A Balinese Folktale: Basur

Published 8 months, 1 week ago in Tale by Sidarta Wijaya | 396 Views

Nyoman Karang had two beautiful daughters whom he wanted to marry. The elder, Sokasati, was promised to her cousin Tirta, with whom she was very much in love. But Tirta does not want to marry. He has been studying abroad and acquired all sort of learning. He can read and write, and is expert in lore of propitious days. He has learned to be inwardly pure; he wants to become wizard and help the mankind rather than to marry a wife. Besides if he is learned, he will have no need to seek a wife; she will come to him of herself. His father is hard to convince. He thrashed his unpractical son severely, but at last consented to believe in him if he can explain two magic syllables which rule the world. This is beyond Tirta, so he consented to marry Sokasati.

Now, Basur, a magician who is also related to Nyoman Karang, has set his heart in getting sokasati for his own crazy so Tigaron. Nyoman Karang, though terrified of Basur, refused to give Sokasati away against her will, and Basur, infuriated, tried to stir up his son to fight Tirta, but Tigaron though amorous is disinclined to fight anyone.

One night, Basur stole Sokasati from a pavilion where she was sleeping with her servant maid while Tirta was away hunting. Basur gave her to his son, Tigaron tried to make love to her but is badly received; he was about to take her by force when Tirta returned, fought him, and recovered Sokasati. Knowing the failure of his son, Basur was in fury, he used his black magic and changed his shape into a crow and carried diseases to Sokasati’s window. She fell dangerously ill and at last was at the point of death. A witch-doctor was called, who discovered the cause of her illness and engaged in a great magic duel with Basur. With all his magical power, Basur assumed the form of Rangda and killed the witch-doctor. Another more powerful witch-doctor is summoned who succeeded in defeating Basur and healed Sokasati

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