Exploring Folktales and Legends

The story of Sangkuriang begins with …

One day a god was punished to become a dog named Tumang and a goddess to become a boar named Celeng Waluyang (Celeng is a Sundanese word for a boar). Both were sent to live in the forest.

When the king hunted in the forest, he found a baby, the daughter of the boar. He named her Dayang Sumbi and raised her up to become a beautiful maiden. 

Dayang Sumbi’s pastime was to weave many beautiful fabrics. One day one of her weaving tools fell down. Since nobody was around, nobody helped her. Being desperate, she announced whoever gave her weaving tool back she would consider her a sister if she's a girl or marry him if he's a man. 

Unexpectedly, Tumang, the god who was punished to be a dog, returned her weaving tool. Hence, Dayang Sumbi married him. Soon, their son, Sangkuriang, was born.

One day she asked her son to hunt, so he went to the forest with Tumang. Sadly, Sangkuriang couldn't find any prey that day. Hence, he killed Tumang, cooked it and served it to his mother.  When Dayang Sumbi found out about it, she was furious, so she hit his son’s head with a rice spoon and banished her son. 

Many years later, Sangkuriang returned to his village and met a beautiful lady. He didn't know that the lady was his mother, since the legend said the god granted Dayang Sumbi an eternal youth. In no time he fell in love with her and proposed to marry her. 

Accidentally, she found his scar on the head where she hit him, hence, she knew he was her long lost son. In order to prevent the marriage, she asked Sangkuriang to dam Citarum river and built a boat in one night. He summoned spirits to help him. When he almost finished it, Dayang Sumbi was so afraid, hence, she ran to the horizon and waved her red shawl, so it looked like the sun had risen. Thus, the roosters crowed and farmers started their day. 

Sangkuriang, who thought he failed, got angry so he kicked the boat. It became mount Tangkuban Parahu. The  lake was Bandung basin.  

The dam Sangkuriang built on Citarum river creating an enormous lake, where Bandung is located presently. Hence, many people relate the legend of Sangkuriang with the origin of Bandung.

When Sangkuriang knew he was tricked by Dayang Sumbi, he chased her while ransacking the wedding preparation. He kicked everything in front of him.

• Theme, conflict, and resolution

• Narrative, dialogue, and climax

• Tone, style, and symbolism

• Setting, characters, and plot.

What motivates the protagonist in the folktale, and how do their actions reflect their desires?

• The protagonist is motivated by revenge, leading to destructive actions.

• The protagonist seeks wealth, which causes them to act selfishly.

• The protagonist is driven by fear, resulting in passive behavior.

• The protagonist is motivated by a desire for personal fulfillment, and their actions reflect their determination to achieve their goals.

What themes or messages can be interpreted from the narrative, and how do they relate to the characters' journeys?

• Themes of resilience, identity, and the impact of choices are central to the narrative.

• The inevitability of fate and destiny

• The importance of wealth and status

• Themes of isolation and despair

How is the narrative structured, and what impact does this structure have on the overall story?

• The narrative is structured as a series of poems, detracting from character development.

• The narrative is structured chronologically, which simplifies the plot and reduces tension.

• The narrative is structured nonlinearly, impacting the story by enhancing suspense and character depth.

• The narrative is structured in a circular manner, leading to a predictable outcome.

Summarize the key plot points of the folktale, highlighting the beginning, climax, and resolution.

• The climax involves a celebration of victory without any conflict.

• The protagonist discovers a hidden treasure at the beginning.

• The key plot points of the folktale include the beginning where the protagonist faces a challenge, the climax where they confront the main obstacle, and the resolution where the conflict is resolved.

• The resolution leaves the protagonist in a state of despair and confusion.