MALIN KUNDANG

by : Tika Ikanegara, Surabaya

Once upon a time, on the north coast of Sumatra lived a poor woman and his son. The boy was
called Malin Kundang. They didn’t earn much as fishing was their only source of income. Malin
Kundang grew up as a skillful young boy. He always helps his mother to earn some money.
However, as they were only fisherman’s helper, they still lived in poverty. “Mother, what if I sail
overseas?” asked Malin Kundang one day to his mother. Her mother didn’t agree but Malin
Kundang had made up his mind. “Mother, if I stay here, I’ll always be a poor man. I want to be a
successful person,” urged Malin kundang. His mother wiped her tears, “If you really want to go,
I can’t stop you. I could only pray to God for you to gain success in life,” said his mother wisely.
“But, promise me, you’ll come home.”

In the next morning, Malin Kundang was ready to go. Three days ago, he met one of the
successful ship’s crew. Malin was offered to join him. “Take a good care of yourself, son,” said
Malin Kundang’s mother as she gave him some food supplies. “Yes, Mother,” Malin Kundang
said. “You too have to take a good care of yourself. I’ll keep in touch with you,” he continued
before kissing his mother’s hand. Before Malin stepped onto the ship, Malin’s mother hugged
him tight as if she didn’t want to let him go.

It had been three months since Malin Kundang left his mother. As his mother had predicted
before, he hadn’t contacted her yet. Every morning, she stood on the pier. She wished to see the
ship that brought Malin kundang home. Every day and night, she prayed to the God for her son’s
safety. There was so much prayer that had been said due to her deep love for Malin Kundang.
Even though it’s been a year she had not heard any news from Malin Kundang, she kept waiting
and praying for him.

After several years waiting without any news, Malin Kundang’s mother was suddenly surprised
by the arrival of a big ship in the pier where she usually stood to wait for her son. When the ship
finally pulled over, Malin Kundang’s mother saw a man who looked wealthy stepping down a
ladder along with a beautiful woman. She could not be wrong. Her blurry eyes still easily
recognized him. The man was Malin Kundang, her son.
Malin Kundang’s mother quickly went to see her beloved son. “Malin, you’re back, son!” said
Malin Kundang’s mother and without hesitation, she came running to hug Malin Kundang, “I
miss you so much.” But, Malin Kundang didn’t show any respond. He was ashamed to admit his
own mother in front of his beautiful wife. “You’re not my Mother. I don’t know you. My mother
would never wear such ragged and ugly clothes,” said Malin Kundang as he release his mother
embrace.

Malin Kundang’s mother take a step back, “Malin…You don’t recognize me? I’m your mother!”
she said sadly. Malin Kundang’s face was as cold as ice. “Guard, take this old women out of
here,” Malin Kundang ordered his bodyguard. “Give her some money so she won’t disturb me
again!” Malin Kundang’s mother cried as she was dragged by the bodyguard, ”Malin… my son.
Why do you treat your own mother like this?”

Malin Kundang ignored his mother and ordered the ship crews to set sail. Malin Kundang’s
mother sat alone in the pier. Her heart was so hurt, she cried and cried. “Dear God, if he isn’t my
son, please let him have a save journey. But if he is, I cursed him to become a stone,” she prayed
to the God.

In the quiet sea, suddenly the wind blew so hard and a thunderstorm came. Malin Kundang’s
huge ship was wrecked. He was thrown by the wave out of his ship, and fell on a small island.
Suddenly, his whole body turned into stone. He was punished for not admitting his own mother.
Narative Story
1. What is the genre of text
Answer :

2. Where is the legend from?

Answer :

3. What is the moral value

Answer :

4. What is the complication in the text

Answer :

5. Who is the writer

Answer :
 LUTUNG KASARUNG
by : Imam Khanafi

A long time ago in west Java there was a kingdom. The king was Prabu Tapak Agung. He had
two beautiful daughters and no son. Purba Rarang was his first daughter, and Purba Sari was his
second daughter. When the king was about to pass away he gave the throne to his second
daughter, Purba Sari. Purba Rarang was very disappointed. She thought that she deserve to
replace her father as the ruler. She discussed the situation with her fiancé, Indrajaya.

Then she got an evil idea. She asked a witch to cast a spell to Purba Sari. Soon after that Purba
Sari had a strange skin disease. There were black dots on her skin. She also had skin rash.
Consequently Purba Rarang had a reason to tell people that her sister had a great sin and she was
cursed by god. She told her people that such a person did not qualify to be a leader.

