4. Look For Another Bride
Raden Putra, the young husband of Devi Limaran, was very unhappy when he heard what had happened to his beautiful wife. They had loved each other so much. Everybody was sure that the young princess had drowned in the river, and the whole country felt very sad.
After some time the old king told his son to look for another bride. But Raden Putra could not forget his wife. When his father continued to talk about finding another daughter-in-law, he finally said that he only wanted to marry a woman who was as beautiful as Devi Limaran.
The old king sent his messengers far and wide. But one by one they returned unsuccessfully. In the whole country there was no woman who was as beautiful as the princess.
One day Raden Putra asked the old king if he could go out himself to look for a new bride. Sadly his father left him go. Raden Putra was his eldest son and he loved him very much. It hurt him to see his son suffer.
“May the gods protect you, my son,” he said.
On his journey Raden Putra was accompanied by only one servant, the faithful Ki Santa who had served him since he was a boy.
They went from town to town and from village to village. But Raden Putra did not see a woman as lovely as Devi Limaran.
One day the two men were travelling through a big forest. The forest was so thick that they lost their way. They were tired and thirsty, and they could not find a river or a well anywhere. After wandering around for some time they finally came to a wide river. Not far from it they saw a hut.
“That might be a woodcutter’s hut. Let’s ask him for some food and drink, but let’s not tell him who we are or he might get frightened,” said the prince, relieved that he could take a rest.
They knocked at the wooden door. Soon an old woman opened it. When she heard that the men had lost their way and were hungry and thirsty, she immediately invited them to come inside the hut.
To their amazement Raden Putra and Ki Santa saw that the little house was very comfortably furnished. All the furniture was made of the best wood and soft mats were spread on the earthen floor.
They also found that the meal which the old woman served them very excellent, as good a meal as they could get back in the palace.
“Mother, you’re really a very good cook. Somebody who cooks like you should not be living in such a lonely place,” said Raden Putra after the meal.
“Oh,” answered the old woman with a smile, “it wasn’t me who prepared the meal, it was my daughter. I live here with my young daughter.”
