Cianjur

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Folklore from West Java

PAK Pelit is the head of the village. He also the richest man. He owns alot of paddy fields. All the farmers work for him, they don't have their own paddy fields.

The villagers call him Pak Pelit because he is very stingy. Pak Pelit has a son. His name is Budiman. Unlike Pak Pelit, Budiman is very generous to the villager. That's why people call him Budiman.

It's harvest time. According to their belief, the villagers have to hold a party to welcome the harvest. If not, the harvest will fail. They will not have good rice. The farmers then ask Pak Pelit to hold a party. At first Pak Pelit doesn't agree. But he is afraid not to get good rice.

Then they have a party. Suddenly an old woman comes. She asks for some food. Budiman sees what happens. He secretly takes some food and gives it to the old woman.

Nobody knows that the old woman has a supernatural power. She then stamps her foot on the ground On the place the old woman stamps up, slowly water comes out. More and more water comes out. Budiman asks his father to save himself. But Pak Pelit doesn't want to do it. He wants to save his belongings first. Budiman then asks the villagers to go to the higher ground.

Water is now high. Pak Pelit and his belongings are down in the water. Budiman and the villagers are sad.

Their village now gone and becomes a lake. Budiman suggests the villagers to live their new place. He also suggests the people to use the water in the lake as source of the irrigation for their paddy fields.

The farmers work hard. They produce rice with good quality. More and more people come and live there. The village now become a town. They call it Cianjur. Ci means water and anjur means suggestion. The villagers are thankful to Budiman's suggestion.***