Folklore from Bangka Belitung
A long time ago in Bangka, lived a hunter. His name was Umpit.
He was called Umpit because he always went hunting using his blowpipe. The villagers liked him very much. Umpit often hunted the wild hogs. Those animals often destroyed the villagers’ plantation. After Umpit killed the wild hogs, the villagers gave him some money.
Pak Raje was the richest man in the village. Nobody liked him. He was very stingy. He did not like to donate his money. One day he asked Umpit to hunt the wild hogs. Umpit agreed. At night he was prepared and waited at the Pak Raje’s plantation.
While he was waiting, suddenly seven wild hogs entered the plantation. Umpit prepared his blowpipe.
Then, whoosssh! One of the hogs was shot.
Amazingly, the hog disappeared.
Umpit could not find the hog anywhere.
However he found blood shed on the ground. He followed the blood trail. It went to the jungle. Finally the blood trail stopped in a big cave. Slowly he entered the cave. Then he heard a voice.
“Who are you?”
“My name is Umpit.
I’m looking for a wounded hog. I shot it using my blowpipe.”
“So, it’s you! You are the man who hurt my daughter!”
Slowly a woman appeared in front of him.
“Come, follow me,” said the woman.
She then pointed a girl. She was wounded. Her leg was bleeding.
“She was not a real hog. We are the goddess of the jungle. I will forgive you, but you have to cure my daughter.”
Umpit was so scared. He did not know that it was not the real hog. He then took some leaves. He knew some medication because his parents taught him before.
He put the leaves on the wound. After a while, the girl was cured. The woman then gave Umpit a present. Umpit immediately went home. He ran very fast.
At home, Umpit immediately opened the present. Wow! He got jewelries, gold and diamond. Umpit sold the jewelries and now he became a rich man.
Pak Raje heard that Umpit had become a rich man. He asked Umpit how he became rich. After he knew all about it, he borrowed Umpit’s blowpipe.
He waited at his plantation, and he shot a wild hog.
He followed the blood trail and arrived at the cave. He met the woman and the injured girl. Pak Raje was asked to cure the girl. But he could not do that, and that made the woman angry. She asked all the wild hogs to attack Pak Raje.
Pak Raje ran very fast. He went to Umpit’s house. He asked Umpit to help him from the wild hogs. He agreed to help if only Pak Raje donated some of his money. Pak Raje said yes and he also promised he would be helpful to the villagers.
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