2. The Engagement
In the north coast of West Java there was a big kingdom called Kesultanan Cirebon. Its Capital was located at the Coast of Java Sea, and its port was lively. Through this port, the agricultural and home industry products were shipped to Banten, Aceh, Malaka, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, and Maluku even to the foreign countries like China and Madagascar. On the contrary many luxury goods were imported from neighboring lands and from abroad. That is why Kesultanan Cirebon was well-known everywhere, and prospered.
The King of Cirebon, called Sultan Cirebon, had a prince named Pangeran Tirta Kusuma. The young prince had heard about the beauty of Puteri Dewi Ngalima, so he intended to see the princess himself.
One day he went to Rangga Gading. He was disguised as a topeng dancer. Then he appeared before the King of Rangga Gading, and proposed to perform the topeng dance at the palace. The proposal was agreed by the king.
Soon he performed the topeng dance accompanied by a specific gamelan melody of Cirebon before the King and other viewers at the performance hall. Puteri Dewi Ngalima sat on the special chair among the daughters of the state officials watching the performance happily. Incidentally she clapped her hands.
Through the view hole of the mask, Pangeran Tirta Kusuma peeped at Puteri Dewi Ngalima who sat on the special chair opposite him. Now he acknowledged that the princess indeed was very beautiful, even more beautiful that what he had heard.
After the performance finished, Pangeran Tirta Kusuma went back to Cirebon. He soon went to see his father, Sultan Cirebon, and suggested to take Puteri Dewi Ngalima for his wife. Sultan Cirebon and his wife accepted their son’s suggestion gladly, for they were growing older and they wanted to have a grandson. Also it was time to enthrone their son to become the king of Kesultanan Cirebon.
In short, a delegation was sent to propose to Puteri Dewi Ngalima. They carried many beautiful and luxury goods as the royal presents. The presents consist of China bowls, silken clothes, golden bracelet, golden necklaces, golden rings, perfumes and some money as dowry.
Pangeran Tirta Kusuma’s offer a marriage was accepted by the King of Rangga Gading, because he thought that it was time for Puteri Dewi Ngalima to marry, and he was ashamed to refuse the gifts that were presented by Sultan Cirebon who was much richer than him.
But Puteri Dewi Ngalima didn’t agree with the King of Rangga Gading’s decision because she knew that Pangeran Tirta Kusuma had disguised as a topeng dancer to observe her. She thought that such deed was humiliating. It was not the attitude of a noble man. She disliked a coward. But she didn’t dare to say it to her father. Otherwise she cherished her mind. She believed that someday she could find a way to solve the problem.
Puteri Dewi Ngalima didn’t know that Pangeran Tirta Kusuma was not really a coward; he disguised himself as a topeng dancer because he didn’t want to hurt anyone. If evidently Puteri Dewi Ngalima might not please him, he could give up his plan to propose to Puteri Dewi Ngalima without offending her.
The engagement between Puteri Dewi Ngalima and Pangeran Tirta Kusuma was declared by the King of Rangga Gading. The wedding party would take place in Rayagung the following year. Nevertheless she always prayed for god’s blessings and guidance in finding the way to break the engagement.
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