
'OK, I think you are right. Send him as soon as possible to Blambangan. If he can do his job
well I will give him great reward'
When Logender got home he called Damar Wulan immediately. He asked him about
his martial art skill. Damar said he had mastered some fighting skill. His father had trained
him Pencak Silat, the Indonesian martial art. As a result, he was very skillful at using sword,
lance, as well as empty hand fighting technique. Then Logender asked him to fight both
Layang Seto and Layang Kumitir. Both of them fought emotionally since they hated Damar
very much. But Damar was smart, skillful, strong and tough. In just several minutes he could
beat both of them without difficulty. Logender was angry but also satisfied since he found a
way to get rid of both problems - his home and his country.
'Damar, you are a great fighter. I am very proud of you. And that's why you will receive a
great honor to fight for your country. Now there is a rebellion in Majapahit. The king of
Blambangan has done a crime. His name is Menak Jinggo. Find him in his palace and
Blambangan and kill him. Are you ready?'
'I am ready any time Sir'
'Good. Today you have to prepare everything and tomorrow you must leave for Blambangan
secretly. Do not tell any one about this duty. Not even Anjasmoro. Don't be afraid because the
Majapahit army will fully support you. They will back you and provide all your needs. When
you can kill Menak Jinggo behead him and bring his head here. If you can do this job well
you will be promoted to a high position as the commander of Majapahit army'
'Yes, Sir. I am very glad to receive this order. I will do my best'
The next day, very early in the morning Damar Wulan left Majapahit alone.
Meanwhile Prime Minister Logender had implemented his own plan. He prepared a small

army unit under the leadership of his two sons. They went behind Damar in a distant so that
Damar did not notice them. They went secretly so no one knew it. Their task was not to
protect Damar but to kill him and seize the head of Menak Jinggo if he could kill Menak
Jinggo. But if Damar was killed then they had nothing to do.
Several days later Damar Wulan arrived in Blambangan. The Majapahit army kept on
spying on him. They were surprised to see Damar did not directly attack the palace. He
applied for a job instead. Once again he was accepted to work in the palace to take care of the
horses. Everybody including the king Menak Jinggo liked him because he was very polite
and he did his job well. He was also very handsome that two of the king's wife fell in love
with him. Waito and Puyengan were the wives of King Menak Jinggo.
As everybody trusted him, it was easy for Damar to search the palace. He knew where
Menak Jinggo lived. One night he secretly jumped the palace wall to kill the king. Finally he
was inside the king's bedroom. But unfortunately the king was ready to welcome him. A
small army unit was there to arrest him. He was no match for Menak Jinggo. But Menak
Jinggo was a smart person. He did not kill Damar instantly. He wanted to gather information
from him. So he ordered his guards.
'Don't kill him. Let him alive, treat him well. I will question him tomorrow'.
'Yes, Your Majesty'
He ordered his men to treat him well. He even let Waito and Puyengan to see Damar.
By doing so he hoped that Damar would give him valuable information. But Damar was also
a smart person. He dated Waito and Puyengan and he asked them the way to kill Menak
Jinggo. Since the two women loved Damar they revealed a secret.
'Nobody can hurt him. He is a tough guy and he is protected by god. God gave him a secret
weapon called Wesi Kuning'
'What is that?'
'That's a golden amulet. It is just a small amulet, as small as a thumb but it is very powerful.
Its shape is like a stick. It is stored in his bedroom' 'He is a dangerous man. We have to stop
him. Could you help me find his amulet?
'I will help you if you marry me'
'Sure I will marry both of you as soon as I can arrest him' When their turn to amuse the king
arrived Waito and Puyengan could get into the kings chamber. They used that opportunity to
steal the amulet. Then they gave it to Damar Wulan. Menak Jinggo did not realize their
conspiracy. When the night was very quiet they opened the door for Damar Wulan. There was
a fight but it was too late for Menak Jinggo. The sudden attack did not give him much chance
to survive. Consequently Damar could beat his enemy and Menak Jinggo was beheaded.
and

Damar Wulan immediately left Blambangan palace that night while promising Waito
Puyengan
to
be
back
after
he
received
the
rewa.