The Tale of I Jaga

Jaga was a child from a poor family who lived in a village in Bali. He went to school with fellow children of the same age, but this boy was very stupid and lazy. When at last he left school, his father died because of sadness. After that, I Jaga’s behaviour became more and more erratic. He just played everyday and went home to eat and immediately went to sleep. His mother had already lost control over her son and couldn’t reprimand him.
He and some friends one day went to the wet rice fields in search of crickets. The group was so concentrated on the search that they did not notice daylight had changed into night. I Jaga went home in a hurry. After arriving home, he quickly started to eat without washing his hands first. As usual, he fell asleep immediately.
Late in the night, I Jaga dreamed that there was a giant cricket coming towards him. I Jaga was trembling and very afraid. The cricket smiled and said to him: Hey you, Jaga...why are you lazy like this?” Upon such a question, I Jaga could not answer immediately. “You are a boy incapable of appreciating your mother, think carefully about your bad behavior,” the cricket added. On hearing this, I Jaga then answered; “Hey cricket. Whatever you say about me, I do not care. Quite honestly, I do not like working! I only like eating, sleeping, and playing.”
Upon hearing I Jaga’s reply, the cricket’s face turned a reddish colour because of his anger. “Well...if such is your wish, I will not meddle in your affairs. Hey, please follow me home, where I will give you gold and money,” Finally the cricket said. I Jaga stood up immediately after hearing the cricket’s words and went after him. I Jaga was extremely surprised after arriving at the cricket’s home. He saw lots of people busy at work. Nobody was being lazy. I Jaga walked in to see the inner part of the cave admiring the work of the crickets, and then he noticed the walls of the cave were covered with gold.
“Who is the owner of gold covering the cave wall?” I Jaga questioned anxiously. The cricket said the gold wealth belonged to each of the workers. Whoever took it out of the wall became the owner of the gold. Upon hearing what the cricket said, he quickly collected the gold that he could see there. After he found enough gold, he quickly hurried towards the exit to leave the cave. He got an enormous surprise when he woke up to see none of the gold had remained around him. I Jaga tried to remember his overnight dream. He took a hoe and went back towards the cricket cave located behind his home.
Upon first digging there, he discovered nothing. Led by high spirits and great ambition to procure the gold easily, I Jaga then dug the land there, not stopping and without considering the time. Without thinking, he dug all around the ground of his home, but he failed to find what he was looking for. Each day his spirits grew stronger to dig the land until one day an old grandmother stopped by on his working place. “Hey, I Jaga...why you are digging your land up?” she asked. “I am searching for an immense collection of wealth,” I Jaga answered.
“It will be impossible to find such a wealth there,” the old woman said. I Jaga continued with his activity until one day a consultative meeting decided I Jaga must level the ground and start to plant it with non-rice crops. It did not take a long time for the seeds to start to grow, while I Jaga concentrated on looking after the plants. With the arrival of the harvesting season, neighbors came flocking by to offer assistance.
I Jaga took the crops to market, and made use of the opportunity to stop at a gold shop and buy rings and necklaces. He then deposited the remaining money. Ever since that day, I Jaga changed to be a hardworking boy, who honored his parents. His crops increased from day to day resulting in more and more money. At last, I Jaga became a successful farmer and was one of the wealthiest men in his village.(Retold by Gung Man)

Balineselife

Puppet Masters

In wayang kulit (leather puppet) performances, the dalang (puppeteer) is a narrator. A dalang is also called guru loka (public teacher). Because besides giving entertainment in the form of wayang kulit, he also gives a lesson that is part of the wayang kulit performance. In this way, the audience never feels that they are being lectured. Until today, wayang kulit performances are still very popular with the people.
The duty and order of a dalang is really tough but also sacred, because it is not only about mastering many sorts of knowledge about the inner self and the outer world, but also in applying the knowledge itself. So then, a dalang is required to master knowledge that may support his performance. There are two kinds of wayang performances; there is wayang lemah and wayang peteng. Wayang lemah is wayang without a screen (kelir), this kind of wayang is also called wayang wali, because it only performed when a sacred ceremony is held. On the other hand, wayang peteng is wayang using a screen. Besides using a screen, this kind of wayang is performed especially at night. Because the aim of this wayang is to entertain the people, this wayang usually called wayang bebalihan.
To become a dalang, the first step that one should take is, firstly, voice practice and wayang movements, which are appropriate with the form and character of wayang itself. Secondly, understanding the use of Kawi language and Balinese language. Kawi language is used for the conversation between the kings (para ratu). While Balinese language is used between the royal servants  (parekan). Balinese language is also divided into two parts; Bahasa Bali Alus (polite) and Bahasa Bali Kasar (impolite). Dalang, as the public teacher, has to understand carefully using Balinese language, in order not to make any mistakes, so that the public will never imitate the wrong things. Thirdly, a dalang candidate has to master many kinds of holy songs (kidung). He also has to know many kinds of tabuh gender (puppet instrument songs).
A dalang also needs to understand and be convincing about spiritualism and divinities. If not, in his performance he will only perform a wayang art. Those who have a great interest to become a dalang, have got to try to become close  with God and also avoid temptations or wrong-doings. The main interdiction for a dalang is that they are not allowed to eat any kind of heart, because it’s believed that the God of wayang, that is Dewa Iswara, resides in the heart. The effort to get close to God can be done by saying Gayatri mantra twice a day. The most appropriate time for this is when the sun rises and sets.
Saying the Gayatri mantra in the morning is believed to eliminate the sins are committed at night and saying the Gayatri mantra in the evening is believed to eliminate the sins that committed in the afternoon. The other important factor is the mind, utterances and action in truth. Thus these things must always be considered by the person who wants to become a dalang. (Made Suambara)