Sang Kancil and Sang Rimau

I’m quick and smart as I can be.

Try and try, but you can’t catch me!

Sang Kancil sang his song as he walked through the forest. He was looking for
tasty fruits and roots and shoots.
Though he was small, he was not afraid. He knew that many big animals
wanted to eat him. But first they had to catch him!
Then he heard something. Rowr!
It was Sang Rimau!
“Hello, Sang Kancil. I was just getting hungry. Now you can be my lunch.”
Sang Kancil didn’t want to be lunch. He looked around and thought fast. He
saw a mud puddle.
“I’m sorry, Sang Rimau. I can’t be your lunch. The King has ordered me to
guard his pudding.”
“His pudding?” said Sang Rimau.
“Yes. There it is.” Sang Kancil pointed to the mud puddle. “It has the best
taste in the world. The King doesn’t want anyone else to eat it.”
Sang Rimau looked longingly at the puddle. “I would like to taste the King’s
pudding.”
“Oh, no, Sang Rimau! The King would be very angry.”
“Just one little taste, Sang Kancil! The King will never know.”
“Well, all right, Sang Rimau. But first let me run far away, so no one will
blame me.”
“All right, Sang Kancil, you can go now.”
Sang Kancil ran quickly out of sight.
“Imagine!” said Sang Rimau. “The King’s pudding!” He took a big mouthful.
Phooey! He spit it out.
“Yuck! Ugh! Bleck! That’s not pudding. That’s mud!”
Sang Rimau ran through the forest. Rowr! He caught up with Sang Kancil.
“Sang Kancil, you tricked me once. But now you will be my lunch!”
Sang Kancil looked around and thought fast. He saw a wasp nest in a tree.
“I’m sorry, Sang Rimau. I can’t be your lunch. The King has ordered me to
guard his drum.”
“His drum?” said Sang Rimau.
 “Yes. There it is.” Sang Kancil pointed to the wasp nest. “It has the best
sound in the world. The King doesn’t want anyone else to hit it.”
Sang Rimau said, “I would like to hit the King’s drum.”
“Oh, no, Sang Rimau! The King would be very angry.”
“Just one little hit, Sang Kancil! The King will never know.”
“Well, all right, Sang Rimau. But first let me run far away, so no one will
blame me.”
“All right, Sang Kancil, you can go now.”
Sang Kancil ran quickly out of sight.
“Imagine!” said Sang Rimau. “The King’s drum!” He reached up and hit
it. Pow!
Bzzzzzzzzzzzzz. The wasps all flew out. They started to sting Sang Rimau.
“Ouch! Ooch! Eech! That’s not a drum. That’s a wasp nest!”
Sang Rimau ran away. But the wasps only followed him! Bzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
“Ouch! Ooch! Eech!”
Sang Rimau came to a stream. He jumped in—splash!—and stayed
underwater as long as he could. At last the wasps went away.
Then Sang Rimau jumped out. Rowr! He ran through the forest till he found
Sang Kancil.
“Sang Kancil, you tricked me once. You tricked me twice. But now you will
be my lunch!”
Sang Kancil looked around and thought fast. He saw a huge python! The
giant snake was coiled asleep on the ground.
“I’m sorry, Sang Rimau. I can’t be your lunch. The King has ordered me to
guard his belt.”
“His belt?” said Sang Rimau.
“Yes. There it is.” Sang Kancil pointed to the python. “It’s the best belt in the
world. The King doesn’t want anyone else to wear it.”
Sang Rimau said, “I would like to wear the King’s belt.”
“Oh, no Sang Rimau! The King would be very angry.”
“Just for one moment, Sang Kancil! The King will never know.”
“Well, all right, Sang Rimau. But first let me run far away, so no one will
blame me.”
“All right, Sang Kancil, you can go now.”
Sang Kancil ran quickly out of sight.
“Imagine!” said Sang Rimau. “The King’s belt!” He started to wrap it around
himself.
The python woke up. Ssssssssssssss. It didn’t wait for Sang Rimau to finish
wrapping. It wrapped itself around Sang Rimau. Then it squeezed him and bit
him. Sstt!
 “Ooh! Ow! Yow! That’s no belt. That’s a python! Help! Sang Kancil! Help!”
But Sang Kancil was far away. And as he went, he sang his song.

