Dozens of fancy cars, a grand mansion or two with millions of dollar in your bank account just dust in your mouth when you do not have any cattle, in Botswana how wealthy you are is determine by the number of cattle you have, of course the wealthiest person owns more cattle than everyone else. In Sumba, the horses do the talk while in Bali it is the children.

Of course, the number of the children does not have anything to do with how wealthy a person is. Two children is excellent especially when there is a son or two, three children are fine but for the fourth one you have to take your financial capability into consideration. So why a child is considered a great wealth in Bali?

In this case, first let us hear what a Balinese who does not have any children use to say: “When I meet my friends the first think they ask is not ‘how many car or how many house do you have?’ but ‘how many child do you have?’ or ‘how is your child’ or ‘how is your child?’, so what the use of having so many cars or houses”.

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Cupak and Grantang were two siblings with closely different characters. When Grantang was expelled by his father, Cupak came after his brother then followed him wherever he went to.

One day, they came in an unknown land, named Kediri. Kediri was as quiet as graveyard at that time. They were told that people were scared of I Menaru. I Menaru was a giant that stole the princess. Then those two siblings decided to help the princess, though Cupak was scared.

Grantang and I Menaru involved in a violent battle inside the deep big hole while Cupak was waiting out side. Grantang succeed in killing I Menaru however he needed Cupak’s help to get he and the princess out.

Cupak only helped the princess and let his brother inside the hole. Then Cupak brought the princess and told the people about his victory. Because of his bogus story that said he had saved the princess and killed the giant, the King thanked him by giving him the throne.

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Bali has many folktales. A several days ago you have read a romantic story entitled “Jayaprana and Layonsari”. Now I will present you a story about two brothers who had different attitude and appearance, “Cupak and Grantang”. This is one of many interesting stories, which are often used as a material of Balinese story telling competition. As for “Cupak and Grantang” this story even inspired a Balinese musician (XXX band) to create a song titled “Cupak and Grantang”. Without further ado, here is the tale:

Cupak and Grantang were two siblings but they had different appearance and attitude. Cupak, the elder was fat, had sideburns, his hair was mess, with a big pot-belly, he loved to eat; a sneaky and bad young man. He was totally different with his brother named Grantang. Grantang was a handsome young man, every woman who saw him would adore him, he had good attitude.

One day, their parent commanded them to work in the farm. Grantang did what he should do like plowing the soil, planting, and cleaning the farm from rice weeds. But what did Cupak do? He played and went around looking for something to eat. Then, when dusk came he came back to the farm.

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On Friday, April 11th 2008, the royal cremation ceremony of the late Dr. Anak Agung Made Djelantik will be held at the royal palace of Karangasem, rescheduled from the initial plan in which the cremation ceremony will be held in August 2008. Dr Anak Agung Made Djelantik passed away on the eve of Sept. 5, 2007 and had been cremated with modest kingsan ring geni (bequeathal to fire) ceremony without the actual cremation ceremony.
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English has Romeo and Juliet to be proud of as a spectacular literary work. Chinese has Sampik Ing-Tai that shows world community that they also have a great romantic story. And Balinese answer for a romantic story is none other than Jayaprana and Layonsari.

Once upon a time, many years ago, there was a family consisted parents and their 4 children. They lived in Kalianget village, North Bali. One day deadly disaster attacked the village. The members of that family dead except the third younger child, named Jayaprana.

He became a motherless and fatherless child. Nonetheless, the King took him to the palace and let him lived at there. Year after year he grew to be a handsome young man. The king forced him to get married soon. One or two force did not change Jayaprana’s mind to realize the king desire. But, after the King forced him so many times he could not avoid it again.

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There was once a youngster by the name of Rare Anggon. His daily duty was to graze the cows belonging to his parents. He, with friends of is age, always went to the fields not far from the village to graze the family cattle.

Rare Anggon liked to draw pictures of puppet figures on the ground, and his friends knew that he was very talented in this art. One day he drew a picture of a young women. As the picture was very pretty he did not want to wipe it out. He left it on the ground so that everybody could see it. He named the picture Lubang Kuri. All his friends were amazed at the beauty of the women in the drawing.

It was told that the king happened to pass the fields where the boys grazed their cows. He saw the drawing and was attracted by the beauty of the women in it. He asked the boys who had made it. One of the boys answered that it was made by Rare Anggon. The king summoned him and asked: “Did you make the drawing?” “Yes, Your Majesty,” Rare Anggon answered. “Where have you seen this women?” the King asked again. “I have never seen her, Your Majesty. It came out of my imagination.” Was the response of Rare Anggon, the king did not believe Rare Anggon and ordered him to find the woman.

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