After that she ordered the army to send Purba Sari to a wood and had her exiled there. The army
then built a wooden house for Purba Sari in a wood. So Purba Sari lived in the wood. As there
were many animals in the wood she got along with them well.

Her best friend was a black monkey. She called the monkey Lutung Kasarung. Lutung was very
attentive and very kind to her. He gave fruits and vegetables to Purba Sari.

Lutung Kasarung was not an ordinary monkey. He often meditates like human being. One night
when there was a full moon he sat meditating. He was praying to God. Suddenly a spring
emerged beside Lutung. It became bigger and bigger and finally it became a lake. The water was
very clear and aromatic.

The next day Lutung came to see Purba Sari. He asked her to follow him. Lutung took her to
the lake and asked her to take a bath. When Purba Sari took bath in the lake something strange
happened. Her skin disease was gone and her smooth fair skin was back. Purba Sari was very
happy and thankful to God.

Meanwhile Purba Rarang who lived in the palace wanted to see her sister. So she went to the
wood with her soldiers. She was very surprised when she saw Purba Sari was in good condition
and looked beautiful. Her evil heart led her to find a way to beat her sister. Then she asked her
sister to measure the length of their hair. The one who had the longest hair would win. Purba
Sari’s hair proved to be longer than Purba Rarang’s.

Purba Rarang was very jealous to her sister. She thought hard to find a way to beat Purba Sari.
Then she got another idea. She asked her sister to compare their fiancé. Purba Rarang was sure
that she would win because Indra Jaya was very handsome. She was sure that Purba Sari did not
have any fiancé. When Purba Rarang showed Indra Jaya, Purba Sari was confused. So she just
appointed Lutung Kasarung as her fiancé.

Purba Rarang laughed out loud.

‘So your fiancé is a monkey?’

Lutung Kasarung then sat on the ground. He was meditating and praying to God. Then
amazingly he changed into a very handsome man. Initially Lutung Kasarung was a handsome
man who was punished by God and became a monkey. After some years that day he got
clemency from God and he became human being again.

Purba Rarang was very surprised. He had no choice but to accept that her sister was better than
her. She asked for apology. Purba Sari gave her apology. After that they went back to palace.
Purba Sari became the queen and married to Lutung Kasarung.
Narative Story
1. What is the genre of text
Answer :

2. Where is the legend from?

Answer :

3. What is the moral value

Answer :

4. What is the complication in the text

Answer :

5. Who is the writer

Answer :
 LAKE RAWA PENING
by : Imam Khanafi

Once upon a time in old Java there was a village. Pening was its name. Pening was a prosperous
village. The land was fertile and the weather was always good all year round. It was on the
slope of Mount Merbabu so the climate was cool. People made their living by cultivating rice,
vegetables and fruits. The harvest was always satisfying. So all of them lived a happy life.
That’s why once a year they held a ceremony called ‘Bersih desa’. It was a kind of thanks
giving day. It was a day when they express their thankfulness to God for a successful harvest.
They would clean their village and then they would pray together. At night they would have a
dinner together and held teater performances.

One day after a succesful harvest they would celebrate it. That time they wanted something
special. They wanted more meat for dinner. So they went hunting in a wood. Just outside of the
village there was a wood where there were many animals like deer, buffalo, mouse deer, lamb
and many other. But that day there was no animal at all. Animals were nowhere to be seen.
They had searched every inch of the wood but still their effort were in vain. When it was almost
dark, they were very tired so they took a rest. They sat on something that look like a rock and a
big root. Everybody was silent because they were exhausted and disappointed.

Then suddenly someone chopped the big root with his sword to relief his disappointment.
Amazingly there was blood coming out of the root. They were surprised. Someone tried to chop
it deeper. He found meat ! So they chopped more and more. After their bags were full of meat
they were satisfied. Then they went home happily.

That night the people of Pening were preparing a big dinner. They wanted a special dinner with
the meat they got from the wood. Just as they were preparing dinner, a boy came to the village.
He looked poor. He begged food to some people. But they refused. Someone said :

‘We are preparing dinner. You may come to our dinner tonight. But not now’.

‘But I am very hungry, please’.

‘Just come here tonight’.

But then there was an old widow who took care of him. She was just a poor widow. She gave
him food and shelter.

‘You may take a rest here. Join us tonight for dinner’.

‘Thank you very much. You are very kind to me. You are the only one who helped me. That’s
why I will save you. Tonight there will be a great event here’.

‘Yes, there will be a great party’.

‘No, I mean something special’

‘What do you mean?’

‘I cannot say now. But listen to me. Prepare a boat for you’

‘Why? What will happen?’

‘Just do as I say’

‘Please tell me what will happen?’

