Bilingual : Cerita Rakyat "Asal Usul Ikan Tuing-tuing"

 

Asal Usul Ikan Tuing-tuing

PADA suatu masa, di Mandar, Sulawesi Barat, berdiri sebuah kerajaan yang dipimpin oleh seorang raja yang adil dan bijaksana. Namanya Arung Paria. Raja Arung mempunyai anak laki-laki dan perempuan. Mereka hanya disapa Putra Raja dan Putri Raja saja karena menyebut nama anak raja di masa itu sesuatu yang tabu. Kerajaan Arung Paria sangat kaya dan terkenal dengan beragam pusakanya. Salah satunya adalah Pancing Emas.

Pada suatu pagi, awan masih agak gelap karena matahari belum bersinar sempurna. Raja Arung Paria sudah duduk di singgasana. Para penggawa dan para hulubalang datang menghadap untuk melaporkan perkembangan di negeri Mandar. Salah satu punggawa tampak cemas gemetaran. Ternyata yang akan dilaporkannya sebuah kabar buruk; pusaka Pancing Emas lenyap! “Mohon ampun, Baginda. Hamba teledor dalam menjaga pusaka Kerajaan,” katanya ketakutan.

Raja Arung Paria terkejut mendengar kabar tersebut. Ia lantas bergegas menuju ruang penyimpanan pusaka untuk mengecek kebenarannya. Arung Paria pun murka. “Siapa pun yang ketahuan menghilangkan Pancing Emas akan dijatuhi hukuman adat,” katanya. “Rakyat, penggawa, hulubalang, atau keluarga kerajaan yang menjadi pelaku harus keluar dari istanaku,” lanjut Raja Arung Paria.

Para hulubalang dan para penggawa hanya diam. Raja Arung Paria lantas meminta mereka mengumpulkan semua rakyat untuk mencari pelaku yang menghilangkan Pancing Emas tersebut. Namun tidak ada satu pun yang mengaku. Namun, tiba-tiba Putra Raja datang dan bersimpuh di hadapan ayahandanya. “Ampuni hamba, Ayahanda. Hamba ingin melaporkan siapa yang menghilangkan Pancing Emas,” katanya. Suara Putra Raja itu memecahkan keheningan. “Siapa yang pelakunya, Nak?” kata Raja. “Ayahanda, maafkanlah hamba. Hambalah pelakunya,” kata Putra Raja. Ia mengaku menghilangkan Pancing Emas saat menggunakannya memancing di laut secara diam-diam beberapa hari sebelumnya.

Laporan putra Raja itu sangat mengejutkan Raja Arung Paria dan para punggawa kerajaan. Sang Raja kemudian menutup kedua telapak tangan ke mukanya. Dia teringat pada janjinya untuk menghukum pelaku yang kini tak lain adalah putra kesayangannya itu. “Tinggalkan istana ini, Nak! Pergilah! Susuri Pantai Mandar itu! Jangan berhenti sebelum kautemukan Pancing Emas itu,” kata Raja Arung Paria.

Esok harinya, ketika matahari baru terbit, semua penggawa dan hulubalang, serta rakyat sudah berjajar rapi di depan gerbang istana Kerajaan Arung Paria. Mereka semua hendak melepas sang Putra Raja yang diganjar hukum adat. “Pergilah, Putraku. Jangan kembali ke istana sebelum kautemukan Pancing Emas itu!” kata Raja sambil memeluk putranya. Putri Raja juga ikut menangis sambil menyatakan keinginannya mendampingi kakaknya pergi dari kerajaan. “Saya akan selalu bersama Kakak dalam menjalani hukum adat itu,” pinta Putri Raja sambil terus menangis.

Tekad sang putri sepertinya sudah bulat, semua bujukan untuk tetap tinggal di Kerajaan ditolaknya. Sang Raja akhirnya pasrah merelakan putra putrinya meninggalkan kerajaan mencari Pancing Emas tersebut. Bahkan tanpa pengawalan karena terikat hukum adat. Maka berangkatlah kedua kakak beradik itu.

Di perjalanan, Putra Raja membujuk sang adik untuk menunggunya di sebuah gubuk yang akan dibuat Putra Raja. Ia tak tega sang adik ikut menanggung kesalahannya dan melakukan perjalanan yang sangat berat. Kendati sempat menolak, akhirnya sang adik menuruti keinginan Putra Raja untuk tinggal di gubuk.

