Folklore And Fairy Tales

Legend of Mount Kelud

Once, in the area of East Java, there was a king named King Brawijaya who reigned in the Majapahit Kingdom. She has a beautiful daughter named Dyah Ayu Pusparani. The Princess has a very charming body beauty, her skin is soft like silk, and her face is bright like a full moon.

There have been many applicants, but Prabu Brawijaya has not received a single application so that there is no jealousy among other applicants. On the other hand, the Majapahit ruler also did not want to refuse directly for fear that they would attack his kingdom.

After thinking hard, Prabu Brawijaya found a way, that is he will hold a contest that whoever managed to stretch the magic bow Kyai Garudayeksa and lift the gong Kyai Sekardelima then he has the right to invite his daughter. He ordered his guards to make the announcement to all his subjects, including the kings and princes of the surrounding kingdoms.

At the predetermined moment, the participants from various lands had gathered in the square (field, courtyard) of the Royal palace. Prabu Brawijaya was also seen sitting on his throne and accompanied by the empress and her daughter. After the Kyai Garudyeksa bow and Kyai Sekadelima gong were prepared, Prabu Brawijaya immediately hit the gong sign of the event starting. One by one the contestants issued all their powers to stretch the bow and lift the gong, but no one succeeded. In fact, not a few of them got lost. Some broke their hands because they forced themselves to stretch the magic bow, and some broke their waist when lifting the big and heavy gong.

When Prabu Brawijaya hit the gong to close the competition, suddenly came a bull-headed young man about to rely on luck.

“Ampun, Gusti Prabu! Are servants allowed to follow this contest?” pinta the young man.

“Hai, strange youth! What's your name?” ask Prabu Brawijaya.

“My name is Ox Sura,” replied the young man.

Prabu Brawijaya thought that the young man would not be able to stretch the magic bow and lift the big gong. He also allowed her to follow the contest as the last participant.

“Alright! You can follow this competition,” said Prabu Brawijaya.

The Sura cow also accepted the requirement. With his power, he soon stretched the Kyai Garudayaksa arc with ease. The success of Lembu Sura was accompanied by the applause of the audience was very lively. Meanwhile, Putri Dyah Ayu Pusparani looks anxious, because he does not want to be cow-headed man.

When Lembu Sura approached Sekardelima's gong, everyone present looked tense, especially the Princess. He really hopes that the Sura Ox failed to pass the second test. Unexpectedly, the ox-headed young man was apparently able to lift the Sekardelima gong easily. The applause of the audience reverberated, while Princess Dyah Ayu Purpasari was silent. His heart was very sad and disappointed.

“I do not want to marry a cow-headed person,” exclaimed the Princess as she ran into the palace.

Hearing his daughter's words, Prabu Brawijaya immediately drooped because he had disappointed his daughter. But as a king, he had to keep his promise to maintain his dignity. Thus, Putri Dyah Ayu Pusparani must accept Lembu Sura as her husband.

`Girls! In accordance with my promise, then the Sura Ox who has won this competition will marry my daughter!” prabu Brawijaya.

All the contestants were competing to congratulate the Cow Sura. Meanwhile, inside the palace, Princess Dyah Ayu Pusparani wept bitterly lamenting her fate. For days he locked himself in his room. He does not want to eat or drink. Seeing his master being sad, a Nanny Host tried to persuade and advise him.

“Am, Princess! If the Princess does not want to marry the Cow Sura, you should immediately find a way out before the wedding day arrives,” said the Nanny Host.

“Truely you said, Mother Host! We have to make sense for my marriage to the ox-headed man to be annulled. But, what should we do? Does Mak Host have a proposal?” the princess asked confusedly.

The nanny's host just fell silent. For a moment, the atmosphere became silent. After thinking hard, the Nanny finally found a way out.

“Am, Princess! What if the Princess asks one more severe condition to the Cow Sura?” host nanny's proposal.

“What are those terms, Host Master?” ask the princess in curiosity.

“Ask the Cow Sura so that the Princess made a well at the top of Mount Kelud for the bath of the two of you after the wedding is over. But, the well must be completed overnight,” suggested Mak Host.

Putri Dyah Ayu Pusparani also accepted the suggestion of the Nanny Host and immediately conveyed it to Lembu Sura. Without a second thought, the Sura Oxen responded to that requirement. In the afternoon, he went to Mount Kelud with the palace family, including the Princess.

Upon arrival at Mount Kelud, the Sura Ox began to dig the ground using its pair of horns. In no time at all, he had dug the ground deep enough. As the night grew late, the well dug deeper. The cow Sura no longer looked from the lip of the well. Seeing that, Princess Dyah Ayu Pusparani increasingly panicked. He also urged his father to thwart the efforts of Lembu Sura to make a well.

“Dad! What are we supposed to do? The Princess does not want to marry the Cow Sura,” complained the Princess confusedly.

Prabu Brawijaya did not want to disappoint his favorite daughter for the second time. After thinking hard, he finally found a way to finish off the life of Lembu Sura.

“Supervisor! Pile up that well with earth and big rocks!” prabu Brawijaya.

None of the guards dared to argue. They immediately carried out the orders of their king. The cows of Sura who were inside the well were screaming for help.

“Tolooong...! Tolooong...! Don't stack me in this well!” the screams of Lemu Sura.

The guards paid no heed to the cry of the Ox of Sound. They continued to stockpile the well with soil and rocks. In an instant, the Sura Ox was already buried within the well. However, his voice was still heard from inside the well. Lembu Sura made an oath to Prabu Brawijaya and all the people of Kediri because of heartache.

“Yoh, Kediri mbesuk will pethuk piwalesku sing making kaping yaitu Kediri will dadi kali, Blitar dadi tempat, Tulungagung will dadi Kedung".

(O you Kediri people, one day I will get a very great reward. Kediri will become a river, Blitar will become land, and Tulungagung become a deep water area).

In his vow, Lembu Sura promised that every two windmen[1] once he would damage the entire territory of the kingdom of Prabu Brawijaya. Hearing the threat, Prabu Brawijaya and all his people became frightened. Various efforts were made to counteract the oath of the Sura Ox. He ordered his guards to build a sturdy security embankment (now turned into a mountain called Mount Pegat) and held a salvation called the larung sesaji. However, the oath of Lembu Sura still occurs. Every time Mount Kelud erupts, the local community considers it a rage of Lembu Sura as revenge for the actions of Prabu Brawijaya and his daughter.