Note 257 — Chapter X

According to the traditions of the Sunda people, these two brothers, Chiong Wanara and Raden Tanduran, were descended from a prince of Galu, and their empires were divided by the river of Brebes, thence called Chi Pamali, or the River of Prohibition.

"Raja Galu, otherwise known by the name of Raja Pamakás, and whose country was called Bajong Galu, had two sons, named Raden Aria Bang'a and Tanduran. There was a pestilence in those days, which, carrying off great numbers of the inhabitants, caused the prince to be much afflicted in his mind; whereupon, sending for his patéh (or minister), he thus addressed him: 'Go thou to Bukit Padang, and call one there named Si Ajar, failing not to bring him along with thee, as it may perhaps be in his power to administer relief to my distressed and suffering subjects.' The patéh immediately took leave of his Sovereign, and repaired forthwith to Bukit Padang to summon Si Ajar, who soon after appeared before the Raja, presenting him with some herbs which he had brought for that purpose. When Si Ajar had seated himself in the usual manner before the monarch, the latter thus addressed him: 'Ajar, a great pestilence at present rages in the country, and makes great havock amongst my subjects; it is therefore that I have sent for thee, in hopes that thou mayest be able to put a stop to the mortality which now prevails.' Ajar immediately replied, 'O Raja, it is my opinion, that he to whom the country belongs is the proper person to do what is requisite for the good of it and its inhabitants.' When the Raja heard these words, he was exceedingly wroth; so much so, that he was on the point of putting Ajar to instant death, when the latter thus addressed him; 'Prince! if you are determined to kill me, I resign my life, but depend upon it you will be made to answer for it, and that by your own son.' Si Ajar then returned to Bukit Padang, wherupon Raja Galu thus spoke to his patéh: 'Repair instantly to Bukit Padang, and put Si Ajar to death; let him not longer live.' The patéh accordingly went, and having executed the Raja's orders, returned and reported the circumstance to his prince, who felt much joy on the occasion. Shortly after this the Raja's concubine became pregnant, and when her time was come she was delivered of a son, whose features were exquisitely beautiful. When the prince was informed of this, he desired the child might be brought to him. The prince no sooner cast his eyes upon it, than he thought of the words of Si Ajar; upon which he administered a dose of poison to the child, which however did not cause its death. He then told his patéh to take the child, and having put it in a basket, to send it floating down the river. The patéh took the child, and having disposed of it as he was ordered, returned and made his master very happy by the report of what he had done. The basket in which the child was turned adrift on the river Chitandui being stopped by some stakes placed there by a fisherman, named Ke Balangantrang, it was picked up and carried home by him. He was highly pleased with the child, and adopted it, and gave it the name of Ke Jakah, and cherished it till it arrived at the age of manhood. Ke Jakah then invited his reputed father to accompany him to Bajong Galu. They had nearly got half way, when Ke Jakah looked up and saw a bird fly past. He asked Ke Balangantrang what might be the name of that bird? and was told that it was called chiong (the black minor of India). Ke Jakah then saw a form like that of a human being, and inquiring what it was, he was told that it was a wanara (monkey). Ke Jakah then exclaimed, 'if such is the case, then must my name be Chiong Wanara.'

"After this the travellers prosecuted their journey, and in due time arrived at Bajong Galu, where they went to the house of a relation of Ke Balangantrang, named Ke Haziali, the chief of all the blacksmiths. Chiong Wanara was then delivered over by Ke Balangantrang to Ke Haziali, who treated him as his own son, and instructed him in the art, in which he soon became eminent.

"Chiang Wanara had not been long in this new situation, before Raja Galu, hearing of the circumstance, sent for and begged him of the head blacksmith. The Raja in time owned him for his own son, and was so delighted when he first beheld him, that he sent for his son, Raden Aria Bang'a, and desired him to take every care of his newly-found brother.

"A short time after this, Chiong Wanara went to his royal father, and asked him to give him some hereditary property. When the Raja heard this, he immediately addressed Chiong Wanara thus:​—'My son, the whole of my property I have bestowed on thy eldest brother, and nothing is left except the head blacksmith, whom thou hadst better accept of.' Raden Chiong Wanara said he would take him with much pleasure.

"Soon after the head blacksmith came into his possession, Raden Chiong Wanara went again to his father, and solicited permission (which was granted to him) to construct an iron cage of very great strength, and of the most exquisite workmanship. Chiong Wanara then gave orders to his head blacksmith to have this cage made, and all the blacksmiths in the kingdom having been set about it, it was very soon finished, and had all the strength and beauty that was intended and wished for. Carpets and cushions, such as princes are accustomed to recline on, were spread within it. Chiong Wanara then went and acquainted Raja Galu that it was completed. When the Raja saw it, he was greatly pleased, and being entreated by Chiong Wanara to enter and examine whether or not there might be still something wanting to render it more complete; without suspecting any treachery, he did as he was requested. No sooner was he fairly in, than Chiong Wanara closed and locked the door, saying, at the same time to Raja Galu, 'Now is fulfilled the prediction of Ajar of Bukit Padang, whom you caused to be unjustly put to death.' The Raja answered from within the cage, 'I submit to this just judgment.'

