Once there was siap selem, the Black Hen, looking for food in the forest with her chicks. They always wandered to places under big tress where they could find lots of food; such as termites, worms, insects and others. They went out of their nest early in the morning and went back home at dusk. They had to go and return home. Black Hen knew very well the place they had to cross in the creek for the safety of her young chicks.

One day, while they were busy looking for food they did not realize that is was already late. The chicks reminded their mother that is was late and the sky was overcast. Their mother replied “Don’t worry children, nothing will happen.” “But we are worried, Mother, when the rain does come. The creek will be flooded and we won’t be able to cross,” the chicks said. Black Hen responded that they did not have to worry has there would not be any rain at all. But, alas, the rain did fall and the creek was flooded. They could not cross it in order to get back home before it really got dark. Black Hen thought for a while. She then said to her chicks, “Let’s go and see Mrs. Kuwuk, the civet cat. Maybe we can spend the night at her house.” All agreed and to Mrs. Kuwuk’s house they went.

Black Hen knocked at the door several times. Suddenly she heard an answer from within, “Who’s there knocking at my door?” “It’s me, Black Hen with my children. I cannot pass the creek because it is flooded. Can I spend the night at your house?” asked Black Hen. Again, she and her chicks had to wait for a moment before they got answer, “Oh, what an unlucky day for you. You cannot go home because of the flood.” Then the door was opened, “please come in and spent the night here with us.” Mrs. Kuwuk said to Black Hen and her children, “You can sleep in the kitchen because it’s warm.” “Thank you.” Black hen said to her. All then went to the kitchen in which it was a bit dark.

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There was once a widow named Men Bekung (Mrs. Childless). She lived at the edge of a huge jungle. She collected firewood in the jungle. It was said that she found a little child. As the child’s skin was fair and the face was round, she was given a name Bulan Kuning (Yellow Moon).

One day Bulan Kuning was taken to the jungle by her adopted mother to accompany her collecting fire wood. In the jungle Bulan Kuning was, unknowingly, separated from her mother. She was very confused and frightened. All of a sudden, she was caught by a female giant, sang Raksasi. Bulan Kuning trembled in fear, luckily, though the catcher was a giantess, Bulan Kuning was very much loved by her.

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Long time ago there was a widow who had a only daughter called Ketimun Mas (Golden Cucumber). She was a young and cute girl of about ten years of age. They lived in the western-most part of the village, close to a forest, called Dauh Yeh. There was a few neighbors who live nearby. Most of them were peasant and traders; and some raised cattle.

One day Golden Cucumber’s mother went to the market to buy food stuff as there was nothing left in the house. Before leaving she said to her daughter, “My dear Golden Cucumber, Mother will go to the market and you stay at home. Mother will buy you pancakes. Please don’t go out, stay inside in the house and lock the door. When someone come don’t open the door, except when Mother come back.”

Golden Cucumber was home alone locking herself inside the house. Suddenly a giant approached the house and called out her name in a heavy and scaring voice. “Golden Cucumber, my dear, Mama has returned home. Please open the door.” The giant spoke imitating her mother is voice. Golden Cucumber was suspicious and she knew that it was not her mother’s voice. Therefore she did not open the door. The giant waited for a long time for the door to open, and since she thought nobody was home she left.

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There are two old manuscripts of Calon Arang folktale. The first one is from Bali and the other is from Java and had been translated into Dutch by R. Ng. Purbatjaraka in Bijdr. K. I deel 82 page 110-180, and then it was sung in traditional symptom by Raden Wiradat and published by Balai Pustaka in 1931 (book series no. 942). Pramoedya Ananta Toer rewrote this folk tale in Javanese version which was written in 1462 of Caka Lunar Calendar and some other folk tales in order to save the existence of the folk tale itself which begins to disappear.

Calon Arang performance on The Annual Bali Arts Festival 2006

In the book of Pramoedya entitle ‘Cerita Calon Arang’ – the Story of Calon Arang, mentioned that Mpu Baradah, a great priest who defeated Calon Arang has a daughter named ‘Wedawati’, Weda is the Hindu’s Bible and Wati is an address for a girl or woman. So, ‘Wedawati’ is the girl who learns Weda. In his writing on Calon Arang he made some characters have same proportion; it seems that there are many central characters inside. They are: Calon Arang, King Airlangga, Mpu Baradah, and Wedawati. In the Balinese version Wedawati is not mentioned but Ratna Manggali, the daughter of Calon Arang is told more.

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Once upon a time there was a man named I Tundung. Because he was very poor, he had no place to live. He wandered from one place to another. As for food, he depended upon the mercy of the people in the neighborhood.

One day after having walked for some time he arrived at a village called Tenganan. He was starving since he had not eaten anything from early morning. He walked slowly until he arrived at a house. The house belonged to the village’s chief, Jero Pasek Tenganan. He then asked: Who are you and where do you come from?” I Tundung answered: “My name is I Tundung, I have no place to live. I move from one place to another and get my food from the people.”

Jero Pasek Tenganan was moved by what the man said. He then provided him with some food and drink after having eaten the food I Tundung then said: “Jero Pasek, if you do not mind starting from now on I would like to serve you.” Without giving much thought Jero Pasek accepted the offer. “All right Tundung, you can stay in my house.” From then on I Tundung served Jero Pasek. He was very diligent and honest. This pleased Jero Pasek so much.

One day, Jero Pasek summoned I Tundung. “Tundung, I am very pleased with what you have shown. You are very diligent. I want you to farm the land at the East Hill. Now the land is neglected. Nobody is there to farm it.” I Tundung listened attentively to what Jero Pasek said. As he wanted to have work to do, he then said: “All right, Jero Pasek, I will do my best.”

Soon I Tundung moved to the land at East Hill. There he built himself a hut. He toiled the land for the crops. In the end his hard work was fruitful. The crops were abundant. Jero Pasek was munch impressed by I Tundung’s effort. But, alas, a disaster then crept. The yields of the crops were stolen. This had made Jero Pasek disappointed. “Tundung, there have been thefts lately. You might have become frustated because of these.” I Tundung responded: “Please forgive me, Jero Pasek. I do not want to leave the job you have trusted to me just because of the thefts.” I Tundung kept watch day and and night, but he could not stop the thefts. Jero Pasek was in despair and I Tundung knew about it. He felt ashamed of himself.

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When I was a child, my mother, my grandmother or sometimes my father told me bedtime stories occasionally. The stories were Balinese traditional folktales with their cheeky monkey or greedy dog, arrogant king or funny attendant; which were ready to put me into sound sleep. The traditional Balinese folktales range from local tales to fables which are taken from Tantri story, transferred from older generation to the younger one every night before the young soundly asleep.

Unfortunately the process of transferring the folktales comes to a halt nowadays. Most of Balinese parents no longer tell the bedtime stories to their children, only few Balinese parents keep this practice. With the rapid spread of Television, VCD or DVD players, children get their new tales from these devices, whether they are cartoon or Hollywood movies. And the parents are quite busy with Telenovela, Chinese Kung Fu, Bollywood or Hollywood cinemas, not to mention multitude Indonesian Sinetrons broadcast from early in afternoon until late at night.

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