Balinese Tragedic Romance - Jayaprana and Layonsari

There was a couple resided in the village of Kalianget, they have three children, two boys and a girl. Due to a plague that struck the village community, then four people from these poor families died together. Only one youngest boy survived. He named I Jayaprana. Because he was an orphan, so he ventured to serve in the king's palace. At court, the man was very industrious and the loved him very much.


Now I Jayaprana was twelve years old. He was very handsome and his smile is so sweet and attractive.


A few years later.

One day the king decreed I Jayaprana, to choose an existing handmaidens in the palace or the girl who was outside the palace. At first I Jayaprana refused it, on the grounds that he was a child. But because he was forced by the king finally I Jayaprana obeyed. He was strolling to the market in front of the palace to see the girls who moving around the market.



Suddenly he saw a very beautiful girl. She was named Ni Layonsari, son of Jero Bendesa, came from Banjar Sekar. Seeing that beautiful girl, I Jayaprana very attracted and his eyes kept following the girl movement into the market. In the other side, Ni Layonsari was extremely devastated looking handsome young man who was sitting in front of the palace. After the girl slipped behind the people who were in the market, then I Jayaprana quickly returned to the palace to report to the presence of the king. I Jayaprana’s report accepted by the king and then the king wrote a letter.


I Jayaprana are commanded to bring the letter to Jero Bendesa. Nothing is told in the middle of the road, so I Jayaprana arrived at Jero Bendesa home. He handed over the letter he brought to Jero Bendesa with respect. Jero Bendesa received and held a direct read from the heart. Jero Bendesa agreed if his daughter, Ni Layonsari, is married to I Jayaprana. After he delivered his heart out "agree" to I Jayaprana, then I Jayaprana asked permission and returned home.



In the palace, the king was having a session in the pavilion. Suddenly I Jayaprana came there.


Then King announced at the hearing which, among others: That later on Tuesday, the king will make I Jayaprana marriage ceremony with Ni Layonsari. So the king gave orders to all perbekel, that began to build buildings, homes, etc. for I Jayaprana.



By the day of their marriage all the buildings was completed in mutual cooperation with all beautiful things. When the wedding day arrived I Jayaprana accompanied by his village communities went to Jero Bendesa house, to beg Ni Layonsari with complete ceremonial tools.


The king was sitting on the throne in front of the servants and the perbekel. Then came the company of I Jayaprana in front of the palace. The bride and the groom had to drop from the palanquin, and took a bow to the king with respect. When looking at Ni Layonsari’s face, the king could not say anything.


After dusk the bride and the groom asked permission to return home and leaving the king hall. After the couple left, the king then said to the perbekel, asking how to bamboozle I Jayaprana so that he die. And then, his wife, Ni Layonsari, will become the empress of the king's palace. The king said that if he could not marry Ni Layonsari, he could be dead because of grief.


After heard that, one of his perbekel set forth his consideration, which, among others: that the king should decreed I Jayaprana to go to Celuk Tarima in company, to investigate the boat that was destroyed and the Bajo people who were hunting animals in the region Pengulan. That was the considerations which has been proposed by one of the perbekel named I Saunggaling, which have been agreed by the King.


Now I Jayaprana was very happy with his wife enjoying their honeymoon. But only seven days of their honeymoon, there came a messenger to their home, which meant to call I Jayaprana to attend to the king session hall. I Jayaprana immediately went to the king session hall to meet the king with the perbekels. In the king session hall they were ordered on the morning to Celuk Tarima to investigate the sinked boat and the other chaoses.


After dusk, the court was disbanded. I Jayaprana returned home. He was greeted by his beloved wife. I Jayaprana explained the results of meeting in the king session hall to his wife.

That night, Ni Layonsari was dreaming, their house had been floating by a great flood, she rose from her bed then explained the contents of the terrible dream she had to I Jayaprana. She appealled her husband to cancel his departure tomorrow morning based on the cues of his dreams.

But I Jayaprana did not dare to refuse the king’s order. He said that death lies in the hands of God Almighty. In the morning I Jayaprana with his company left for Celuk Tarima, leaving Ni Layonsari at home in sadness. In the course of the party, I Jayaprana often gets the bad signals. Finally they arrived at the forest Celuk Tarima. I Jayaprana already felt himself will be destroyed. Then I Saunggaling said to I Jayaprana handing him a letter. I Jayaprana received the letter then read its contents in the hearts:


"O thou Jayaprana
Useless human
Walk thou
It was I who ordered to kill you


Your sins are very great
You've exceeded the king's behavior
Your wife truly belongs to a great man
I pick her up, I make her as the king's wife

Give your soul now
Don’t you fight
Layonsari do not you recall
I marry her to be my wife until the end of time. "

that’s the contents of the letter of the king to I Jayaprana. After read the letter, I Jayaprana then he broke into sobs as he mourned. "Well, so was the king, I won’t refuse. Indeed, he planted me and raised me up but now he want to pull me out, that’s okay. I willingly killed for the sake of the king, eventhough I’m not guilty and innocent.


So was lamentation of I Jayaprana while shedding his tears. Then I Jayaprana asked I Saunggaling getting ready to stab him. After I Saunggaling announced I Jayaprana that he just obeying what are commanded by the king with a heavy heart and sadness he was plugging his keris on I Jayaprana’s heart. His blood was gushing with fragrant smell along with the strange signals in the sky and the earth such as earthquakes, hurricanes, rain flowers, and so forth.



After the corpse of I Jayaprana was buried, all perbekel backed home, feeling very sad. On the way they often get put to death. Many of the perbekels died. They dead because of tiger attacked, snakes bitting. The news of the assassination of I Jayaprana had been heard by his wife, Ni Layonsari. Then she immediately drew her dagger and stabbed herself.



That was the contents of a short story of two young people who just enjoying their honeymoon on the basis of pure love but got the obstruction from a king and finally died together.


The writer's note: Being not English a native speaker, I do apologize for the grammatical mistakes. For the native speakers, I do appeal you to correct this writing.
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