Perjalanan pun dimulai seorang diri oleh sang Putra Raja. Sepanjang pantai Mandar sudah disusurinya sampai benar-benar kehabisan tenaga. Namun Pancing Emas yang dicarinya tak kunjung ditemukan. Putra Raja lalu berhenti di bawah pohon rindang yang tumbuh di pinggir pantai. Kelelahan dan dinginnya angin pantai tak sadar membuatnya tertidur lelap.

Di dalam tidurnya Putra Raja itu bermimpi melihat kerajaan di dasar laut yang sangat gemerlap karena terbuat dari emas dan bertatahkan berlian. Putra Raja lalu tersentak bangun karena mimpinya itu. Putra Raja lalu melanjutkan perjalanannya walaupun hari telah larut malam. Ketika melihat ke lautan, ia tiba-tiba melihat sebuah cahaya yang sangat terang. Putra Raja kemudian memberanikan diri untuk berenang ke dasar laut mengikuti cahaya tersebut.

Betapa terkejutnya Putra Raja setelah tiba di dasar laut. Di sana berdiri sebuah Istana yang sangat megah. Pintu istana berukirkan emas dan bertakhtakan berlian. Tampak beberapa pengawal berjaga di depannya. Putra Raja memberanikan diri mendekati istana dan bertanya soal kerajaan tersebut. Ternyata, nama kerajaan itu adalah Kerajaan Naungsasi.

Ketika berada di dekat pintu gerbang istana, sayup-sayup terdengar suara perempuan yang merintih kesakitan. Putra Raja pun bertanya kepada penjaga istana ihwal suara itu. “Itu Putri Dasar Laut yang sedang sakit,” ujar pengawal. Putra Raja kembali teringat pada mimpinya yang persis dengan kejadian yang dialami saat itu.

Menurut si pengawal, sudah banyak tabib yang mengobati, tetapi sang putri belum juga sembuh. “Apakah Tuan tahu tabib hebat yang bisa menyembuhkan putri raja kami?” tanya penjaga yang lainnya. Lantaran penasaran, Putra Raja pun menawarkan diri. “Saya bukan tabib, Tuan. Akan tetapi, saya ingin mencoba mengobati penyakit Putri Dasar Laut itu,” ucapnya.

Penjaga istana itu tampak terkejut. Ia bergegas masuk ke dalam istana dan mengabarkannya kepada sang raja Kerajaan Naungsasi. “Raja mengizinkan Tuan untuk masuk ke dalam istana,” kata penjaga setelah melapor ke raja.

Putra Raja akhirnya bertemu dengan Raja Kerajaan Naungsasi. Sang Raja rupanya sudah pasrah kepada siapapun yang berniat baik menyembuhkan putrinya. Putra Raja lalu meneliti tubuh sang putri untuk mencari sumber penyakitnya. Rupanya, di bagian leher tampak sesuatu yang bersinar. Maka Putra Raja lantas berusaha membuka mulut sang putri. Tak disangka, benda yang bersinar itu adalah Pancing Emas yang selama ini dicarinya. Pancing emas itu bersarang di tenggorokan sang putri.

Ia menduga itulah sumber penyakit dari sang putri. Maka Putra Raja dengan pelan mengeluarkan pancing emas tersebut. Lalu menyimpannya untuk dikembalikan ke Kerajaan Arung Paria. Setelah itu, sang putri menjadi sembuh dan bisa berbicara lagi.

Raja Kerajaan Naungsasi sangat gembira. Kegembiraan itu juga dirasakan oleh semua penggawa dan seluruh rakyat Kerajaan Naungsasi. Rakyat berbondong-bondong datang ke istana untuk melihat sosok yang berhasil menyembuhkan Putri Dasar Laut itu.

Sebagai tanda terima kasih, Raja Kerajaan Naungsasi meminta Putra Raja untuk memilih hadiah. Ia berjanji akan memberi apapun yang dimintanya. Putra Raja hanya tersenyum. Ia lalu memandangi langit-langit kerajaan yang berisi sejumlah sangkar burung. Di dalamnya tampak sejumlah burung yang selama ini menjadi kesayangan sang raja.

