The Legend of Rara Jonggrang
Once upon a time, in the ancient kingdom of Prambanan, there lived a beautiful princess named Rara Jonggrang. She was known for her unmatched grace and intelligence. However, the kingdom was under threat from a powerful demon named Bandung Bondowoso, who fell in love with Rara Jonggrang and demanded her hand in marriage.
To save her kingdom, Rara Jonggrang devised a cunning plan. She agreed to marry Bandung Bondowoso, but only if he could build her a thousand temples in one night. Bandung Bondowoso, using his supernatural powers, began constructing the temples. As dawn approached, he was almost finished with the task.
Panicked by the imminent fulfillment of her promise, Rara Jonggrang sought the help of the villagers. Together, they lit fires and pounded rice to create the illusion of dawn. Fooled by the fake daylight, Bandung Bondowoso and his demons stopped working, believing that the sun had risen.
When Bandung Bondowoso discovered the trickery, he was enraged. He cursed Rara Jonggrang, turning her into stone and completing only 999 temples. To this day, the temples of Prambanan stand as a testament to the legend of Rara Jonggrang, reminding all who visit of the consequences of deceit and the power of love and sacrifice.
Essay Test:
- Who was Rara Jonggrang, and what was she known for?
- What was the threat facing the kingdom of Prambanan?
- Describe Rara Jonggrang's plan to thwart Bandung Bondowoso.
- How did the villagers assist Rara Jonggrang in her plan?
- What was the consequence of Bandung Bondowoso's discovery of the trickery?
- How many temples did Bandung Bondowoso manage to build?
- What did Bandung Bondowoso do to Rara Jonggrang as a result of her deceit?
- What do the temples of Prambanan symbolize in the legend?
- What moral lesson can be derived from the story of Rara Jonggrang?
- How does the legend of Rara Jonggrang continue to be relevant in modern times?
Key Answers:
- Rara Jonggrang was a beautiful princess known for her grace and intelligence.
- The kingdom of Prambanan was under threat from the powerful demon Bandung Bondowoso.
- Rara Jonggrang agreed to marry Bandung Bondowoso if he could build her a thousand temples in one night.
- The villagers helped Rara Jonggrang by creating the illusion of dawn with fires and pounding rice.
- Bandung Bondowoso cursed Rara Jonggrang, turning her into stone, and left one temple unfinished.
- Bandung Bondowoso managed to build 999 temples.
- Bandung Bondowoso turned Rara Jonggrang into stone as a result of her deceit.
- The temples of Prambanan symbolize the consequence of deceit and the power of love and sacrifice.
- The story teaches the moral lesson of the consequences of deceit and the importance of honesty and sacrifice.
- The legend continues to be relevant as it teaches timeless lessons about the consequences of deceit and the power of love and sacrifice, which are universal themes that resonate with people across cultures and time periods.
