The Story of Santa Claus

Once upon a time a man called Nicholas lived in Patara, a town in the East. Because he was very fond of children and was kind and generous to them, they came to think of him as their dear friend and their beloved saint. So it was that after a time the wonderful things he did were woven into a beautiful legend. You know that Santa means Saint and Claus stands for Nicholas, and that is how he came to be known as Santa Claus.

In Santa Claus's own town, Patara, lived a great lord who had three daughters. He was very poor, so poor that one day he was on the point of sending his daughters out to beg for food from his neighbors. But it happened that Saint Nicholas not long before had come into a fortune, and as he loved giving to those in need, he no sooner heard of the trouble the poor lord was in than he made up his mind to help him secretly. So he went to the nobleman's house at night, and as the moon shone out from behind a cloud, he saw an open window into which he threw a bag of gold, and with this timely gift the father was able to provide for his eldest daughter so that she could be married. On another night Santa Claus set off with another bag of gold, and threw it in at the window, so the second daughter was provided for. But by this time, the father had grown eager to discover who the mysterious visitor could be, and next night he kept on the lookout. Then for the third time Santa Claus came with a bag of gold upon his back and itched it in at the window. The old lord at once recognized his fellow townsman, and falling on his knees, cried out "Oh! Nicholas, servant of God, why seek to hide yourself?"
Is it not wonderful to think that this was so long ago, sixteen hundred years, yet we still look for the secret coming of Santa Claus with his Christmas gifts? At first he was said to come on his own birthday, which is early in December, but after awhile, as was very natural with Christmas so near, the night of his coming was moved on in the calendar, and now we hang up our stockings to receive his gifts on Christmas Eve. In some countries children still put their shoes by the fireside on his birthday. In others they say it is the Christ-Kindlein or Christ Child who brings the gifts at Christmastime. But it is always a surprise visit, and though it has happened so many hundreds or times, the hanging up of the Christmas stocking is still as great a delight as ever.

Legend Of Danau Toba

There was a poor fisherman lived nearby the river in North Kalimantan. He went fishing early every morning and always returned to his home at night time. One day, he set up his net and caught a big golden fish. He fell in love with the beauty of the fish that he decided not to kill the fish, and made it as a pet instead. So, he took the fish home, cleaned a fish tank and put it in his humble kitchen.

Starting that day, things changed slowly. Every morning the fisherman went out for fishing, no matter how he left his home in a mess, when he returned home, the house would be tidy again. Furthermore, there was always delicious food served on his dining table. The fisherman never knew how it happened, and where the food came from, and who prepared them for him. It brought enormous curiosity to him that he decided to search for the truth.

That morning, he went out as usual, but right when he set out his feet outside, quickly and quietly, he made a turn back to his house. Hiding behind his own window, he took a peep of what happen in the house soon after he left it. Suddenly from inside the kitchen, he could see a bright light shining, and soon after the light disappeared, he could see the fish tank was empty, and a beautiful lady was standing inside his kitchen. The lady quickly got some vegetables and did some cooking. She even cleaned the whole house, sweeping and washing the fisherman's clothes. The fisherman fell in love at the first sight. Before the lady could runaway, the fisherman grabbed her hand and proposed to marry her.

At first, the lady refused for she was just a fish rescued by him. Her deed was a grateful act to repay the fisherman's kindness for not killing her. But since the fisherman time and again persuaded her to marry him, the lady could not refuse him. She agreed to become the fisherman's wife with one condition, that the fisherman promised not to tell anyone - not even his own family - that she was just a fish. The fisherman promised her.

Years went by, the fisherman lived happily with his wife, and changed his work and became a farmer. His wife soon became pregnant and delivered a baby girl that they named "Samosir". Samosir grew up into a pretty girl and obedient as well. She loved to help her parents working in the house or in the farm. One morning, her mother asked her to send lunch to her father in the farm. Samosir was glad to help her mother that she immediately got the basket and headed to the farm.

It was such a long way to got to the farm, that Samosir who had not had any breakfast before, grew tired and hungry. So she stopped to eat a little food from her father's lunch to ease her hunger. Afterward, she continued her journey, however, she became hungry again and had to eat a little food again. This happened again and again till finally her father's lunch was finished. When Samosir gave the basket to her father, how angry her father was to get an empty basket.

"I'm tired working the whole day and expect you to bring some food from your mother, but you finish them all without even thinking of me. How could you? You! A daughter of a fish!" shouted her father in anger.

