”CINDELARAS” A Folktale From East Java

Raden putra is the king of Jenggala kingdom. There is the queen, the concubine and the maid. The king is chatting with the queen in the midday. But they don’t realize that the concubine is peeping.

The king : i can’t manage well the kingdom now. I feel so tired, and the general can’t help me when I need him. Oh god..

The queen : oh honey, be patient and keep fighting. I support you here, and I have a surprise for you. I hope you can be happy.

The king : thank you, dear. I love you so much. So, what’s the surprise? Tell me.

The queen : I love you too. I will give you the surprise when you have though a lot. Guess it! (leave the king)

The king : oh but I feel curiously.

Hear what the queen and the king did, the concubine feel curiously and jealous. Then she approach the queen.

The queen : what’s matter?

The concubine : tell me! What is the surprise you will give to the king ?

The queen : I’m pregnant! I feel so happy, pray for me, please.

The concubine : oh congratulation! (give a lil smile)

The queen : thank you, but please don’t tell this to the king, can you keep your promise?

The concubine : I won’t and I can keep my promise. Good night. (go away)

The queen : good night.

The concubine is very jealous, then she think a lot how to make the queen will be hated by the king and get rid from the palace. And on the next day, she go to the healer without told the king.

The healer : are you ok?

The concubine : of course. I come here just want to ask you to help me.

The healer : what is that? I hope I can.

The concubine : I feel jealous to the queen, I wanna the king hate her. And I have an idea, would you pretend to the king that the queen put the poison to my meal?

The healer : (thinking) hmm, is that not too beast? I can’t imagine how it happen.

The concubine : calmly, I think it’s ordinary. I promise I will give you a lot of money. Please?

The healer : ok I will, I have your word. But if something happen, I don’t want get a responsibility of it all.

The concubine : ok, myself as a guarantee. Tomorrow you must be ready.

The healer : I will. See you later.

The concubine : see you. (leave the healer)

On the next day, the concubine start to pretend. She fall in ill. The king is very worry about it. Then, the king ask to the healer what is the cause of the concubine illness.

The king : it’s unusually thing. Can you give me information the cause of  her illness?

The healer : pardon me O King. I have detected, and the cause is there was the poison in her meal. I can’t guess who is someone who put the poison.

The king : what? Are you serious? (surprised)

The healer : of course. But she has told me that the queen who put the poison to her meal. How cruel it was.

The king : (angry and leave the healer)

The healer : was it a good acting?

The concubine : (two thumbs up) good job! Now the king will be angry to the queen. He will think how fiendish her lovely queen. I win!

The healer : yeah, congratulation. But remember, I don’t care if something happen. You must have responsibility of it all.

The concubine : calm down. Trust me I will keep my responsibility. Leave me alone, please. And this is yours (give some money)

The healer : thank you. Good bye. (leave the room)

The concubine is very happy when look that the king is angry. Then, the king call the queen to have a chat.

The queen : what’s going on? (curious)

The king : what did you do to the concubine?

The queen : me ? I didn’t do anything.

The king : (stand) don’t lie at me! The concubine get ill and she admitted that you’ve put the poison in her meal.

The queen : I don’t understand what you mean. What would I wanna do that for? (gonna cry)

The king : don’t pretend at me please. I can’t believe you did that.

The queen : but i….

The king : shut up! Now you must get out from the palace, you’re a cruelly person ever! (angry and leave the queen)

The queen : (crying)

While the queen is crying, the king call the maid in another room.

The maid : is there something I can help?

The king : banish the queen to the wood, and terminate her! However the way you do that.

The maid : what? Pardon..

The king : banish the queen right now! Do you understand ?

The maid : oh, yes I do. Excuse me (approach the queen)

The queen : (look  and hug the maid)

The maid : (whispering) sorry my queen, but I don’t have heart to do that. But you must follow me.

The queen : where is the place? Tell me!

The maid : I will buy won’t here. Please, follow me.

The queen : ok. (follow the maid)

The maid take the queen to the distant forest. The queen can’t refuse it because she feel so weak. And finally they arrive.

The maid : here, I take you. Sorry my queen but I can’t do anything. I know you’re not wrong as the king and the concubine thought. But I just  follow what the king ordered.

The queen : thank you for believing me. And what will you do now?

The maid : I will leave you, but please, safe your life. I will come once a month.

The queen : take care. And I will tell you something that I’m pregnant now.

The maid : really? Oh my god, I can’t leave you. I’m worry if something wrong happen to you.

The queen : don’t worry. Let’s go, I can handle this.

The maid: ok, be careful!

On the way, the maid is crawling. Then she take the sword out which has been bedraggled by the rabbit’s blood. Then she run to the palace.

The maid : here, my majesty. I have killed the queen. (give the sword)

The king : ok, go to the concubine room! Treat her as good as you can. Make her feel better.

The maid : ok I will. Excuse me.

7 months later………………..

The queen has  born a son. She feel so happy and relieved though her husband can’t be beside her. But with the son named Cindelaras, she can face all of the trouble. Year to year, Cindelaras become a handsome and clever child. Every day, he always helps her mom to search meals in the forest. And on one day, he find a goose.

Cindelaras : oh what a nice goose. I can bring it to my house and show it to my mom. Come here my goose (pick the rooster and bring it to his house)

In the house……..

Cindelaras : mom? Where are you? I wanna show something to you.

The queen : I’m here, show me.

Cindelaras : look mom! I bring something for you! (show the goose)

The queen : where did you get that, dear?

Cindelaras : from the forest. I will maintain this goose. Do you agree?

The queen : of course. Treat good as you can.

