Si Kabayan, Sundanese Folktale

Si Kabayan is a Sundanese fictional character, who is portrayed as a young slacker, but have a sincere heart and clever brain. Sundanese people inhabiting the western part of the Java island in Indonesia starting from Cirebon to Ujung Kulon at the tip of Java island except for the Jakarta area that inhabited by Betawi. Sundanese people characters that life in the village is very different to the existing urban Sundanese. Similarly Sundanese people vary according to place of origin, where each region is different accent language and customs.

Si Kabayan, Sundanese folktale is told verbally and hereditary, and every story has a life lesson that can teach to the children. Every Sundanese is certainly familiar with the figure of Si Kabayan. The Si Kabayan carriage story is very light and entertaining. Si Kabayan fairy tales involving some other figures, they are Nyi Iteung (Si Kabayan lover), Abah (Nyi Iteung's father), Ambu (Nyi Iteung's Mother), Nini (Si Kabayan's grandmother).

It is told that Si Kabayan live with her grandmother, not many stories that tell Si Kabayan's parents. Si Kabayan fall in love with Nyi Iteung, and his love accepted. Nyi Iteung also loved Si Kabayan, but Abah not approve of their relationship because Si Kabayan has no job and lazy. But Si Kabayan successfully married with Nyi Iteung because his cleverness against Abah.

Folktale of Si Kabayan has several versions and a short story that is not contiguous, one of the folktale is Si Kabayan Harvest Koro Beans in the capture of Lima Abad Sastra Sunda Literature, by Wahyu Wibisana, spk. below:

Si Kabayan Harvest Koro Beans

Once in the night, Si Kabayan invited to harvest the Koro beans by his father in law, Abah. In the early morning they went to the fields, a bit far from the village. On the road no one spoke even a word, Si Kabayan is still sleepy. He has the habit of sleeping late, today he woke up very early.


"I do not understand with father in law" Si Kabayan thought, he already old but still handle mundane problems. "For what the world, but only for the pleasure of the body? in fact, it becomes punishment to my body to wake up so early. Let's see later"

When arriving at the fields to harvest Koro beans, the father in law is very diligent. But Si Kabayan even lazy, stroking his belly instead of reaping Koro beans, his harvest does not get results, Si Kabayan even thinking hard instead of working hard. It looks like Si Kabayan feel something.

He looks right and left and went to see a sack of Koro beans, he got an idea, and it occurred to run.

"Father in law! Father in law! "
"Yes!"
"I would go to the toilet, I got a stomachache. Maybe will be long! Please don't leave me!”
"Yes! Don't be long."
"I Don't know, who knows the ache come quickly intervening and go slowly."

While talking, his father in laws did not look towards Si Kabayan, even fun reaping Koro beans. Si Kabayan entered into a sack of beans. He bends his body while covered with beans until everything is covered.  When of entering the Koro beans to the sack, his father in law views the sack is full, then the end of the sack tied with a rope. After that, he lifted the sack "so heavy" in his thought. Then he was sitting waiting Si Kabayan.

He awaited Si Kabayan for a long time until it was afternoon. "Why Si Kabayan go for so long?" his father in law, talking to yourself. "No doubt he went straight home because of illness. But why is he like that. He should said to me if he wants to go home." Inwardly cursing the father in law.

Then the sack containing the Koro Beans lifted, "Really heavy", he thought, "Perhaps too many beans, too loud" fingering sack.

When he got home, the sacks stored in the kitchen. Then strap in the open by Ambu, Abah's wife, she said "Well, good luck we grow Koro beans, a lot of the harvest."

"Hehe, that's not all harvested Ambu, because the sack is a full, the sack is too small," said Abah, 

"It only partly. O Ambu, where Si Kabayan, How is his ache?
"What ache? Ambu do not know, instead he came with Abah to the field. "
"Not this morning, from the field he went home, a stomach ache."
"Abah my goodness! Help Ambu open these sacks of Koro beans, too heavy. "

When the bag is opened and overthrown, Koro beans, partially scattered out, something is up in the sack. Abah lifted the sack and shook it, then appeared Si Kabayan from sacks bobbing and weaving. Ambu scream in surprise. Abah backwards was so shocked.

Si Kabayan smiles, "Hehe, Hehe, hé, I'm tired Abah!" He smiles 

"It turns Si Kabayan!!" Ambu said.
"I'm tired mother in law! And very comfortable being held by father in law. " 

"What nonsense, why are you acting like that!" Ambu said. 

Abah directly into the house, he was very angry and want revenge to Si Kabayan.
"Harvesting Koro beans must be finished tomorrow with Abah, Kabayan! Harvest is right, do not behave disrespectfully to your parents in law. "Said Ambu.
"Yes, I wont Ambu."

The next morning Abah and Si Kabayan go to the fields again. Once arrived, Si Kabayan immediately reap the Koro beans, avidly. Abah glanced at Si Kabayan on the corners of his eyes, then glanced again. Si Kabayan fun picking Koro beans. Perhaps he remembered the Ambu advice, now so diligently work. Seeing Si Kabayan diligent work like that, Abah spring back a little bit. Si Kabayan not see Abah because of busy work. When the sack of Koro beans is full, the sack tip tied with rope.

“Where is Abah, why is not he here? Maybe he went home, because he is still angry with what happened yesterday. That's all right! I want to go home too. I will drag the sack, I don't have the power to pick it up."

While talking to himself, he has overthrown the sack and driven all the way.

"Kabayan! Kabayan! "There was a voice calling from the sacks. 

"It Abah, your father in law, do not dragged!"

Then Si Kabayan stoped, "It's just Koro beans, Koro beans!" While banging the sack.

"Kabayan! Your father in law in here, not Koro beans! "
"Koro beans! Koro beans! "While continuing to be dragged.

When he reached the kitchen, the sacks lifted and slammed, "Ek!" Man's voice fell.
"Ambu, this your Koro bean sack!" As he passed she, he went to the toilet to cleaning himself.

When Ambu opened the rope on the sack, Ambu husband, Abah comes out of sacks groaning, His whole body hurt that dragged all the way home. His wife was screaming so surprised. 

She treated Abah with traditional herbal, for two days Abah could not get out of bed.