I’m quick and smart as I can be.

Try and try, but you can’t catch me!

Sang Kancil and Sang Buaya

One day, Sang Kancil went down to the river. He wanted to take a drink. But he
knew Sang Buaya might be waiting underwater to eat him.
Sang Kancil had an idea. He said out loud, “I wonder if the water’s warm. I’ll
put in my leg and find out.”
But Sang Kancil didn’t put in his leg. Instead, he picked up a stick with his
mouth and put in one end.
Chomp! Sang Buaya grabbed the stick and pulled it underwater.
Sang Kancil laughed. “Stupid Sang Buaya! Don’t you know a stick from a
leg?”
And he ran off to drink somewhere else!

***
Another day, Sang Kancil went back to the river. All he saw there was a
floating log. But he knew Sang Buaya looked like a log when he floated.
Sang Kancil had an idea. He said out loud, “If that log is really Sang Buaya, it
won’t talk. But if it’s really just a log, it will tell me.”
He listened. A rough voice said, “I’m really just a log.”
Sang Kancil laughed. “Stupid Sang Buaya! Do you think a log can talk?”
And off he ran again!

***
Another day, Sang Kancil wanted to cross the river. He wanted to eat tasty
fruits and roots and shoots on the other side. But he didn’t want Sang Buaya to eat
him first!
Sang Kancil had an idea. He called out, “Sang Buaya!”
Sang Buaya rose from the water. “Hello, Sang Kancil. Have you come to be
my breakfast?”
“Not today, Sang Buaya. I have orders from the King. He wants me to count
all the crocodiles in this river.”
 “The King!” said Sang Buaya. “Tell us what to do.”
“You must line up from this side of the river to the other side.”
Sang Buaya got all his friends and family. They lined up across the river.
Sang Kancil jumped onto Sang Buaya’s back. “One.”
He jumped onto the next crocodile. “Two.”
And the next. “Three.”
Sang Kancil kept jumping till he jumped off on the other side of the river.
“How many are there?” called Sang Buaya.
“Just enough!” said Sang Kancil. “And they are all stupid!”
Then he went off singing his song.

I’m quick and smart as I can be.

Try and try, but you can’t catch me!

Sang Kancil and The Farmer

Sang Kancil loved to eat the fruits and roots and shoots of the forest. But he loved
something else even more.
He loved the vegetables in The Farmer’s garden.
One day, Sang Kancil went to the edge of the forest. He looked out at row
after row of vegetables.
“Mmmm,” said Sang Kancil. “Juicy cucumbers! Yummy yams!” He started
into the garden.
Snap! “Oh!”
His leg was caught in a snare! Sang Kancil pulled and pulled. But he could
not get away.
“Oh, no!” he said. “The Farmer will have me for dinner!”
Then he saw The Farmer coming. Sang Kancil thought fast. He lay on the
ground and made his body stiff.
“Well, well,” said The Farmer. “Look what I caught. A Sang Kancil! But he
looks dead.”
The Farmer pushed him with his foot. Sang Kancil didn’t move.
“Maybe he’s been dead a long time,” said The Farmer. “Too bad! I guess we
can’t eat him.”
He pulled Sang Kancil’s leg out of the snare. Then he tossed Sang Kancil
back into the forest.
Sang Kancil landed with a soft plop. Then he jumped up and ran. Behind him,
he heard The Farmer yell.
 “Hey! You tricked me!”
Sang Kancil laughed. “The Farmer is smart. But Sang Kancil is smarter!”