Samosir ran home crying and telling her mother what had happened. She even asked her mother why her father told her that she was a daughter of a fish. When the mother knew that her husband had eventually broken his promise, she was terribly sad. In tears, she packed all her daughter's clothes and asked her to runaway to the mountain, never look back, and stay there. Samosir did not understand, but she promised to obey her mother.

When the mother was sure that her daughter was safe, she whispered something and slowly she turned herself into a giant fish. The water from river was flooding her house and it came more and more and more that the whole village was flooded and finally disappeared from the earth.

From the top of the mountain, Samosir could only cry to see her village was drowned and the flood surrounded her hiding place. Since then, the place turned into a lake and we called it Lake Toba, and the island in the middle was named after the girl's name, 'Samosir Island'. We can still visit the lake now, and one of the most beautiful lakes in Sumatra island, Indonesia.

Story of Timun Mas

Long time ago in the island of Java, Indonesia, lived a couple of farmer.  They had married for some years but they had no children.  So they prayed to a monster called Buta Ijo to give them children.
Buta Ijo was a ferocious and powerful monster.  He granted their wish on one condition.  When their children had grown up, they had to sacrifice them to Buta Ijo.  He liked eating fresh meat of human being.  The farmers agreed to his condition.  Several months later the wife was pregnant.

She gave birth to a beautiful baby girl.  They named her Timun Emas.  The farmers were happy.  Timun Emas was very healthy and a very smart girl.  She was also very diligent. When she was a teenager Buta Ijo came to their house.  Timun Emas was frightened so she ran away to hide.  The farmers then told Buta Ijo that Timun Emas was still a child.  They asked him to postpone.  Buta Ijo agreed.  He promised to come again.  The following year Buta Ijo came again.  But again and again their parents said that Timun Emas was still a child. 

When the third time Buta Ijo came their parents had prepared something for him.  They gave Timun Emas several bamboo needles, seeds of cucumber, dressing and salt. 

‘Timun, take these things’

‘What are these things?’

‘These are your weapons.  Buta Ijo will chase you.  He will eat you alive.  So run as fast as you can.  And if he will catch you spread this to the ground.  Now go!’

Timun Emas was scared so she ran as quickly as she could.  When Buta Ijo arrived she was far from home.  He was very angry when he realized that his prey had left.  So he ran to chase her.  He had a sharp nose so he knew what direction his prey ran. 

Timun Emas was just a girl while Buta Ijo was a monster so he could easily catch her up.  When he was just several steps behind Timun Emas quickly spread the seeds of cucumber.  In seconds they turned into many vines of cucumber.  The exhausted Buta Ijo was very thirsty so he grabbed and ate them.  When Buta Ijo was busy eating cucumber Timun Emas could run away.

But soon Buta Ijo realized and started running again.  When he was just several steps behind Timun Emas threw her bamboo needles.   Soon they turned into dense bamboo trees. Buta Ijo found it hard to pass.  It took him some time to break the dense bamboo forest.  Meanwhile Timun Emas could run farther.

Buta Ijo chased her again.  When he almost catch her again and again Timun Emas threw her dressing.  This time it turned into a lake.  Buta Ijo was busy to save himself so Timun Emas ran way.  But Buta Ijo could overcome it and continued chasing her.

Finally when Timun Emas was almost caught she threw her salt.  Soon the land where Buta Ijo stood turned into ocean.  Buta Ijo was drowned and died instantly. 

Timun Emas was thankful to god and came back to her home.

The Legend of Keong Mas

Prince Raden Putra was married to a princess named Dewi Limaran. One day when Dewi Limaran was walking in the palace garden, she saw a snail among her lovely flowers and she had one of her servants pick it up and throw it away. The Snail was actually an old witch who had disguised herself as a snail. The witch was very angry, so she cursed Dewi Limaran and changed her into a golden snail and threw it into the river. The stream carried it far away from the palace.

On the side of a big forest, there lived a poor widow. Her living was only fishing. One day it was a particularly bad day as she didn’t catch any fish. Again and again she spread her net, but nothing got caught into it. At last she pulled up the net to go home. Suddenly she saw something shining at the bottom of it. It was only a snail. Nevertheless she picked it up and took it home. Its shell shone like gold the old woman had never seen such a snail before.

At home she put it in an earthen pot. She then went to bed and soon was fast asleep as she was very tired. The next morning when she woke up, she found to her amazement that the floor had been swept clean and there was some food on the table. She wondered who had done all this. She thought she was dreaming, but she was not. She thought and thought but could not think of anybody who could have been so generous to her.

