Random Story To Tell

Si Kabayan was so deeply in debt to an Arab usurer that it made him giddy even to think of it. How could he ever pay his debts when he no longer possessed a single thing that he could sell to obtain even a part of the amount he owed ? He thought and thought, and at long last he hit upon a plan.

“Finally !” he said to his wife. “Now I know what to do !”

His wife agreed to his proposal, in fact welcomed it with great enthusiasm, and proceeded to help him Continue reading

Si Kabayan had been ordered by his father-in-law to collect the ripe corn from the garden and bring it in to the house. Too lazy to carry so many ears of corn himself, he tied them together and hung them on a bamboo pole which he slung ocross the back of his horse.

Then he himself mounted the beast and saw him approaching the house and called. “Kabayan, Kabayan, what in the name of heaven are you doing? Why are you carrying the corn that way, sitting on the horse with the pole Continue reading

It seemed to Si Kabayan that he had not anything really good to eat for a long time. He even had visions of a delicious chicken, aromatic in thick coconut sauce. One day he had an idea. He knew that his father-in-law always served the most excellent food if a haji paid him a visit, so he disguised himself as a haji, white robe, white fez, and flowing white scarf, and went to his father-in-law’s home.

As soon as si Kabayan’s father-in-law saw that he had a haji as guest he Continue reading

Si Kabayan and his wife went to Mountain Gede to spend some time as astetics, praying and fasting and meditating, so that their wish to become rich might be granted them. One day, in the midst of their meditations, a god appeared to them

“Kabayan,” said the god. “I granted you two wishes. But only two. You had better talk it over with your wife before you make them.”

Kabayan and his wife had a lengthy discussion about what they should wish for. It had Continue reading

Si Kabayan Traps a Deer
West Java
For a long time Si Kabayan and his father-in-law had entertained the idea of making a deer trap, but nothing had ever come of their intention. One day Kabayan called his father-in-law.

“Come, Pa,” he said. “Let’s dig a ditch. A deer is sure to fall into it, and then we’ll slaughter it together.”

“No,” replied Kabayan’s father-in-law. “You dig the ditch, Kabayan. I’d Continue reading