Perhatian Putra Raja sempat membuat perasaan Raja Kerajaan Naungsasi berdebar-debar. Ia tak bisa menyembunyikan rasa khawatir jika Putra Raja meminta burung-burung kesayangannya itu. Ia pun berusaha mengalihkan perhatian sang Putra Raja. “Anak muda! Apakah kamu menginginkan emas dan berlian?”

Namun mata Putra Raja tak pernah lepas dari burung-burung tersebut. “Saya tidak ingin hadiah yang lain, kecuali burung-burung ini,” kata Putra Raja. Asa Raja Kerajaan Naungsasi agar Putra Raja memilih hadiah yang lain pun pupus. Akhirnya, Raja Naungsasi mengabulkan permintaan buah hatinya. Akan tetapi, burung-burung itu tidak diserahkan secara langsung. “Saya akan mengirimkan burung-burung ini kepadamu setahun sekali dalam musim timur. Yakinlah, saya tidak akan ingkar janji,” kata Raja.

Putra Raja sangat senang dan bergegas kembali ke daratan. Putra Raja kemudian menemui sang adik dan kembali menyusuri Pantai Mandar menuju Kerajaan Arung Paria. Sesampainya di istana Kerajaan Arung Paria, Putra Raja lalu menunjukkan Pancing Emas kepada raja dan para penggawa dan hulubalang. Seisi kerajaan pun gembira.

Putra Raja kemudian menceritakan pengalamannya di Kerajaan Naungsasi kepada Raja Arung Paria. Ia juga mengisahkan bahwa Raja Naungsasi akan mengirim burung-burung miliknya setiap tahun sekali pada musim timur melalui Laut Mandar.

Dan janji tersebut akhirnya ditepati oleh Raja Naungsasi. Setiap memasuki musim timur, langit Laut Mandar dipenuhi burung-burung yang terbang berkelompok. Namun burung itu bentuknya unik lantaran bersisik seperti ikan. Putra Raja kemudian memberi nama burung tersebut sebagai tuing-tuing atau dalam bahasa Indonesia dikenal bernama ikan terbang.

Sejak itu, ikan tuing-tuing menjadi sajian dalam pesta-pesta kerajaan. Ikan itu sampai sekarang masih menjadi sajian yang terkenal di daerah Mandar. Bahkan menjadi sumber mata pencaharian masyarakat Sulbar.

 

English

 

The Origin of Tuing-tuing Fish

ONCE upon a time, in Mandar, West Sulawesi, there stood a kingdom led by a just and wise king. His name is Arung Paria. Raja Arung has a son and a daughter. They were only called Putra Raja and Putri Raja because mentioning the name of the king's son at that time was something taboo. The Kingdom of Arung Paria is very rich and famous for its various heritages. One of them is Pancing Emas.

One morning, the clouds were still a little dark because the sun had not yet fully shone. Raja Arung Paria was already sitting on the throne. The penggawa and the hulubalang came to report on developments in the land of Mandar. One of the courtiers looked anxiously shaking. It turned out that what he was about to report was bad news; The Golden Fishing Relic is gone! “Beg your pardon, Your Majesty. Servant careless in guarding the Royal heritage, "he said fearfully.

Raja Arung Paria was surprised to hear the news. He then rushed to the heirloom storage room to check the truth. Arung Paria was furious. "Anyone who is found to have lost a fishing rod will be subject to customary punishment," he said. "The people, officials, hulubalang, or the royal family who are the perpetrators must leave my palace," continued King Arung Paria.

The hulubalang and the penggawa only silent. Raja Arung Paria then asked them to gather all the people to find the culprit who disappeared the Golden Fishing Rod. But no one confessed. However, suddenly the King's son came and knelt before his father. "Forgive me, Father. I want to report who lost the Gold Fishing Rod," he said. The King's son's voice broke the silence. "Who did it, son?" said the King. "Father, forgive me. Servant of the culprit, said the Son of the King. He admits to losing the Gold Fishing Line while using it to fish in the sea secretly a few days before.