Some days passed….…..she then got an idea. The next morning she took her basket and went out as usual, but shortly she returned to her hut and hid herself. Suddenly she heard a soft movement inside the earthen pot and saw the snail creeping out of it. It grew bigger and bigger and in a moment a lovely young girl stood where the snail had been. The empty shell fell to the ground behind her. Quickly the young girl swept the floor. Then she took rice, vegetables, meat, eggs etc. out of the pot and began cooking.

When the old woman saw all this, she noticed that it was not an ordinary snail she had caught, but a person who lived under a spell, and she knew what she had to do to break it.

She crept stealthily to the empty shell, took it, and then rushed out of the hut to throw it into the river. Now she had broken only a part of the spell, and the rest of it must still be broken before she could return to her husband.
The young girl then made herself known to the old woman.

“I shall pray to the gods that the prince might be led to his place,” said the old woman.

Many years passed by…….

The king persuaded his son to look for another bride, but at first Prince Raden Putra refused as he could not forsake his wife. In the end, however, the prince asked his father if he could go out to find a bride, but one who was a look-alike of his former wife. An old faithful servant accompanied him on his trip.

They went from town to town and from village to village until one day were travelling through a big forest and they lost their way. Finally the men came to a big river and not far from it they saw a hut. They went to it to ask for some food and drink as they were hungry, thirsty and dead tired. The old woman welcomed them warmly. Raden Putra found the meal served by the old woman excellent. She told him that her daughter had prepared it. Raden Putra then asked whether he might meet and thank her daughter. The old woman had no objections and called her daughter to come out. The young girl appeared and knelt down in front of Raden Putra with her head bent.

When Raden Putra saw her, he caught his breath in great surprise as the young girl looked exactly like his former wife princess Dewi Limaran. “You are the bride I’m looking for!” he cried out. But the girl shook her head and said that she had made a promise : when a man wanted to marry her, he had to obtain the holy gamelan ( Javanese orchestra) from heaven which could make music without being touched.

Raden Putra was willing to try and went out into the forest. He then fasted and meditated. After a hundred days the gods heard and granted his wish.

On their wedding day the holy gamelan played its heavenly music. It was so beautiful that every person who heard it felt happier than ever.

The young girl than revealed her secret, that she was Dewi Limaran herself. The music of the gamelan had broken the evil witch’s spell.

The old woman had been invited to remain in the place. Now she had everything she wanted and sorrow had left her forever.

The Cinderella Story

Once upon a time, there was a middle aged man who had a lovely and beautiful lady as his wife. They had one daughter only and her name was Cinderella, who was very dutiful to her parents. But while she was still very young, her mamma died, to the grief of her husband and daughter. After a time, the little girl’s papa married another lady. This lady was evil and haughty, and had two ugly grown-up daughters as disagreeable as herself; so the poor girl found everything at home changed for the worse.

But she bore all her troubles with patience and grace, not even complaining to her father, and, in spite of her hard toil, she grew more lovely in face and figure every year. Now the King’s son held a grand ball, and all persons of quality were invited to it. Our two young ladies were not overlooked. Nothing was now talked of but the rich dresses they were to wear.
At last the happy day arrived. The two proud sisters set off in high spirits. Cinderella followed them with her eyes until the coach was out of sight. She then began to cry bitterly. While she was sobbing, her godmother, who was a Fairy, appeared before her.

“Cinderella,” said the Fairy, “I am your godmother, and for the sake of your dear mamma I have come to cheer you up, so dry your tears beautiful one; you shall go to the grand ball tonight, but you must do what I was going to tell you. Go into the garden and bring me the biggest pumpkin you can find.” Cinderella brought the finest that was there. Her godmother scooped it out very quickly, and then struck it with her wand, upon which it was changed into a beautiful coach. Afterwards, the old lady peeped into the mouse-trap, where she found six mice. She tapped them lightly with her wand, and each mouse became a fine white horse. The rat-trap contained two large rats; one of these she turned into a coachman, and the other into a postilion. The old lady then told Cinderella to go into the garden and seek for half-a-dozen lizards. These she changed into six footmen, dressed in the grandest clothes.

When all these things had been done, the kind godmother touching her with her wand, changed her worn-out clothes into a beautiful ball-dress embroidered with pearls and silver. She then gave her a pair of glass slippers, that is, they were woven of the most delicate spun-glass, fine as the web of a spider.