***
A few days passed. Sang Kancil kept thinking about all those vegetables. One
day, he went back to the edge of the forest.
“Mmmm,” said Sang Kancil. “Tasty gourds! Scrumptious sweet potatoes!”
Then he saw something new. It looked like a man. But its head was a
coconut, and its body was rubber.
“A scarecrow!” said Sang Kancil. “That silly Farmer. Does he think he can
scare me with that? I’ll show him how scared I am!”
Sang Kancil marched up to the scarecrow. “Take this!” He gave it a big kick.
But his leg stuck to the scarecrow. The scarecrow was covered with sticky
sap from a rubber tree!
“Let me go!” said Sang Kancil. He pulled and he pulled. Then he pushed with
his other front leg.
That leg stuck too.
“Turn me loose!” He pulled and he pulled. Then he pushed with his two back
legs.
They stuck too.
“PUT ME DOWN!” He pulled and he pushed and he pulled and he pushed.
But Sang Kancil was trapped.
Then he saw The Farmer. Sang Kancil thought fast. But he didn’t have any
ideas!
“Well, well,” said The Farmer. “How nice of you to come back.”
He pulled Sang Kancil off the scarecrow and carried him to the house. He put
him outside in an empty chicken coop.
“I’ll keep you here tonight,” said The Farmer. “And tomorrow you’ll be our
dinner.”
All that night, Sang Kancil couldn’t sleep. He didn’t want to be dinner! When
the sun rose, Sang Kancil just lay there sadly.
Then he heard something. “Why, it’s Sang Kancil! So The Farmer caught you
at last. It serves you right!”
It was The Farmer’s dog. Sang Kancil thought fast.
“What do you mean, Dog? The Farmer didn’t catch me.”
“Then why are you in the coop?” said the Dog.
“Because there aren’t enough beds in the house. You see, The Farmer is
holding a feast tomorrow. And I’m the guest of honor.”
 “Guest of honor?” said the Dog. “That’s not fair! I’ve been his loyal friend
for years, and you’re just a thief. The guest of honor should be me!”
“You know, Dog, you’re right. Why don’t you take my place? When The
Farmer sees you in here, he’ll make you the guest of honor instead.”
“Really?” said the Dog. “You don’t mind?”
“Not at all,” said Sang Kancil. “You deserve it.”
“Sang Kancil, you’re not so bad after all. Thank you!” The Dog lifted the
latch and opened the door.
“You’re welcome, Dog. Enjoy the feast.”
Sang Kancil ran for the forest. Then he watched from the forest edge. He saw
The Farmer come out and stare at the Dog. Then he heard The Farmer yell.
“You stupid dog! You let the Sang Kancil get away!”
Sang Kancil laughed. “The Farmer will have to find a different dinner now!”
Then he went off singing his song.

I’m quick and smart as I can be.

Try and try, but you can’t catch me!

Sang Kancil and the King of the Jungle

A long long time ago, in the deep jungle of Malaysia, there lived a little Sang
Kancil called Sang Kancil was very small compared to the other animals in this
region, he always managed to keep himself from being eaten by the other animals
because of his intelligence. This is why he was very famous.

One day, when Sang Kancil was wandering in the forest, he heard somebody
crying. Quickly he went to the place where the cry came from. There he was very
shocked to see his friend, Sang Kerbau the water buffalo, lying on the ground. A
pool of blood was around him, Sang Kancil quickly went over to Sang Kerbau and
asked, "What happened! What happened to you?" Sang Kerbau was very weak.
He only managed to look up at Sang Kancil. Before he could say anything, he
dropped on the ground and died. Sang Kancil was very sad. Later he buried his
friend.

After burying his friend, Sang Kancil continued his journey. In his mind, he
really wanted to investigate what really happened to his friend. While on the way,
he met two other animals. They looked very sad too. One of them, Sang Arnab
the rabbit, was crying. His friend, Sang Rusa the deer, was comforting him.

When Sang Kancil saw this, he walked to them and asked, "What really
happened?" He was very surprised to see that everybody was looking so sad, he
said. Earlier, he had seen his friend Sang Kerbau die being attacked by something,
he continued. After being persuaded, the two animals told Sang Kancil what really
happened.

It seems that Sang Rimau had declared himself as the King of the Jungle. The
King had ordered them to a meeting in the jungle one day. There he ordered that
every day one animal should be given to him as a sacrifice. He warned that if this
was not done, he would attack and kill every animal in the kingdom.

Because the animals in the Kingdom were really afraid of their new King, they
didn't know what to do but to agree to the demand. There were some who tried to
rebel against the King, but they were all destroyed by the fierce King. Sang
Kerbau was one of those.

