PRINCESS SEDORO PUTIH

This folktale comes from The Rejangese ethnic group. Once upon a time, there were seven brothers and sister living in an isolated village. They were really struck by disaster; they had been orphaned since the youngest one was born. The seven brothers and sister consisted of six brothers and one sister. The youngest one, their sister was called Princess Sedoro Putih.
The seven brothers and sister lived as farmers for a tract of land nearby the forest. The sister was really loved by her six brothers. They always give protections for the youngest safety from every dangerous thing.

They tried to fulfill her necessity as strong as they could.
At one night, when the Princess was sleeping, she dreamed strangely. An old man visited her.
“Princess Sedoro Putih, you are really a grandmother of your six brothers. Your death is close, so prepare yourself to face it.”
“I am going to be dead?” asked the Princess curiously.
“Right, and a tree that never be existed before will grow from your tomb. The tree will give many useful things for humankind.
After giving that message, the old man disappeared and Princess Sedoro Putih waked up from her sleep. She sat silently and thought about the meaning of her dream.
The Princess was impressed about her dream so that she always imagined her death. She forgot eating and drinking. It caused her thin and pale.
The oldest brother, who substituted their parents’ role, really cared about Princess Sedoro Putih. He asked why she looked sad like that. “Are you suffering from a disease so that you need to be cured immediately? “Don’t be late to be cured because it could be worse”
Princess Sedaro Putih sobbed her heart out and told her brother about all the dreams that she had. The Princess said, ”If my dream is right that a tree which will grow from my body will make many people happy, I will sacrifice for that”.
“No, my sister. Don’t leave us so soon. We will live together, until we have our own children to continue our generations. Forget that dream. Dreams are decorations of all people’s sleep, aren’t they?” said the oldest trying to make his sister happy.
Day by day had gone away, and Princess Sedaro Putih forgot the dream. She had been returned into herself, a cheerful girl, liked to work at home. Moreover, the crops had been stored as supplies for one season.
At one night, Princess Sedaro Putih was dead without suffering from any disease. And the day after, the six brothers were in an uproar mourning over their beloved sister death. They buried her not far from their house.
Just like as Princess Sedaro Putih said, there was a strange tree growing up in the middle oh her tomb. They had never seen such a tree before. They took care of that tree with love just like as they did to the Princess. They named the tree Sedaro Putih.
There was a Kayu Kapung tree growing next to Sedaro Putih tree. That tree was also cared and believed as a protector tree.
Five years later, Sedaro Putih tree started blooming and bearing fruit. As the wind blowing, the bough of Kayu Kapung always hit the stalk of Sedaro Putih until it turned into bruised and stretched its cells caused the water of Sedaro Putih flown toward the fruit easily.
One day, a brother of Princess Sedaro Putih visited the tomb. He was taking a rest in order to kill the exhaustion and noticing the Kayu Kapung tree that always hit the stalk of Sedaro Putih when the wind blowing.
At the same time, a squirrel was coming close to a fruit of Sedaro Putih tree and biting it apart from the stalk. From the stalk, which its fruit had been apart, a clear yellow liquid came out. The squirrel was satisfied licking that liquid. Princess Sedaro Putih’s brother noticed that event until the squirrel left the place.
Princess Sedaro Putih’s brother came close to the tree. The flowing liquid from the stalk was stored in his palm of hand, licked by him in order to know the taste. Apparently, the liquid was very sweet. He went home to see his brothers with a gleam on his face.
All the incidents that he had seen were told to his brothers in order to learn about. This story was really interesting for them. Then, they agreed to make incisions in the tree to obtain sap of the stalk of Sedaro Putih tree.
The stalk was cut and the water that came out from the cut tracks was stored in a bamboo tube called tikoa. The tikoa was almost full in one night. Their first result was enjoyed by themselves and discussing the way to increase the sap. Then they agreed to make incisions to the other stalks.
In order not to be failed, they did the incidents orderly just like as their brother had seen when he visited the tomb. The chronology was : first, shaking the stalks just like when the wind blowing. Then, hit the stalks using the bough of Kayu Kapung just like when Kayu Kapung was blown by the wind. Finally, they cut the stalks just like as the squirrel did. In addition, the bamboo tube was hanged over there. Apparently, the result was the same as their first cut.
Their result was increasing day by day because several stalks that grew from Sedaro Putih tree had given their results. Nevertheless, there was a problem for them because of the sap would be sour if stored too long. Then, they agreed to make an experiment by boiling the sap in order to make it thick. The thickened water was cold until turned into a yellowish brown hard-frozen thing.
Since those incidents, Sedaro Putih tree has been known as Enau tree or Arenga Palm. The liquid that comes from the stalks is called Nira, and this Nira, which is boiled into a hard-frozen thing, is named Brown Sugar, This Brown sugar is very useful for humankind, as good as cooking and drinking material or as the sweetener for traditional tonic.