A Balinese Folktale: Rengganis

Rengganis, the daughter of Begawan Arab, went to the garden of Sri jayengrana, King of Mekah, to eat the sweet-smelling flowers. For she was a goddess, and only fed on the juice of flowers; rice was too coarse for her. Repatmaja, the king’s son, also went to the garden and found it scattered with flower petals and rengganis picking the flowers. He had taken her prisoner, but she was so beautiful that he fell in love with her, and wanted to marry her. She, however, would only consent to become his eighth wife, and promised to provide him with the other seven. So they flew away together and came to Mokadam.

Ni Kadarmanik, the King of Mokadam’s daughter, was very desolate, because her father had promised her to a crazy prince named Irman, Rengganis, seeing her so sad, asked her if she would like to have a handsome husband in his place. “How can I tell if he is handsome,” she said, “he may even be more objectionable than Irman.” “I can show you his likeness,” said Rengganis, “I will take his shape.” She disappeared for a moment, and repatmaja who was waiting outside appeared in her place. “This is what I am like,” he said. “Will you have me for your husband?’ “Yes indeed,” she cried. “I have never seen anyone so handsome.” At that moment Rengganis came back, which proved that she had seen was no apparition, but Repatmaja himself. So they all flew away through the air with the great sorceress Rengganis.

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