Cindelaras : ok, mom!

The goose have a great ability that cindelaras haven’t knew. It can sing and it voice surprise cindelaras in the morning.

The goose : ‘cindelaras is my majesty, a great child, a smart child, the son of Raden Putra’

Cindelaras : who was singing? did you? Oh great! (dazzled)

The goose : ‘cindelaras is my majesty, a great child, a smart child, the son of raden putra’

(the queen come)

Cindelaras : Mom! Did you hear the goose was singing? It’s amazing!

The queen : of course, I have never guessed that the goose can singing.

Cindelaras : me too. But who is Raden Putra, mom? You have never told me about it.

The queen : Raden Putra is your dad. He’s the king of jenggala kingdom. But I was banished because the concubine had calumniated me.

Cindelaras : are you serious? But my dad won’t do that, mom! How cruel he was, he more believe the liar. I hate him!

The queen : don’t say like that, honey! I know he still care but the condition which forced him like this.

Cindelaras : but I hate his attitude! I hate him so much more, how can he could do that, when you were pregnant?

The queen : he didn’t know that I was pregnant. If you love me, please meet with him, tell the real story. I hope he will understand.

Cindelaras : ok, mom. For you I will do everything. Don’t worry I will keep my word, and I will take you from here soon.

The queen : I trust you, be careful dear.

Cindelaras : I will bring my goose. If something happen, and the king don’t believe my word, the goose can prove it. See you, mom.

The queen : see you.

Cindelaras go to the palace with bring the goose. On the way, the goose can’t stop for singing. The villagers just keep sight and excited with what the goose does.

Cindelaras : shut up please my goose. I’m worry if someone will steal you. Please.. (whispering)

The goose : ‘cindelaras is my majesty, a great child, a smart child, the son of the king’

Heard that, the villagers were surprised. Then, the news of the goose ability quickly spread, and the king who is ill hear it. The king is very curious. And finally cindelaras arrived.

Cindelaras : wow, how big and great this palace. Oh there is a maid. (approach the maid)

The maid : what’s your decide?

Cindelaras : I decide to meet with the king, can you call him?

The maid : wait, I will call him. (leave cindelaras)

(the maid comeback later)

The maid : you can meet with him, follow me.

Cindelaras : thank you (follow the maid)

The king : are you the kid who have the great goose?

Cindelaras : yes, I am. Have you heard about my goose ability?

The king : yes I have. I’m sick now and the healer can’t make me feel better. And I have an idea, if your goose can sing and make me feel better, my wealth will be given for you.

Cindelaras : fantastic, are you sure? But I don’t sure my goose can do that. And what is the punishment if I get fail?

The king : you will be terminated. Come on.

Cindelaras : (thinking) hmm, ok. But if I’m terminated, give me an opportunity to tell something.

The king : ok, deal.

Cindelaras : my goose, start for singing. If you love me, you can do it. I wish you can help me. Give the best!

The goose : ‘cindelaras is my majesty, a great child, a smart child, the son of Raden Putra’

The king: can you sing it once more?

The goose : ‘cindelaras is my majesty, a great child, a smart child, the son of raden putra’

Cindelaras : good job my goose. So, what is your opinion? Have you felt better?

The king : I can’t believe it, my, sickness has been decreased. It’s amazing, I will fulfill my word. But, tell me who is you!

Cindelaras: I’m your son, my mom is the queen who was banished 9 years ago. Do you still remember it?

The king : how can it happen? The queen had been terminated! And the maid gave me the prove.

Cindelaras : but the real prove is my mom still alive, she lives with me in the far forest.

The king : the maid! The maid! (shouting)

The maid : yes, my king. What’s matter?

The king : tell me about the past! I want the concubine and the healer also come.

The maid : ok, I will call them. Please wait for a few minutes.(leave)

(the maid, the healer,and the concubine come)

The king : come here! Tell me about the queen, cindelaras admit that he is my son.

The maid : pardon me, I will tell it. Sorry for tricked you, the queen didn’t terminated. She is still alive with his son, named cindelaras.

The king : how can you do that? I didn’t know she was pregnant!

The maid : the healer will tell everything.

The healer : pardon me, but I was in the confuse condition. And the concubine forced me to say that the queen put the poison on the concubine meal. But it wasn’t true.

The king : oh my god, why you just tell me right now?

The maid : the concubine always imperils us if we tell it to you. And I’m scare if something happen to you.

The king : poor I was, I more believe the liar. Thank you for giving me information. I can’t imagine how can you do that(look at the concubine)

The concubine : sorry, forgive me. I felt jealous when the queen said that she was pregnant.

The king : the maid, take the concubine to the jail! I will take the queen back with come to the forest. Come on, cindelaras, accompany me.

The maid : (take the concubine)

The concubine : you’re a damn person ever! I hate you! (shouting)

Cindelaras : oh my dad, thank you very much.

The king : ok, let’s go.

They go to the forest soon to overtake the queen, and they arrived.

Cindelaras : mom! I can do what you asked. I can prove everything, and daddy is here!

The queen : what? (surprised)

The king : forgive me, I did the fault, I was treating you bad, sorry. And do you want to come back to the palace?(squat)

The queen : I know you were not wrong. And let me to treat you, our family goodly. Stand up please.

The king : thank you very much. I love you.

Cindelaras : oh  thanks god, the truly has proven. I love you mom, dad. Let build the harmony and united life. Make our story become a lesson.(hug the queen and the king)

The goose : ‘cindelaras is my majesty, a great child, a smart child, the son of Raden Putra’

Finally, the king admit what was his fault. And they live happily and  harmony ever after.

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