So every week, the animals in the Kingdom would meet at a certain place to cast
a vote. These votes were to see who would be the next victim. Unfortunately
Sang Arnab got the vote to be the next victim.

With tears on his cheeks, Sang Arnab begged Sang Kancil to help him. Feeling
pity for Sang Arnab, Sang Kancil said, "I will, I will, my friend." In his mind, he
knew that he did not have any plans yet to destroy the King.

Because it was very hot, Sang Kancil wanted to have a drink. So Sang Rusa
showed him to the well and took up a bucket of water to him. While drinking he
suddenly shouted, "Aha! I've got an idea to help you all!" The excited Sang Arnab
started to ask, "What is it, Sang Kancil? Tell me! Please tell me what it is!"

"Call a meeting if you still want to be alive. I want to see every animal in the
kingdom," said Sang Kancil. Hearing the order, Sang Arnab quickly said, "I'll go
now. I'll go now, Sang Kancil."

Within an hour, the whole place was filled with animals. Everybody was
standing around Sang Kancil and wondering what the meeting was all about.
When everybody came, Sang Kancil began, "Thank you for coming to this
meeting. The only thing I would like to say is that I want to represent Sang Arnab
for the offering to the King." Everybody was shocked. Some even thought he was
crazy, but nobody dared to voice their opinion.

Next morning, everybody was already at the King's compound. The King, Sang
Rimau, was sitting on a chair in the middle. Everybody was already there except
Sang Kancil. Time passed and the King was getting bored and angry. He made a
fierce roar and shouted for his meal. Finally Sang Kancil came. He walked
straight to the King and bowed down.

"Sorry I am late, my lord. On my way here, I met another Sang Rimau as big
and powerful as you are," he said. "He wanted me to be his food too."

"Who is this animal?" shouted the King. "How dare he humiliate me! Show me
to him. I will kill him myself!" Hearing this, Sang Kancil smiled and quickly said,
"I will, my lord."

Sang Kancil showed the King the way to the place where he met Sang Arnab and
Sang Rusa. The rest of the animals did not follow because they were really afraid.
When Sang Kancil and the King were there, Sang Kancil quickly pointed out the
well to the King and said, "He is in there, my lord."

The King went there and looked down. There he saw another Sang Rimau as big
as he was, because of his reflection. He roared as loud as he could, but the
reflected sound produced the same roar. Angrily he jumped down into the well,
without realizing that he was being tricked. He only realized that when he was in
the water. Because he could not do anything, he began to sink and finally
drowned.

After the death of the King, the animals wanted to elect Sang Kancil as their new
King, but the idea was rejected by Sang Kancil. He told them he preferred to roam
around in the forest.
 Sang Kancil Becomes King

Sang Kancil was running through the forest. It had rained the day before, and the
air was clear and bright, the forest so fresh and green that Sang Kancil ran and ran
– not for anything or from anything – but just for the running.

Finally he stopped, and to his great astonishment, found himself in a part of the
forest unknown to him – in fact, it was not even forest – he had actually run past
the edge of the forest and had stopped at this strange place, far, far from home. But
what a pleasant place it was! As Sang Kancil waited for his runaway breath to
come back, he looked about him. He was surrounded by tall green grass, waving
gently as a soft breeze blew through it; and the sun shone through it too, turning it
yellow-green and further away, pure gold. Then Sang Kancil realised that it was
not grass at all – it was ‘paddy’ and he was in a rice paddy field, and all at once he
had found his bearings. He looked to the east, where he could see two hills, and
beyond the hills was the deep forest.

Sang Kancil started off for home. But as he began to climb the first hill, he heard a
sound that he had never heard in the forest before. He stopped for a moment to
listen, to try and work out what it could be. The wind? … No. An animal? … Sang
Kancil was familiar with every animal sound, but this was alien to him. He cocked
his ears and listened carefully. Why, it was the sound of crying! And not one
creature crying, but many! Whatever could it be?

Sang Kancil climbed further, and the sobbing grew louder. Then, from the top of
the hill, Sang Kancil looked down upon the most amazing sight – a whole herd of
goats sobbing their hearts out! Sang Kancil did not know what to do. Small animal
though he was, he could pit his wits against the strength of any animal in the forest.
But a crying herd of goats! This was a different situation, indeed, and one that did
not call for cunning. These creatures were in trouble and obviously needed help!

