Putri Kemuning

Putri Kemuning

Putri Kemuning and her mother lived in a jungle. They were poor. Putri Kemuning helped her mother collect woods in the jungle and sold them to the market.

In the jungle, Putri Kemuning had animal friends. One day, Putri Kemuning’s mother was very ill. Putri Kemuning was very sad because she didn’t have enough money to buy medicine. Then, she collected many woods and planned to sell them. She wanted to spend the money to buy medicine.

When she was collecting the woods, Putri Kemuning met her animal friend, the rabbit. He was worried because Putri Kemuning looked very sad. Putri Kemuning told the problem to the rabbit.

“I can help you. Take this ring and sell it, “ said the rabbit.

“Is this your ring?” asked Putri Kemuning.

“No. This is The King Ngarancang Kencono’s ring. It fell when he was hunting here.”

Putri Kemuning hesitated. She really needed the money but it was not her ring. Finally she said, “No, I have to return this ring to the king.”

Then Putri Kemuning went to see the king at his palace.

“What is your name and what is your purpose here?” asked the king.

“My name is Putri Kemuning. I want to return your ring,” said Putri Kemuning.

“Thank you very much. Now, I want to give you something. What do you want?”.

“I don’t want anything. I just want to go home. My mother is very ill,” replied Putri Kemuning.

“You are a very kind girl. Now, take this gift,” said the king.

Putri Kemuning went home. When she arrived, Putri Kemuning told her mother about the king’s ring. Her mother very proud of her. When they opened the gift, they saw a bag full of gold coins. They were very happy because they can buy medicine.

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The Scorpion and the Frog

The Scorpion and the Frog

One day, a scorpion looked around at the mountain where he lived and decided that he wanted a change. So he set out on a journey through the forests and hills. He climbed over rocks and under vines and kept going until he reached a river.

The river was wide and swift, and the scorpion stopped to reconsider the situation. He couldn’t see any way across. So he ran up river and then checked down river, all the while thinking that he might have to turn back.

Suddenly, he saw a frog sitting in the rushes by the bank of the stream on the other side of the river. He decided to ask the frog for help getting across the stream.

“Hellooo Mr. Frog!” called the scorpion across the water. “Would you be so kind as to give me a ride on your back across the river?”

“Well now, Mr. Scorpion! How do I know that if I try to help you, you won’t try to kill me?” asked the frog hesitantly.

“Because,” the scorpion replied, “If I try to kill you, then I would die too, for you see I cannot swim!”

Now this seemed to make sense to the frog. But he asked.  “Would about when I get close to the bank? You could still try to kill me and get back to the shore!”

“This is true,” agreed the scorpion. “But then I wouldn’t be able to get to the other side of the river!”

“Alright then… how do I know you won’t just wait till we get to the other side and THEN kill me?” said the frog.

“Ahh…” crooned the scorpion, “Because you see, once you’ve taken me to the other side of this river, I will be so grateful for your help, that it would hardly be fair to reward you with death, now would it?!”

So the frog agreed to take the scorpion across the river. He swam over to the bank and settled himself near the mud to pick up his passenger. The scorpion crawled onto the frog’s back, his sharp claws prickling into the frog’s soft hide, and the frog slid into the river. The muddy water swirled around them, but the frog stayed near the surface so the scorpion would not drown. He kicked strongly through the first half of the stream, his flippers paddling wildly against the current.

Halfway across the river, the frog suddenly felt a sharp sting in his back and, out of the corner of his eye, saw the scorpion remove his stinger from the frog’s back. A deadening numbness began to creep into his limbs.

“You fool!” croaked the frog.”Now we shall both die! Why on earth did you do that?”

The scorpion shrugged, and did a little jig on the drowning frog’s back.

“I could not help myself. It is my nature.”

Then they both sank into the muddy waters of the swiftly flowing river. Self destruction – “It’s my nature,” said the Scorpion.

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