A Balinese Folktale: Kaki Tua

Sunday, July 1st, 2007 by Sidarta Wijaya

Kaki Tua (old man) had a fine fat cow which he was very proud of. He refused to lend her when the village wanted to borrow her for the work in the rice fields. One day, the cow strayed into the garden of Bedag, and began eating up his plants. He tried to kill her but he only succeeded in wounding her. The villagers heard of it, and again asked Kaki tua to lend his cow, just to tease him. This time he consented and went to look for her, but she was nowhere to be found. The people said they heard a great thud in Bedag garden; perhaps it was the cow falling down. And sure enough, Kaki Tua did find the cow lying there wounded. He asked the people to help him, and after three tries they managed to get her on her feet. Then they said a charm over her, and this was the song they sand as the charm:

Tinkle-tinkle goes Samplangan’s bell, all set with rubies.
Here comes Ida Bagus Nyoman and sits cross-legged.
The white horse goes trot-trot along the beach.

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