Ajisaka - The Legend from Java Island

Ajisaka

(The Legend from Java Island, Indonesia)

Once upon a time, there was a young man named Ajisaka. He had two followers, Dora and Sembada. They sailed from their country, Hindustan. They used sailing boat and went south. Ajisaka had heard a beautiful island named Jawa Dwipa. Jawa Dwipa was a rich island. He was so interested with this island.

Unfortunately, the weather was bad. There was also a storm and their boat was crashed. After a few months was floating in the sea, their boat was finally canst on the island named Majeti.

“There were no people in this island, it was so quiet,” said Ajisaka.

“What is the name of the island, master?” asked Dora.

“Well, I don’t know. We haven’t meet some one yet. So we can’t asked about the name of this island,” replied Ajisaka.

“Why don’t we give name of this island, master” Sembada gave advice.

“Yes, I will give name for this island, the name is Majeti island,” said Ajisaka.

They took some relax and repaired the crashed boat, when the boat was ready, the went away. But, unfortunately Sembada was sick, so he was left in the island.

When they started their journey, Ajisaka told something to Sembada, without Dora’s knowing, Ajisaka give him magic dagger.

“Sembada, please bring this dagger to protect yourself. When I arrived in Jawa Dwipa, I will be back here to pick  you up. Remember, don’t give this dagger to anybody, except me,” said Ajisaka.

“Yes, master. I will remember that,” replied Sembada.

After that, Ajisaka and Dora left Majeti island. The boat dock to Jawa Dwipa island. After got off from the island, Ajisaka and Dora visited a house, owned by an old widow.

“What is the name of this village, Nyai ?” asked Ajisaka.

“It is Sengkeran village,” said the old widow.

“And the country?” asked Ajisaka again.

“Medang!” said her.

The woman was called as Nyai Sengkeran by Ajisaka. Nyai Sengkeran felt happy with Ajisaka and Dora’s coming. She lived alone. She regarded the two men as his own son.

Ajisaka helped Nyai Sengkeran worked in her ricefield. Ajisaka was a good and well-mannered the man. All of the villagers liked him.

“It is really a nice village. I liked to live here. And, the villagers is so friendly,” Ajisaka said to one of the villagers. 

“Yes, it is. But, the villagers always feel afraid and worried,” replied the villagers.

“Why they feel afraid?” asked Ajisaka.

“Well, the King of Medang is very cruel,” answered Nyai Sengkeran.

“Really, what he had done to the villager?” asked Ajisaka.

“He always asks for the villager to be his meal. It is very scary. We are always worried to wait when is our turn to be his meal,” said the villager sadly.

“He’s really a cruel King, this I s terrible,” said Ajisaka.

Ajisaka wanted to meet and knew the King Dewata Cengkar.

“I want to meet King Dewata Cengkar and become his follower,” said Ajisaka.

The villagers and Nyai Sengkeran warned Ajisaka that what he want to do was a really dangerous thing. But Ajisaka still wanted to do his plan. He wanted to be close to Dewata Cengkar, and some day he would beat the King, so the villagers didn’t feel afraid anymore.

One day, several commanders of the Medang Kingdom visited Sengkeran village. The villagers felt so afraid. If the commanders visited the village, it meant that there would be one of the villager who became Prabu Dewata Cengkar’s meal. Ajisaka comforted the villagers. He instructed the villagers to stay at Nyai Sengkeran’s  house.

When the commanders saw Ajisaka, they arrested Ajisaka.

They wanted to bring Ajisaka to the palace and became Prabu Dewata Cengkar’s meal.

And then Ajisaka was brought to the palace. All of the villagers felt sad. But, Dora comforted her. He said that the villagers no need to be worried, because Ajisaka was a strong man and had a great supernatural power.

Prabu Dewata Cengkar was a giant. His body was huge and scary. His face was ugly. But Ajisaka didn’t feel afraid of him. When Prabu Dewata Cengkar asked Ajisaka to be his meal, Ajisaka proposed a requirement.

“before you eat me, can I ask one thing?” asked Ajisaka.

“what do you want? just say it!!!” scolded Dewata Cengkar. His voice was like a thunder.

“I just want to ask a piece of land as wide as my turban!!” Ajisaka showed his turban.

Dewata Cengkar agreed with Ajisaka’s requirement. Ajisaka asked Dewata Cengkar did what Ajisaka’s said.

But, there was a miracle. When the turban was pulled, it seemed longer and longer. Prabu Dewata Cengkar kept going back to pull Ajisaka’s turban. Miraculously, Ajisaka’s turban was getting longer and longer. Prabu Dewata Cengkar finally arrived on the edge of south sea which was really sheer, Ajisaka pulled out the turban until Prabu Dewata Cengkar fell into the sea. After that, Dewata Cengkar transformed himself into a white crocodile.

After a battle between Ajisaka and Dewata Cengkar, which finally was won by Ajisaka, the citizen of Medang Kingdom felt secure from fear. They admired Ajisaka as their hero, Ajisaka event was crowned as the new King of Medang Kingdom.

Unfortunately, he had no weapon. As a King, he must have a weapon. He remembered about the dagger in Majeti island. Ajisaka instructed Dora to take the dagger. Dora obeyed what Ajisaka instructed.

And then Dora went to Majeti island. At Majeti island Dora met Sembada and told what Ajisaka was said. Dora asked for the dagger. But Sembada refused it. Sembada also said that Ajisaka told him not to give the dagger to anyone except Ajisaka himself. That’s why Sembada refused to give the dagger to Dora.

They argued their opinion. Both of them actually was right, because both were carried on what their leader said. Finally, they fought to defend their opinion. Both of them was powerful. They killed each other. Then both of them were dead.

Meanwhile, Ajisaka felt that there was something happened. And it was a bad instinct. He finally went to Majeti island to see what happened. He was so shocked when he saw both of his followers were dead. He regretted what happened. To give a honour to Dora and Sembada, he carved Javanese letter in a stone.

The letters are : ha na ca ra ka  da ta sa wa la pa dha ja ya nya ma ga ba tha nga.

ha na ca ra ka             : There were two messengers.

da ta sa wa la              : They fought

pa dha ja ya nya          : Both of them were strong

ma ga ba tha nga        : They were dead