The Legend of Tangkuban Perahu
The Legend of Tangkuban Perahu
Once upon a time, in West Java, there lived a wise king who had a beautiful daughter. Her name was
Dayang Sumbi. She liked weaving very much. One day, she was weaving a cloth. Suddenly, one of her tool
fell to the ground. She was very tired at the time so she was too lazy to take it. Then she just shouted outloud.
“Anybody there? Bring me my tool. I will give you special present. If you are female, I will consider
you as my sister. If you are male, I will marry you”
Suddenly a male dog named Tumang came. He brought her falling tool. Dayang Sumbi was very
surprised. She regretted her words but she could not deny it. So, she had to marry Tumang and left her father.
Then they lived in a small village. Several months later they had a son. His name was Sangkuriang. He was a
handsome and healthy boy. Sangkuriang liked hunting very much. He often went hunting to the wood using his
arrow. When he went hunting Tumang always with him.
“Sangkuriang, will you hunt for a deer today? I want to eat a deer’s heart so much.” Asked Dayang
Sumbi.
“Of course, mom. Whatever you want, I will give it for you.” Replied Sangkuriang. “Tumang, where
are you? Come on, we have to hunt for a deer.”
Then Sangkuriang went to the wood with his arrow and his faithful dog, Tumang. But after several
days in the wood Sangkuriang could not find any deer. They were all disappeared. Sangkuriang was exhausted
and desperate.
“Oh God, where can I find a deer? I don’t want to dissapoint my mom. Oh! I know,”
Sangkuriang then called Tumang and kill him. He did not know that Tumang was his father. At home
he gave Tumang’s heart to his mother.
“Sangkuriang, are you sure it’s a deer’s heart? You can’t lie to me! It is Tumang’s heart, isn’t it? Why
did you kill him?” said Dayang Sumbi full of anger. She hit Sangkuriang at his head. Sangkuriang was
wounded. There was a scar in his head. She also repelled her son. Sangkuriang left her mother in sadness.
Many years passed and Sangkuriang became a strong young man. He wandered everywhere. One
day he arrived at his own village but he did not realize it. There he met Dayang Sumbi. At the time Dayang
Sumbi was given an eternal beauty by God, so she stayed young forever. Both of them did not know each
other. So, they fell in love and then they decided to marry.
Dayang Sumbi was very shocked. She knew that Sangkuriang was his son. It was impossible for them
to marry. She told him but he did not believe her. Sangkuriang wished that they married soon. So Dayang
Sumbi gave him a very difficult condition.
“Sangkuriang, if you want to marry me. I have a condition for you. I want you to build a lake and a big
boat in one night. I need them for our honeymoon. Can you do that?”
“What! Impossible!. But, it’s okay. For you, I will do it. I can do that!”. Sangkuriang agreed.
With the help of genies and spirits, Sangkuriang tried to build them. By midnight he had finished the
lake by building a dam in Citarum river. Then he started building the boat. It was almost dawn when he nearly
finished it. Meanwhile Dayang Sumbi kept watching on them. She was very worried when she knew this. So
she made lights in the east.
“Huh? Troops, stop your work! It’s already dawn. The sun will start to rise. Quickly, go home, go
home!” said the chair of the genies. They left Sangkuriang alone.
“Sangkuriang, you can’t finish my condition. It’s mean that you can’t marry me. You know?” said
Dayang Sumbi.
“You cheated! You made the light, so that my troops go. Because of that, I could not fulfil your
condition.” Shouted Sangkuriang.
Sangkuriang was very angry. So he kicked the boat. Then the boat turned out to be Mount Tangkuban
Perahu. It means boat upside down. From a distant it looks like a boat upside down.