Without a moment’s hesitation Sang Kancil descended the hill and approached a
large goat who was obviously the leader of the herd.

“Excuse me, Sir,” said Sang Kancil, “but as I was coming up your hill, I heard you
crying, and my own heart became sad at the sound. Can you tell me what the
matter is, so that I can perhaps help you in your trouble?”
The Chief of Goats wiped away a tear that had just fallen on his already wet beard,
and began to speak: “Oh, Sang Kancil,” he bleated, “A terrible thing has befallen
us! Every morning for several days now three or four of our kids have disappeared.
If this continues, our herd will diminish and there will be none of our family left in
the forest. We do not even know who our enemy is and we are helpless.” The
Chief of Goats sobbed, and his whole herd, who had been silent as long as he had
been talking to Sang Kancil, started to cry again.

Sang Kancil felt genuinely moved by Goat’s sad tale. “Wait!” he said. “I shall be
back in a moment, before you can even dry your tears!” and he scurried away.

He ran until he came to the second hill, which he swiftly climbed. From the top he
looked down upon what he had half-expected and half-feared to see – a herd of
tigers! What he had not counted on was the number of them – there were hundreds,
and their large bodies close together formed an enormous carpet of yellow and
black stripes. It made Sang Kancil feel dizzy. His small body stiffened, but, as
always, only for a moment. He had made up his mind, and fear was not to enter
into his decision.

Even more quickly than he had come, he retraced his steps, and returned to the
Goats.

“Sir,” announced Sang Kancil, addressing the Chief of Goats. “I have found what I
set out to discover. It is Sang Rimaus who are stealing your young ones.”

The effect Sang Kancil’s statement had on the Goats was startling indeed. Some of
the nanny goats fainted, and a few of the herd tried to run away. But the Chief of
Goats now showed surprising control of himself. Holding his head high and
throwing back his horns, he calmed down his restless herd, and asked their
attention.

“We have been in a situation that we have found to be hopeless. We have been
desperate – and now Sang Kancil has come to us, and promised to help us. Give
him your full attention!”

The Goats gathered closer to each other and to their Chief, to listen to what Sang
Kancil would have to say. Perhaps they wondered how the little animal before
them could ever help them against a herd of vicious tigers, but since their Chief
seemed to have full confidence in Sang Kancil they followed suit.

Sang Kancil drew himself up to his full height. He began his speech to the Goats.

“My friends,” he addressed them, “Have faith in me, and we will solve this
problem. If the tigers continue to be so cruel as to steal your kids, you will want
revenge, and there will always be hatred between you. I will make it possible for
the tigers and the goats to live together in the forest in peace. But you must follow
my instructions carefully. These are my orders. At five o’clock tomorrow morning
all of you must eat those red berries you see growing over there” – he pointed to
the bushes – “and as you eat, be sure to let the juice run down and dry on your
mouths and beards so that they will be as red as blood. At dawn you will see two or
three tigers coming over the hill and the moment you catch sight of them you are
all to open your red mouths and scream as loudly as you can: ‘A-ha! Where are the
rest of you? Three tigers are not enough for us. We want more. We want more
tigers!’ … Do you understand?”

The Chief of Goats nodded and his followers all did the same.

“Don’t forget!” shouted Sang Kancil, and he leaped out of sight.

He climbed up the second hill again and then down the other side, to the tigers.
Their stripes still made him dizzy, and to tell the truth, he was not entirely sure of
his small self as he approached the great beasts. But he walked straight into their
midst.

What the tigers saw when their eyes fell upon Sang Kancil was a small, pitiful
animal, his big dark eyes looking up at all of them and then filling with tears.

“What’s this?” asked the Chief of the tigers in surprise. “Whatever has happened to
Sang Kancil?”

“Oh, Sang Rimau, Your Lordship,” sobbed Sang Kancil, “I could never have
imagined anything so terrible happening – but it is true, it is true!”