"When Raden Aria Bang'a saw his father shut up in the cage, he could not contain his rage against Chiong Wanara, and a quarrel between the two brothers ensued.

"Raja Galu perceiving this, immediately exclaimed, 'For shame! that two brothers should thus fight with each other; such conduct is strictly forbidden by the elders of the people.'

"Without paying any regard to the words or admonition of Raja Galu, the two brothers engaged in single combat, stabbing, pushing, and striking each other in turn. Both parties being of equal strength, they continued fighting all the way from the place above described until they got far to the eastward, when finding themselves fatigued, they suspended the conflict under a certain tree. Chiong Wanara forthwith asked his brother what the name of the tree was under which they were: Aria Bang'a answered, it is called mája. They then took one of the fruit, and having split it in two, each took a part. That which Aria Bang'a ate was sweet, but that which Chiong Wanara ate was on the contrary very bitter (pait); so Chiong Wanara called the place Majapait, or as more generally pronounced, Majapahit.

"The combat was then renewed with the same vigour as before, and they continued fighting towards the westward, until they came to a row of trees (jajar), where they halted. On being asked by his brother the name of those trees, Chiong Wanara answered paku: Raden Aria Bang'a then said, 'the name of the place must be Pakuan Pa-jajar-an.'

"The two brothers then recommenced fighting, till they came to a river of Brebes, where being both much fatigued, they rested by the side of it and drank of its water.

"Raden Aria Bang'a then said: 'It was declared by our father to be wrong for brothers to fight with each other, it is also contrary to ancient usage, let us therefore put an end to this forbidden contest, and let us call this river Chi Pamali' (that is to say, the river of prohibition). The river Brebes thus obtained the name of Chi Pamali.

"Raden Aria Bang'a then said to his brother: 'do thou go to Pakuan Pajajaran while I go to Majapahit.' They accordingly separated, Raden Aria Bang'a proceeding to Majapahit, and Chiong Wanara returning to Bajong Galu, for the purpose of visiting his father in the cage.

"When Chiong Wanara arrived at Bajong Galu, and found the cage empty, his astonishment was very great. He then addressed himself to one of his people, named Ke Jampang, and asked what was become of Raja Galu. Ke Jampang replied, 'he went out of the cage of himself, without the assistance of any one, and has returned to his usual place of residence at Surga Luka, where he now is, having assumed the name and title of Guru Putra Hinga Baya.'

"When Chiong Wanara heard all this he thought he might as well throw away the empty cage, which he accordingly did, on the beach of the south coast, from whence the place is called Tana Kandang Wesi, or the land of the Iron Cage.

"Chiong Wanara forthwith invited Ke Jampang to accompany him to Surga Luka, in search of his father, Guru Putra Hinga Baya.

"In a short time they arrived at Surga Luka, and Chiong Wanara surrendered himself, entreating his father's forgiveness for what had passed. Guru Putra then said, 'to a certainty there must be two kingdoms on the island of Java, of which the (intermediate) boundary will be the river Pamali. The kingdom of Raden Tanduran will be to the eastward, and shall be called Majapahit; that of Chiong Wanara will be to the westward, and shall be called Pakuan Pajajaran: the latter kingdom will cease first (tunda dahulu.') Whence the people under Chiong Wanara were called Orang Sunda, and their language Sunda.

"Guru Putra then gave Chiong Wanara a black monkey-skin jacket, which the latter forthwith put on, and immediately became in appearance like that animal. He at the same time gave him the name of Guru Minda-sida tanda Prabu lutung Kasarong, and furnished him with some rice-seed, and appointed Ke Jampang to be his follower.

"Guru Minda and Ke Jampang then took their departure: and when they came to a place not far from Bajong Galu they set out about sowing their rice-seed, distributing it among all the poor people of the place for that purpose.

"Pandi Chacha Domas and all the Peng'gawas, as well as all the people of Bajong Galu, who were attached to Chiong Wanara at the time he went to see Guru Putra Hinga Baya of Surga Luka, being without a sovereign, went all of them to the eastward, to reside in the country of Majapahit.

"When Prabu Lutung Kasarong had given orders for the sowing of the rice, he and his follower, Ke Jampang, proceeded to a place on the south sea coast, called Kedu Pondok, where Ke Jampang being left to settle, the place took its name from him, and was ever after called Chutak Jampang.

"After Prabu Lutung Kasarong had left Ke Jampang at Kedu Pondok he went through the woods, till coming near Pakuan Pajajaran he found a very large tree, called pundi, situated on the banks of the river Chili-wong. He remained under it to rest himself, and gave the place the name of Kampung Pundi.

"Kuwu Mangkubumbi, of Jambadipa, in the district of Jelebud, had several children, all of them females. The youngest was called Purba Sari, and was established in the interior, near the tree called gadug, from which the kampung so called took its name.

