Banyuwangi

by. naedya

Once upon a time. There was a kingdom led by a very wise and just king. The king
had a very handsome and dashing son, whose name was Raden Banterang. Raden
Banterang was very fond of hunting.

One day, Raden Banterang went hunting into the forest. He was accompanied by the
Royal Guards. On the way. He saw a deer passing in front of him. He immediately
chased the deer into the wilderness. He was separated from his escort group.

Raden Banterang continued to chase the deer. He went further and further into
the forest. He arrived at a very clear river. Because he was tired of chasing the
Kijang, he approached the river and drank the clear water. When he was busy
drinking water. Suddenly, he was very surprised because of the arrival of a very
beautiful girl.

Raden Banterang was confused, because he was afraid that the beautiful girl was
the guardian of this forest. However, he ventured to approach the beautiful
girl.Hearing Surti's story, Raden Banterang was very surprised. Feeling sorry for
Surti, Raden Banterang took her to the palace. Surti went to the palace with Raden
Banterang. Because of Surti's beauty, Raden Banterang fell in love with her and
wanted to propose to her. Finally, they decided to get married. They lived happily

However, one day. Princess Surti took a walk alone outside the Palace. Suddenly, she
heard someone calling her name. She looked for the source of the voice. She saw a
man dressed in shabby and tattered clothes. Princess Surti was very surprised, as it
turned out, the man in front of her was her own biological brother named Rupaksa.
The purpose of his brother's arrival was to invite Putri Surti to take revenge.
Because Raden Banterang had killed her father.
Putri Surti was very surprised to hear her brother's story. She told him that she
was already the wife of Raden Banterang. She refused to take revenge and
pleaded not to harm her husband Raden Banterang. Hearing his sister's story,
Rupaksa was very angry. However, he did not insist and gave a headband to Surti.
Rupaksa also told her to keep it under her bed.

Surti's meeting with her brother was unknown to her husband. Because Raden
Banterang was hunting in the forest. However, one day. When Raden Banterang
was in the forest, he was surprised by the arrival of a man dressed in rags who
said that his wife would kill him by putting a hairband under his pillow.

Hearing this explanation, Raden Banterang immediately returned to the palace.

He immediately looked for the headband that had been told by the man he met
in the forest. He was very surprised to find the headband.

Raden Banterang was afraid that his safety would be threatened and he
suspected his wife. So, he intended to harm his own wife. Putri Surti explained the
origin of the headband.

Raden Banterang intended to drown his wife in a river. Arriving at the river,
Raden Banterang recounted his encounter with an unknown man while hunting in
the forest. Surati also recounted her encounter with her brother Rupaksa who
wanted to take revenge on Raden Banterang.

After explaining this. It did not make Raden Banterang's heart melt. He thought
his wife was lying. Before being sentenced to death, Surti also said that if he
lied, the water would stink, but if he told the truth, the water would smell good.

Raden Banterang, thought what his wife said was a lie. So, he immediately took
out the Keris and stabbed his wife in the waist. At the same time, Surati fell
into the middle of the river and was swept away by the current.

Not long after Surati was washed away, a miracle happened. Suddenly, the river
smelled very fragrant and the water became crystal clear. Raden Banterang
was shaken by the miracle. Seeing that, Raden Banterang was very sorry and
mourned the death of his wife.

Since then, the river has been fragrant. In Javanese language, it is called
Banyuwangi. Banyu means water and wangi means fragrant. The name Banyuwangi
later became the name of Banyuwangi city.