Golden-Horned Buffalo: The Cleverness of the Little One Triumphs Over the Mischievous

Once upon a time, in an agrarian kingdom called Badrasakarana, King Jayawikrama ruled wisely. He loved beauty, cared for the environment, and made the entire kingdom fertile with beautiful gardens adorning every corner. One of the largest gardens, the palace garden, was always well-maintained, filled with blooming flowers and fruit-bearing trees.

Illustration of Chaos in the Palace Garden Due to a Mischievous Monkey (Source: Private Collection)

However, the beauty of the garden was ruined by the actions of a black monkey named Irengan. The monkey leaped from tree to tree, destroying flowers, ripping branches, and knocking down fruits. The usually calm king became furious seeing the chaos caused by the monkey. He summoned his loyal Patih (minister) and ordered him to catch the mischievous monkey before it destroyed the people’s gardens.

Illustration of Irengan Surrounded by Palace Hunters (Source: Private Collection)

The palace hunters were immediately dispatched. They brought spears, nets, and guard dogs to surround Irengan. However, the monkey was too agile. It kept hiding behind the leaves and jumping from tree to tree. Every time the hunters approached, the monkey easily escaped. King Jayawikrama, witnessing the failure of the hunters, grew even angrier. Finally, he issued an order: "Announce a contest! Whoever captures Irengan, dead or alive, will receive a golden-horned buffalo."

Illustration of the Patih Announcing the Contest Held by the King (Source: Private Collection)

News of this great contest quickly spread throughout the kingdom. People who heard the news gathered at the palace garden. The prize of a golden-horned buffalo attracted many. Among the crowd, a small crab named I Yuyu also heard the announcement. Despite its small size, I Yuyu felt confident it could capture Irengan. "With my eight legs, I can definitely catch that monkey," it thought, full of confidence.

Slowly but surely, I Yuyu arrived at the palace garden, where the hunters were still trying to capture Irengan, hiding at the top of a tree. No one noticed I Yuyu as it began to climb the tree, slowly making its way toward the monkey's hiding spot. Meanwhile, the hunters below continued their efforts, but the monkey remained out of reach, safely high in the tree.

Illustration of the Crab Successfully Catching Irengan (Source: Private Collection)

When I Yuyu finally reached the top of the tree, it found Irengan fast asleep. Without wasting time, I Yuyu moved closer. Suddenly, Irengan woke up, shocked to see the small crab pinching its neck. The monkey panicked and lost its balance. In the confusion, it fell from the tree and into the river. Unable to swim, Irengan drowned and eventually died.

Illustration of the Golden-Horned Buffalo Awarded to the Crab for Winning the Contest (Source: Private Collection)

The villagers who witnessed the event cheered with joy. They were amazed at how a small crab managed to capture the troublesome monkey. King Jayawikrama, impressed by I Yuyu's cleverness, immediately awarded the promised prize, a golden-horned buffalo. "This is your reward, Yuyu," the king said proudly.

Illustration of the Golden-Horned Buffalo Stepping on the Crab (Source: Private Collection)

However, despite winning the golden-horned buffalo, a new problem arose. The small crab struggled to pull the large buffalo. When it tried to lead the buffalo, the buffalo stepped on I Yuyu's back. The crab’s back was crushed, and it lay helpless on the ground.

The villagers who saw the incident burst into laughter. "Look at the crab trying to lead the golden-horned buffalo, now flattened!" they mocked. From that day on, the crab's back has always been flat, as a reminder that too much ambition often leads to unexpected consequences.

This story became a lesson for the people of Badrasakarana, teaching them that cleverness can overcome strength, but wisdom must be balanced with awareness of one's limits.