Folklore And Fairy Tales

Sawerigading

According to the story, in the area of Luwu, South Sulawesi, there lived a king named La Togeq Langiq or known as Batara Lattu’. The King had two wives, one from the ordinary people (real world inhabitants) named We Opu Sengngeng, and the other from the jinn. From his marriage to We Opu Sengengeng was born a pair of golden twins, namely a man named Sawerigading, and a woman named We Tenriabeng. Based on the prediction of Batara Guru (father of King Luwu), Sawerigading and We Tenriabeng will later fall in love and get married. Though according to local custom, someone is very abstinent in marrying his own siblings. In order not to violate the custom, King Luwu raised the twins separately. He hid his daughter (We Tenriabeng) in the palace attic from infancy.

Time keeps going. Sawerigading grew into a dashing and handsome young man, while We Tenriabeng grew into a beautiful beautiful girl. However, the twins did not know each other.

One day, Sawerigading with a number of palace guards sent by his father sailed to the Land of Taranati (Ternate) to represent the Kingdom of Luwu in a meeting of princes. But actually the main purpose of Sawerigading was sent away to Ternate because his twin brother We Tenriabeng will be inducted into bissu in a public ceremony, which of course should not be attended because it is feared that he will meet with We Tenriabeng.

On the way to the land of Ternate, Sawerigading got word from a bodyguard that he had a beautiful twin brother. Sawerigading was shocked to hear the news.

“What did you say? I have a twin sister?” sawerigading asked in shock.

“Really, Prince! Your brother's name is Tenriabeng. He was hidden and kept in the attic of the palace since he was a child,” said the bodyguard.

Upon his return from Ternate, Sawerigading immediately searched for his twin brother who was hidden in the palace attic. Inevitably, Sawergading immediately fell in love when he saw his twin brother and decided to marry him. King Luwu Batara Lattu’ who knew the secrets of the palace family was revealed immediately called his son to face.

“God, Son! Expecting life partners to reassure one another is not a mistake. But, you need to know that marrying your own siblings is the biggest taboo in our customs. If this custom is violated, disaster will befall this country. It's best to say your intention, my son!” persuade King Luwu Batara Lattu’.

However, his father's persuasion did not dampen Sawerigading's intention to marry his sister. However, Sawerigading finally relented after We Tenriabeng told him that in China (not China in China, but in the Tanete area, Kabupetan Bone, South Sulawesi) they had a cousin who was very similar to him.

“Bang! Go to China! We have a cousin named We Cudai. Father once told me that I and We Cudai were like betel in two,” persuaded We Cudai.

“Yes, Son! The face and stature of We Cudai are as true as your sister, We Tenriabeng,” sahut King Luwu Batara Lattu’.

To prove the truth of his words, We Tenriabeng gave a strand of hair, a bracelet and his ring to Sawerigading. We Tenriabeng also promised that if his words were not true, he was willing to marry Sawerigading.

“Bang! If this hair is not the same length as We Cudai's hair, this bracelet and ring does not match his wrists and fingers, I am willing to marry Abang,” We Tenriabeng said.

Finally, Sawerigading was willing to go to China, although he was disappointed in his parents for not being allowed to marry his sister. To sail to China, Sawerigading must use a large ship made of wood welnerng (wood belande) that is able to withstand the impact of storms and large waves in the middle of the sea.

“God, Son! To fulfill your wish to marry We Cudai, tomorrow go upstream of Saqdan cut down giant welenng tree to make a boat!” order of King Luwu Batara Lattu’.

The next day, Sawerigading went to the place where his father meant. When he got to that place, he immediately cut down the giant tree. Surprisingly, even though the trunk and the base were separated, the giant tree still did not want to collapse. But that didn't make him desperate. The next day, Sawerigading felled the magic tree again, but the results remained the same. This strange event repeated for three days in a row. Sawerigading began to despair and his heart was very upset to think about what the cause.

Knowing the turmoil of his brother's heart, at night We Tenriabeng secretly went to the upper Saqdan River. How magical! Just one slash, the giant tree collapsed to the ground. With his knowledge, We Tenriabeng immediately turned the giant tree into a sailboat ready to sail the vast ocean.

The next day, Sawerigading returned to the upper Saqdan River. How surprised he was when he saw a giant welner tree that could not be knocked down now turned into a sailboat.

“Hai, who did all this?” sawerigading gumam.

“Ah, there is no point in me thinking about who has helped me make this sailboat. For sure I have to go home soon to prepare the supplies that I will take sailing to China,” he concluded while rushing home to the palace.

After preparing a number of guards and necessary supplies, Sawerigading departed with his entourage to China. On the way, they encountered various challenges and obstacles such as hurricanes and waves and attacks by pirates. However, thanks to the permission of Almighty God, Sawerigading with his troops managed to pass through all these obstacles and survived to the destination.

“Ampun, Sir! If my skin is used as a body wrapper Sir, of course I died.”

