ONCE upon a time, in a small village surrounded by vast green rice fields in Bali, there lived an old farmer named Pekak Mangku or Grandpa Mangku. Pekak Mangku, a priest of small temple, lived alone, accompanied by his few chickens. Among all his chickens, one was very special: a rooster with jet-black feathers, a bright yellow beak, and a bright red comb. He was nicknamed Siap Selem or black rooster.
Siap Selem was no ordinary chicken. It was very clever and always the first to wake up at dawn, waking the village with his loud crowing. However, Siap Selem had one unique habit: it preferred to be alone and forage on the edge of the forest some distance from his coop.
One day, Pekak Mangku lost an heirloom ring inherited from his ancestors. The ring was adorned with a beautiful red ruby. Pekak Mangku was devastated. He searched everywhere in the house, the rice fields, and even the chicken coop, but he couldn’t find the ring.
“Oh, what can I do? That ring is the only thing my parents left me,” the Pekak Mangku complained sadly.
Hearing his master’s complaint, Siap Selem approached. It pecked at Pekak Mangku’s leg as if it wanted to convey something.
“What’s wrong, Siap Selem? Are you hungry?” asked Pekak Mangku, though his heart was still filled with sadness.
Siap Selem shook its head (or at least, moved its neck in a similar gesture). Then, its walked toward the edge of the forest, occasionally looking back, as if asking Pekak Mangku to follow it.
Pekak Mangku, feeling a little curious and desperate, finally followed Siap Selem. The black rooster made its way through the sparse undergrowth to a large, old banyan tree. Beneath the banyan tree’s roots, there was a small depression. Siap Selem scratched the soil in the depression with its strong claws.
Pekak Mangku approached and looked into the depression. His eyes widened. There, lay his ruby ring! It was slightly covered in dirt, but still clearly visible.
“Oh my! Your ring!” exclaimed Pekak Mangku, his voice trembling with surprise and joy. “How did you find this, Siap Selem?”
Siap Selem only crowed softly, as if proud. It turned out that, while searching for food, Siap Selem saw a crow drop something shiny under the tree. Curious, Siap Selem approached and realized it was its master’s ring. It then buried it slightly out of sight of the other animals, intending to tell Pekak Mangku later.
Pekak Mangku hugged Siap Selem tightly. “Thank you, Siap Selem! You saved my heirloom ring. You are the most honest and loyal chicken!”
From then on, Pekak Mangku grew even more fond of Siap Selem. He always provided the best food and comfortable bedding for his beloved black chicken. The story of Siap Selem’s honesty and intelligence spread throughout the village, becoming a story passed down through the generations.
Moral messages of the Story
The story of Siap Selem teaches us several important lessons:
- Honesty is everything. Siap Selem didn’t take the ring for itsself or hide it. Instead, she tried to return it to its owner. Honesty, no matter how small, will always bring goodness.
- Pay attention to your surroundings. Siap Selem is an observant and intelligent rooster. She noticed what was happening around her, so she was able to find Pekak Mangku’s ring.
- Every creature has goodness. Don’t underestimate anyone or anything. Siap Selem, a chicken, could become a hero to her master because of her kindness and intelligence.
- Kindness will be repaid with kindness. Because of Siap Selem’s honesty and loyalty, Pekak Mangku gave it even more love and attention. (*)