When Cinderella was thus attired, her godmother made her get into her splendid coach, giving her a caution to leave the ball before the clock struck twelve.
On her arrival, her beauty struck everybody with wonder. The gallant Prince gave her a courteous welcome, and led her into the ball-room; and the King and Queen were as much enchanted with her, as the Prince conducted her to the supper-table, and was too much occupied in waiting upon her to partake of anything himself. While seated, Cinderella heard the clock strike three-quarters past eleven. She rose to leave, the Prince pressing her to accept an invitation for the ball on the following evening. On reaching home, her godmother praised her for being so punctual, and agreed to let her go to the next night’s ball.

Although she seemed to be tired, her sisters, instead of showing pity, teased her with glowing accounts of the splendid scene they had just left, and spoke particularly of the beautiful Princess. Cinderella was delighted to hear all this, and asked them the name of the Princess, but they replied, nobody knew her. So much did they say in praise of the lady, that Cinderella expressed a desire to go to the next ball to see the Princess; but this only served to bring out their dislike of poor Cinderella still more, and they would not lend her the meanest of their dresses.

The next evening the two sisters went to the ball, and Cinderella also, who was still more splendidly dressed than before. Her enjoyment was even greater than at the first ball, and she was so occupied with the Prince’s tender sayings that she was not so quick in marking the progress of time.

To her alarm she heard the clock strike twelve. She fled from the ball-room; but in a moment the coach changed again to a pumpkin, the horses to mice, the coachman and postilion to rats, the footmen to lizards, and Cinderella’s beautiful dress to her old shabby clothes. In her haste she dropped one of her glass slippers, and reached home, out of breath, with none of her godmother’s fairy gifts but one glass slipper.

When her sisters arrived after the ball, they spoke in terms of rapture of the unknown Princess, and told Cinderella about the little glass slipper she had dropped, and how the Prince picked it up. It was evident to all the Court that the Prince was determined if possible, to find out the owner of the slipper; and a few days afterwards a royal herald proclaimed that the King’s son would marry her whose foot the glass slipper should be found exactly to fit.

This proclamation caused a great sensation. Ladies of all ranks were permitted to make a trial of the slipper; but it was of no use. Cinderella now said, “Let me try—perhaps it may fit me.” It slipped on in a moment. Great was the vexation of the two sisters at this; but what was their astonishment when Cinderella took the fellow slipper out of her pocket! At that moment the godmother appeared, and touched Cinderella’s clothes with her wand. Her sisters then saw that she was the beautiful lady they had met at the ball, and, throwing themselves at her feet, craved her forgiveness.

A short time after, she was married to the Prince, to the intense gratification of the whole Court.

The Hare and the Tortoise

Once there lived in a forest a hair and a tortoise. The hare was very proud of his speed. He made fun of the tortoise for his slow speed. The tortoise challenged the hare to have a race with him. The hare accepted the challenge.

The race started. The crow was the referee. The hare ran very fast. The tortoise was left much behind. The hare stopped to take rest under a tree. He fell asleep. The tortoise passed him and reached the winning post. The hare woke up and ran as fast as he could. He saw that the tortoise was already there at the winning post. He had won the race.

The Legend of Rawa Pening

Once upon a time there were a village with many arrogant people lived in there. At one time they were about to hold a feast. All the people were busy preparing all the needed stuffs.
When they feast came, all people were so happy enjoying each time they have. People were dancing, singing, eating and drinking. In an unexpected time, a little boy came to join the feast. The boy were so dirty and having such a disgusting skin disease. All the people rejected him. They even mocked and forsook him. He begged them for food as he had not eaten for nearly 3 days. But the people did not care about it and kept kicking him in order to make him away from that place.
The boy went away sadly. In front of a small house, an old woman called him. The boy was shocked because he could still find a kind person in that village.The old woman gave him some food and provided some cleaner clothes for him. She was so kind to him.
After finishing his meal, the dirty little boy told the old woman to ride onto the"lesung", something used to grind rice grain.Then the little boy returned to the feast. There, he called all the people to surround him because he
wanted hold a game. He then put a small wood in to the ground. He asked if there's someone who could take the small wood out of the ground, he would give whatever he wanted.
Many people despised the boy. Not long after, people were trying to take the wood out of the ground but none of them were able to. The little boy then took it out of the ground. Surprisingly, water came out of the little hole made by the little wood. The water was getting greater and turned into flood. All the people drowned except the kind old woman. She was safe because she followed what the boy said. The boy turned into a big snake and dwelled in the water. That place then famous with what is so called as Rawa Pening.