‘OK, you are very kind to me so I will tell you but please promise me you won’t tell anyone’.

‘OK, I promise’

‘I am Naga Baru Klinting. I am a dragon. I was meditating in the slope of Mount Merbabu when
your people hurt me. They hurt me by chopping my body. Now they are preparing dinner with
meat from my body. So I will take my revenge tonight, but I will save you. Prepare a boat for
you’.

‘Oh, please don’t do that. Forgive my people’

‘Whatever will be , will be. Good bye’.
Then the boy left. Just before the dinner began at the village hall some boys were playing in the
yard. Suddenly a boy came to them.
‘Hi guys a have a game for you’
Then he held a small bamboo and attached it to the ground.
‘If you can pull it, I will give you a special present’
‘Oh, that’s very easy’, a boy said.

He tried to pull it but it was very strong so he could not pull it. Another boy tried but he also
failed. Everybody failed. Then this game drew adult’s attention. One by one they tried to pull
but all of them could not make it. When many people gathered then the boy said.

‘O people of Pening. I am Naga Baru Klinting. I am a dragon. I was meditating in the slope of
mount Merbabu when you chopped me. Now I will take my revenge. Enjoy your party’.

Then he pulled the bamboo. Amazingly, water poured from the ground. The water immediately
flooded the village. Finally the whole village sank under water. They were all drowned and died
in the lake. There was only one survivor. The poor old widow. She had prepared a simple boat
so she could survive. Since then on the lake is called Rawa Pening. Rawa means lake in
Javanese and Indonesian language. Today the lake is located in the province of central Java,
Indonesia.
Narative Story
1. What is the genre of text
Answer :

2. Where is the legend from?

Answer :

3. What is the moral value

Answer :

4. What is the complication in the text

Answer :

5. Who is the writer

Answer :
 LAKE TOBA
by : Imam Khanafi

Once upon a time there was a prosperous village in a far away island called Sumatra. In northern
part of the island, lived a farmer whose name was Toba. He lived alone in a hut by a small forest.
He worked on his farmland to grow rice and vegetables that he sells to local market. Once day he
wanted to catch some fish so he went to a river and fished there. He was very surprised when he
got a big fish. The fish was as big as human being. Soon he went home and put the fish in his
kitchen. He planned to cook the fish for his dinner that night. When he got to his house that
afternoon he took a bath. Then as he walked into his bedroom after taking a bath Toba was very
shocked. Do you want to know what happened?

There stood in his living room a very beautiful girl. The girl greeted him nicely. For a moment
Toba was speechless. When he could control his emotion he asked her.

‘Who are you? What’s your name? Why suddenly you are here in my house?’

‘Pardon me if I surprised you Mr. Toba, but you took me here. I was the fish that you caught in
the river. Now that I become a human being again, I would like to thank you and I will be your
servant to express my thankfulness’

‘Were you the fish?’

‘Yes, I was the fish. Look at your kitchen’.

Toba immediately rushed to his kitchen and the fish was nowhere to be seen. He saw some gold
coins instead.

‘Whose coins are these? Why there are some coins here?’

‘Those coins are mine. As I changed into human being my scales changed into gold coins’

‘Ok you can live here and work for me. Your room is over there’

‘Thank you very much Mr. Toba’

Since that day the beautiful girl lived in Toba’s house. Since she was very beautiful Toba fell in
love with her and not long after that they got married. The girl married to Toba on one condition
that he would never tell anybody about her past. Toba agreed to the condition. Several months
later Toba’s wife delivered to a baby boy. Their son was healthy. Soon he grew up into a
handsome boy. Toba named him Samosir. Unfortunately Samosir was a lazy boy. He did not
want to work at all. When his father worked hard in his rice field and farm, Samosir just slept.
When he was awake he talked a lot and he ate a lot. Toba was very disappointed with his son’s
nature. He hoped that one day Samosir would change into a diligent boy. Day in and day out but
Samosir never changed.
Toba used to go to his farm and rice field early in the morning. Then at midday his wife would
bring him food. They used to eat lunch at their farm. As he was a teenager Toba and his wife
tried to change his behavior. They ordered Samosir to bring food for his father for lunch while
her mother stayed at home to do household chores. But Samosir never did his duty well. He
always woke up very late. He woke up after midday. Then one day his mother forced him to
bring the food.

‘Sam, wake up. Go to the farm and bring the food for your father. He must be very tired and
hungry now’.

But Mom, I am tired and hungry too’

‘What makes you tired? You just wake up. Go now. You father needs the food’

Toba reluctantly went to the farm. But he did not go to the farm immediately. He stopped
somewhere in the street and ate the food. It was already late afternoon when he got to the farm.
His father was disappointed. Then he was angry as he realized that his son had eaten his food. He
said sarcastically.