“What is it? What is it then?” asked the Chief of the tigers, curious and impatient.
“A few nights ago I had a dream,” said Sang Kancil, “A voice said to me, ‘Starting
tomorrow, Sang Kancil, the whole world is going to change. Everything will be
topsy-turvy, upside-down. The strong will become weak; the weak will become
strong. The animals who were always preyed upon will now seize those who
formerly devoured them.’ When I awoke from my dream I was frightened, but then
I laughed it off, because I thought such a thing impossible. Then I thought again,
and I realised that with Allah (God) nothing is impossible. And this morning I saw
thousands of goats gathering, and when I asked what the reason for this was, I was
told that the Goats are preparing to attack the Tigers!”

“Impossible!” exclaimed Sang Rimau, throwing back his head proudly.

“No, Sang Rimau, Your Lordship, it is true. Mind my words,” replied Sang Kancil,
“If you do not believe me, tomorrow morning, just at sunrise, send two or three
scouts to the top of the hill. That is the time when the Goats get together after
hunting the wild animals who always hunted them down, like … the tigers. Send
your scouts at dawn tomorrow. I am warning you!”

“Tomorrow at dawn I shall send my scouts. Thank you, Sang Kancil,” said Sang
Rimau. Sang Rimau had never spoken so politely and humbly before.

The next morning Sang Kancil arose before dawn. It was still very dark but far
ahead of him he could see a large expanse of white. That would be the Goats eating
the berries!

Then, in the light of the rising sun, he saw three tigers looking down on the herds
of Goats, who by this time had turned from the bushes, now facing the hill of the
tigers, their mouths and beards as red as blood.

As soon as they saw the three tigers they began to shout: “A-ha, where are the rest
of you? Three tigers are not enough for us. We want more. We want more tigers!”
And with their red mouths open and their horns pointed forward, they ran towards
the three tigers. The three tigers roared as loudly as they were able to, thinking to
frighten the Goats, but the Chief of Goats led his herd forward, as though they
were about to charge. The three tigers fled in terror, and back in the midst of their
herd, breathlessly told what had happened to them:
“The Goats had just returned from the kill – their mouths and beards were still red
with fresh blood, and when they saw us, they came at us, all together!”

The leader of the tigers was shaken by this report. His otherwise proud and fearless
face now showed his fright and confusion.

Just then Sang Kancil appeared.

“Oh, Sang Kancil,” cried Sang Rimau “What you said is true. It has indeed come
to pass that the Goats, once our prey, are now out to devour us! What shall we do
now?”

“Never mind,” said Sang Kancil “Have no fear. I shall make peace. Wait here until
you hear me call you. That will be the sign to you to come to the field.”

Sang Kancil went to the Goats. “Now the time has come,” he said to the Chief of
Goats. “You and the leader of the tigers are to meet now.” Sang Kancil drew a line
across the middle of the field. He stood on the line and called out in a loud strong
voice: “Will the Chief of the tigers and the Chief of Goats come here, please, to
this line? Here, please!”

The Chief of Goats and his herd came up to Sang Kancil’s line. The Chief of the
tigers came up to the other side of the line, followed by all tigers.

“Now,” said Sang Kancil. “The Chief of the tigers and the Chief of Goats will
shake hands as a pledge that from this day forward the tigers will leave the Goats
in peace and the Goats will likewise nevermore live in enmity with the tigers.”

The Chief of Goats and the Chief of the tigers each advanced one step, lifted their
right paws and shook them, whereupon ensued a bleating and a roaring and a
shouting and a cheering such as never had been heard in the forest before.

Then together the Chief of Goats and the Chief of the tigers approached Sang
Kancil, bowed low before him, and said, “From this moment on we acknowledge
Sang Kancil as our King. Sang Kancil has made peace between us, and we will
carry out all his orders faithfully.”
“Hurray! Hurray!” the Goats and the Tigers shouted. “Long live Sang Kancil!
Long live the King!”

“Thank you, thank you,” said Sang Kancil, sounding very much like a new king.
“And I herewith appoint you both my ministers. But now go home, all of you, and
tell all the forest animals that I am their King!”

And so, from that day on, because he had made peace between the Goats and the
Tigers, Sang Kancil was King of the Forest.