"Having placed his youngest daughter, Purba Sari, in the interior of the country, he was desirous to send out people to shoot birds with a pellet, and accordingly created and appointed one a pellet-shooter, who went regularly every day to shoot, agreeably to the order of Kuwu Mangkubumi. One day the pellet-shooter came to the large pundi tree, and observing on it what he supposed to be a large black monkey, he wished to shoot it, whereupon Prabu Lutung Kasarong, whom he mistook for the monkey, thus addressed him: 'Don't shoot at me; you had better go home and tell your master to come here to me himself.' When the pellet-shooter perceived that the black monkey was gifted with speech he stood aghast and astonished beyond measure, and returned immediately to his master to acquaint him with the circumstance.

"Kuwu Mangubumi, together with the pellet-shooter, then repaired to the great pundi tree. On his arrival there he called to Prabu Lutung Kasarong, who was upon it. No sooner did the latter hear the summons, than he descended and talked with the Kuwu, who then took him home with him, highly delighted at being possessed of so extraordinary and accomplished a creature. In the course of a short time he wished to present him to his eldest daughter, and on her refusing to accept of him he offered him to a younger one, but neither would receive Prabu Lutung Kasarong.

"He then gave him to the youngest of all, named Niái Purba Sari, who accepted of him with great pleasure.

"In the course of time, Niai Purba Sari built a house at Wangun, and the place was afterwards called Kampung Wangun. He then planted some tagur trees, from which the place received the name of Kampung Tagur. After this, Prabu Lutung Kasarong caused Niai Purba Sari to remove from the gaduga tree to Kampung Wangun.

"When Niai Purba Sari became Prabu Lutung's wife, he laid aside the black monkey's skin with which he was clothed, and immediately resumed his former and usual beautiful appearance.

"He afterwards received the name of Niang Galarang, and established himself at Pakuan Pajajaran, where the Batutulis (inscribed stone) now is, and which was the seat of government of the Maha Raja Prabu Niang Galarang. After this his wife became pregnant, and Prabu Niang Galarang left Pakuan Pajajaran to the care of his Peng'gawas, or ministers of state, and went to Bukit Padang, where he became a Pandita.

"When the time was come, Niai Purba Sari brought forth a son of the most exquisitely beautiful features, to whom she gave the name Silawang'i.

"When Silawang'i grew up, he removed from Pakuan Pajajaran to Sumedang Larang, where he was soon afterwards married; first to Niai Raden Raja Mantu, and then to the daughter of the Peng'gawa of that place, so that he had many wives. He at the same time received the title of Baginda Maha Raja Prabu Silawang'i.

"Prabu Lutung Kasarong had afterwards two other sons, the elder named Ke Glap Nyawang, the younger, Ke Kedang Panjang, both of whom were strong and well made; and when they grew up they went with their father to Sumedang Larang, where they all remained with Prabu Silawang'i.

"Prabu Silawang'i, when he had got a number of wives and peng'gawas, returned to Pakuan Pajajaran, bringing them all with him, as also his two sons, and his man Ke Jampang, who was then called Purwa Kala. In returning to Pakuan Pajajaran, Prabu Silawang'i first went to a place on the south coast, called Nusa Kambangan, and there embarking in a vessel with all his family, he sailed westward, till they came to the anchoring place, to which was given the name of Palabuan Ratu (Wyn Coops Bay), and having disembarked, they all proceeded to Pakuan Pajajáran.

"On his arrival there, Prabu Silawang'i established himself as Raja, and having assembled all the Mantris, Peng'gawas, and other chiefs and officers, together with all the military forces, he caused great rejoicings to be made on the occasion, and each day and night every kind of play was performed to amuse him. Pakuan Pajajaran was crowded with the happy and delighted multitude, and so great and powerful did Prabu Silawang'i become at that time, that all the princes from the river Chi Pamali beyond Java Head (in Bantam) on the west, submitted to him and were subject to Pakuan Pajajaran.

"Prabu Silawang'i then built without the kraton (or palace) a hall of audience (paseban), which was styled Sasaka Domas, or the hall of eight hundred pillars; and in the interior of the kraton another, called Rarawis Kanchana (or that of golden flowers). This was where the Batutulis now is."

The tradition goes on to relate, that Prabu Silawang'i had one hundred and fifty wives, and that his sons-in-law, of whom there were also one hundred and fifty, were made great public officers.

In the course of a little time one of his highness's wives, named Niai Mantri Manek Mayang Sunda, the sister of Ke Marugal Sang Mantri Ayung, became pregnant, and in due time brought forth a beautiful boy, who was called by his father Raden Guru Gatangan, and who was made Raja Muda of Pakuan Pajajaran, with the name and title of Prabu Guru Gantangan.

Both father and son continued as Raja Tuah and Raja Muda to live in the kraton of Pakuan Pajajaran, happy and on good terms with each other; the management and direction of the state being entirely vested in the hands of the Raja Muda.