‘O, you are stupid lazy boy. You are son of a fish!’

Samosir was hurt. He went home right away and as he got home he told his mother about his
father’s words. Samosir’s mother was shocked. She was also deeply hurt.

‘O Toba. You break your promise so I cannot live with you here anymore. Now you have to
accept to consequence of what you did. Samosir, now go to the hill, find the tallest tree and
climb it’

‘Why mom? What will happen?’

‘Just do it, never ask any question. Good bye’

As soon as she finished saying that suddenly the weather changed. Sunny day suddenly turned
into cloudy day. Not long after that the rain poured heavily. The rain last for several days.
Consequently the area was flooded. The whole area became a big lake. Then it was called Lake
Toba and in the middle of the lake there is an island called Samosir Island. Meanwhile Toba’s
wife disappeared.
Narative Story
1. What is the genre of text
Answer :

2. Where is the legend from?

Answer :

3. What is the moral value

Answer :

4. What is the complication in the text

Answer :

5. Who is the writer

Answer :
 TIMUN MAS
by : Imam Khanafi

Long time ago, lived an old women named Mbok Sirni. She lived by herself because her husband
had long passed away and she had no children. Every day, she prayed so God would give her a
child. One night, when she was praying, a giant passed her house and heard her pray. “I can give
you a child on one condition,” the giant said to Mbok Sirni, “You must give the child back to me
when it is six years old.” Mbok Sirni was so happy; she did not think about the risk of losing the
child later and agreed to take the giant’s offer. The giant then gave her a bunch of cucumber
seeds. “Plant it around your house.” The giant then left without saying anything else. In the
morning, Mbok Sirni planted the seeds. The seeds grew within mere days, and blossomed
plentifully.Not longer after that, a big golden cucumber grew from plants. Carefully, Mbok Sirni
plucked the golden cucumber and carried it home. With caution and care, she sliced the
cucumber. She was very surprised to see a beautiful baby girl inside the cucumber. She then
named the baby Timun Emas (it means Golden Cucumber).

Years passed by and Timun Emas has grew to become a lovely and beautiful little girl. She was
also smart and kind. Mbok Sirni loved her very much. But she kept thinking about the time the
giant would take Timun Emas away from her. One night, Mbok Sirni had a dream. In order to
save Timun Emas from the giant, she had to meet the holy man who lived in Mount Gundul. The
next morning, Mbok Sirni took leave of Timun Emas to go to Mount Gundul. The holy man then
gave her four little bags, each one containing cucumber seeds, needles, salt, and shrimp paste.
“Timun Emas can use these to protect herself,” said the holy man to Mbok Sirni.

A few days later, the giant came to see Mbok Sirni about her promise. “Mbok Sirni! Where is
Timun Emas?” shouted the giant. “My daughter, take these bag with you. It can save you from
the giant. Now, run through the back door,” said Mbok Sirni. But the giant saw Timun Emas
running to the woods. The giant was angry. Starved and enraged, he rushed toward Timun Emas.
Mbok Sirni tried to stop him, but the giant was unstoppable.

The giant was getting closer and closer, so Timun Emas opened the first bag she got from Mbok
Sirni. Inside the bag were cucumber seeds. She threw the seeds, and instantly they grew into
large cucumber field. But the giant ate them all, giving him more strength. As the giant was
getting close, Timun Emas took the second bag with needles inside and spilled the content
behind her. The needles turned into bamboo trees, sharp and thorny. The giant’s body was
scratched and bled. “Aaargh, I’ll get you, Timun Emas!” shouted the giant as he tried to get
himself out from the bamboo field. He made it and still chasing Timun Emas.

Timun Emas then reached the third bag and spilled the salt inside. The ground which the salt
touched turned into a deep sea. The giant almost drown and had to swim to cross the sea. After
some time, he managed to get out from the water. Timun Emas saw the giant coming, so she
reached for the last bag. She took the shrimp paste and threw it. The shrimp paste became a big
swamp of boiling mud. The giant was trapped in the middle of the swamp. The mud slowly but
surely drowned him. Helpless, he roared out, “Help! Heeeeelp…!” Then the giant drown and
died. Timun Mas then immediately went home. Since then, Timun Emas and Mbok Sirni live
happily ever after
Narative Story
1. What is the genre of text
Answer :

2. Where is the legend from?

Answer :

3. What is the moral value

Answer :

4. What is the complication in the text

Answer :

5. Who is the writer

Answer :