However, after Sawerigading persuaded him with a smooth word, finally the oro was willing to fulfill his request. After that, Sawerigading immediately headed to the palace as a merchant oro. Upon arriving at the palace, he was amazed to see the beauty of We Cudai.

“True Ayahanda, We Cudai and We Tenriabeng are like betel in two. Their stature is really similar,” Sawerigading said.

After proving We Cudai's beauty, Sawerigading immediately sent an envoy to propose to him and his proposal was accepted by the royal family of China. However, before the wedding party was held, We Cudai sent a palace guard to investigate who exactly the future husband was.

One day, the messenger approached the Sawerigading sailboat that was leaning on the harbor. Incidentally, at that time the Sawerigading guards were bushy bathing. The envoy was scared when he saw the looks of those he thought were “the savages of” and thought that Sawerigading's form was similar to theirs. He immediately returned to the palace to deliver the news to We Cudai. Hearing the news, We Cudai also intends to cancel his marriage and return all Sawerigading dowries.

Sawerigading who heard the bad news immediately removed his disguise as an oro and raised his clothes of greatness, then immediately faced the King of China. Arriving at the palace, he immediately told the origin and purpose of his arrival to the Chinese.

“Ampun, Your Majesty! Introduce the name Ananda Sawerigading Putra Raja Luwu Batara Lattu’ from South Sulawesi. Ananda came to face carrying the mandate of Ayahanda, in the hope that He would accept Ananda as His Majesty's son-in-law,” Sawerigading said.

“Hai, Young Man! You don't confess! What is the proof that you are the son of my brother?” ask the King of China.

Sawerigading immediately showed a hair, a bracelet and a ring We Tenriabeng gave to the King of China while telling all the events he experienced so he could get to China. Hearing his brother's wishes and pleas through his nephew, the King of China was silent for a moment, then said:

“Alright! Now I believe that you are my nephew. Your father once told me that he had golden twins. Her daughter's face and her maniacs are similar to my daughter's.”

To further reassure him, the King of China immediately called his daughter to face. Before long, We Cudai came and sat down beside his father. At the sight of the handsome young man sitting before his father, We Cudai looked nervous and his heart suddenly skipped a beat. Apparently, he fell in love with the young man who was none other than Sawerigading.

“What did Father call Ananda?” tanya We Cundai bowed shyly.

“Oh my daughter, know it! The person who proposed to you a few days ago turned out to be your cousin. Name Sawerigading. The brothers with their father. But, to convince you of this truth, try to match the length of this hair with the length of your hair and wear this bracelet and ring!” the King of China gave a hair, a bracelet and a ring to his daughter.

After We Cudai wore the bracelet and ring, the more convinced the Chinese King that Sawerigading was really his nephew. The bracelets and rings were all suitable to be worn by We Cudai. Similarly, his hair was the same length as We Tenriabeng's.

“How, Daughter! Are you willing to take back Sawerigading's proposal to tighten our fraternal rope with the Sawerigading family in South Sulawesi?” ask the King of China.

“Good, Father! If Ayahanda approves, Ananda is willing to marry Sawerigading. Ananda apologized for previously thinking Sawerigading was not from a good family,” We Cudai replied timidly.

How happy the Chinese king felt to hear his daughter's answer. Similarly, Sawerigading felt because his proposal was accepted. With a feeling of happiness, he immediately returned to his ship to convey the happy news to his guards and ordered them to lift all the luggage on the boat to the palace for the purposes of the feast. Three days later, the wedding party was celebrated. All the people of China are happy to see the wedding.

A year later, Sawerigading and We Cudai were blessed by a child and named La Galigo. However, for We Cudai, the happiness felt incomplete if he had not met his in-laws. One day, she took her husband to South Sulawesi to visit her in-laws. At first, Sawerigading refused his wife's invitation, because he had promised not to return to his hometown because of disappointment to his parents who had refused his desire to marry his twin brother. However, as his wife continued to urge him, he finally agreed.

The next day, a couple of husband and wife left with some guards to Luwu Country. However, they do not take their son (La Galigo) with them because he is still a baby. On the way, Sawerigading and his entourage again encountered many obstacles. The boat they were riding on almost drowned in the middle of the sea due to storm and big waves. Thanks to the help of Almighty God, they also survived to Luwu nengeri.

After many years Sawerigading with his wife living in Luwu Land heard the news that in the land of Java developed the teachings of Islam. Sawerigading immediately ordered his troops to combat the teachings. But what happened after his troops arrived in Java? Apparently, they did not fight the adherents of the religion, but instead turned to embrace Islam. Even some members of his army decided to settle in Java.

While other members of the army returned to Luwu to report the news to Sawerigading and at the same time invite him to embrace Islam. Outraged by the betrayal of his troops and did not want to convert to Islam, Sawerigading with his wife decided to return to China and promised not to set foot again in Luwu Country. On the way back to China, the ship they were on was shipwrecked in the middle of the sea. That said, the couple became the ruler of buriq liu or peretiwi (undersea world).