The Legend of Rawa Pening

Using point of view Naga Baru Klinting.

Once upon a time in old Java there was a village.  Pening was its name.  Pening was a prosperous village.  The land was fertile and the weather was always good all year round.  It was on the slope of Mount Merbabu so the climate was cool.  People made their living by cultivating rice, vegetables and fruits.  The harvest was always satisfying.  So all of them lived a happy life.  That’s why once a year they held a ceremony called ‘Bersih desa’.  It was a kind of thanks giving day.  It was a day when they express their thankfulness to God for a successful harvest.  They would clean their village and then they would pray together.  At night they would have a dinner together and held theater performances.

One day after a successful harvest they would celebrate it.  That time they wanted something special.  They wanted more meat for dinner.  So they went hunting in a wood.  Just outside of the village there was a wood where there were many animals like deer, buffalo, mouse deer, lamb and many other.  But that day there was no animal at all.  Animals were nowhere to be seen.  They had searched every inch of the wood but still their effort were in vain.  When it was almost dark, they were very tired so they took a rest.  They sat on something that look like a rock and a big root.  Everybody was silent because they were exhausted and disappointed.

Then suddenly someone chopped the big root with his sword to relief his disappointment.  Amazingly there was blood coming out of the root.  They were surprised.  Someone tried to chop it deeper.  He found meat!  So they chopped more and more.  After their bags were full of meat they were satisfied.  Then they went home happily.

That night the people of Pening were preparing a big dinner.  They wanted a special dinner with the meat they got from the wood.  Just as they were preparing dinner, I came to the village transformed as a poor boy.  I begged food to some people.  But they refused.  Someone said:

"We are preparing dinner.  You may come to our dinner tonight.  But not now".

“But I am very hungry, please”, I said.

“Just come here tonight”.

But then there was an old widow.  She was just a poor widow.  She gave me food and shelter.

“You may take a rest here.  Join us tonight for dinner”, said old widow.

“Thank you very much.  You are very kind to me.  You are the only one who helped me.  That’s why I will save you.  Tonight there will be a great event here”, I said.

“Yes, there will be a great party”, said old widow

“No, I mean something special”, said me.

“What do you mean? ”, said old widow.

“I cannot say now.  But listen to me.  Prepare a boat for you”, said me.

“Why? What will happen? ”, said old widow.

“Just do as I say”, said me.

“Please tell me what will happen?” said old widow.

“OK, you are very kind to me so I will tell you but please promise me you won’t tell anyone”, said me.

“OK, I promise", said old widow.

“I am Naga Baru Klinting.  I am a dragon. I was meditating in the slope of Mount Merbabu when your people hurt me.  They hurt me by chopping my body.  Now they are preparing dinner with meat from my body.  So I will take my revenge tonight, but I will save you.  Prepare a boat for you”, said me.

“Oh, please don’t do that.  Forgive my people”, said old widow.

“Whatever will be, will be.  Good bye”, said me.

Then I left the old widow.  Just before the dinner began at the village hall some boys were playing in the yard.  Then I came to them.

“Hi guys a have a game for you”, I said.

Then I held a small bamboo and attached it to the ground.

“If you can pull it, I will give you a special present”, I said.

“Oh, that’s very easy”, a boy said.

He tried to pull it but it was very strong so he could not pull it.  Another boy tried but he also failed.  Everybody failed.  Then this game drew adult’s attention.  One by one they tried to pull but all of them could not make it.  When many people gathered then I said.

“O people of Pening.  I am Naga Baru Klinting.  I am a dragon.  I was meditating in the slope of mount Merbabu when you chopped me.  Now I will take my revenge.  Enjoy your party”.

Then I pulled the bamboo.  Amazingly, water poured from the ground.  The water immediately flooded the village.  Finally the whole village sank under water.  They were all drowned and died in the lake.  There was only one survivor.  The poor old widow.  She had prepared a simple boat so she could survive.  Since then on the lake is called Rawa Pening.  Rawa means lake in Javanese and Indonesian language.  Today the lake is located in the province of central Java, Indonesia.

ONCE upon a time there was a wise king. He had ten beautiful daughters. His wife died a long time ago. All his daughters were named with colors.

One day, when I was a freshman in high school, I saw a kid from my class was walking home from school. His name was Kyle. It looked like he was carrying all of his books. I thought to myself, "Why would anyone bring home all his books on a Friday? He must really be a nerd." I had quite a weekend planned (parties and a football game with my friend tomorrow afternoon), so I shrugged my shoulders and went on. As I was walking, I saw a bunch of kids running toward him.They ran at him, knocking all his books out of his arms and tripping him so he landed in the dirt.

I have a friend
Who is perfect for me
She listens to all my problems
No matter how dumb they may be

She likes herself for who she is
And never tries to change
She tells me to be myself
And that I should never change

She was shy on the phone
But she would still call
And we would talk for hours
About nothing at all 

We would talk about love and life
And discuss what we wanted to be
She knew just how I felt
And how happy I could be 

She listens to me patiently
But never judges what I do or say
She helped with all my problems
And never went away 

I never once felt judged by her
How much that meant to me
That I could tell her all my dreams
And she would listen to me 

My friend never goes and tells
What is dear to me
She keeps it all bottled up inside
And doesn't spread it like a bee 

I am thankful for that friend of mine
Our friendship will never end
And she will always be there
For she is my best friend

This is for you, my best friend,
the one person i can tell my soul too
Who can relate to me like no other
Who I can laugh with to no extents,
Who I can cry too when times are tough,
Who can help me with the problems of my life. 

Never have you turned your back on me
Or told me I wasn't good enough
Or let me down 

 

Smoking in the morning, especially accompanied by a cup of coffee, has become a ritual that hard to break. However, these habits seem to need to be stopped from smoking at the beginning of the day is more dangerous than smoking on the day or night.