The King's son's report shocked King Arung Paria and the royal courtiers. The King then covered his palms to his face. He remembered his promise to punish the perpetrator who was now none other than his beloved son. "Leave this castle, son! Go away! Follow the Mandar Beach! Don't stop before you find the Golden Fishing Rod," said Raja Arung Paria.

The next day, when the sun had just risen, all the courtiers and commanders, as well as the people, were lined up neatly in front of the palace gates of the Arung Paria Kingdom. They all wanted to release the son of the king who was rewarded with customary law. “Go, my son. Don't come back to the palace until you find the Golden Fishing Rod!” said the King hugging his son. The King's daughter also cried while expressing her desire to accompany her sister to leave the kingdom. "I will always be with you in carrying out the customary law," asked the Princess Raja while continuing to cry.

The princess's determination seemed to have been made up, she rejected all persuasions to stay in the Kingdom. The King finally gave up giving up his sons and daughters to leave the kingdom looking for the Gold Fishing Rod. Even without escort because it is bound by customary law. So went the two brothers.

On the way, the King's son persuaded his younger brother to wait for him in a hut that the King's son would make. He could not bear his younger brother to share his guilt and make a very difficult journey. Even though he had refused, finally the younger brother complied with the King's son's wish to live in a hut.

The journey was started alone by the Son of the King. He had walked along the Mandar coast until he was completely exhausted. But the Gold Fishing Rod he was looking for was never found. The King's son then stopped under a shady tree that grew on the beach. Fatigue and cold beach wind unknowingly made him fall into a deep sleep.

In his sleep, the King's Son dreamed of seeing a kingdom at the bottom of the sea that was very shiny because it was made of gold and studded with diamonds. The King's son woke up with a jolt from his dream. The King's son continued his journey even though it was late at night. When looking at the ocean, he suddenly saw a very bright light. The King's son then dared to swim to the bottom of the sea following the light.

How surprised the King's Son was after arriving at the bottom of the sea. There stood a very magnificent Palace. The door of the palace is carved with gold and has a diamond throne. He saw several guards standing in front of him. The King's son dared to approach the palace and ask about the kingdom. Turns out, the name of the kingdom is Naungsasi Kingdom.

When he was near the palace gate, the faint sound of a woman moaning in pain could be heard. The king's son also asked the palace guard about the sound. "That's the Princess of the Seabed who is sick," said the bodyguard. The King's son again remembered his dream which was exactly the incident that happened at that time.

According to the bodyguard, many healers had treated her, but the princess had not yet recovered. "Do you know of a great healer who can heal our princess?" asked another guard. Out of curiosity, the King's son also offered himself. "I am not a healer, sir. However, I want to try to treat Princess Under the Sea's disease, "he said.

The palace guard looked surprised. He rushed into the palace and reported it to the king of the Naungsasi Kingdom. "The king allows you to enter the palace," said the guard after reporting to the king.

The King's son finally met the King of the Naungsasi Kingdom. The King seems to have resigned himself to anyone with good intentions to heal his daughter. The King's son then examined the princess' body to find the source of the disease. Apparently, in the neck looks something shining. So the King's son then tried to open the princess's mouth. Unexpectedly, the thing that was shining was the Golden Fishing Rod that he had been looking for. The golden fishing rod lodged in the princess's throat.

He suspected that was the source of the princess' illness. So the King's son slowly took out the golden fishing rod. Then save it to be returned to the Kingdom of Arung Paria. After that, the princess recovered and could speak again.

The King of the Naungsasi Kingdom was overjoyed. The joy was also felt by all the staff and all the people of the Naungsasi Kingdom. The people flocked to the palace to see the figure who had succeeded in healing the Princess of the Seabed.

As a sign of gratitude, the King of the Naungsasi Kingdom asked the King's Son to choose a gift. He promised to give whatever he asked for. The King's son only smiled. He then looked at the royal ceiling which contained a number of bird cages. Inside are a number of birds that have been the king's favorite.

The attention of the King's Son had made the King of the Naungsasi Kingdom's feelings flutter. He couldn't hide his worry if the King's son asked for his favorite birds. He also tried to divert the attention of the King's Son. "Young adult! Do you want gold and diamonds?”

But the King's eyes never left the birds. "I don't want any other gift, except these birds," said Putra Raja. Asa Raja Naungsasi Kingdom so that the King's son chooses the other gifts also become extinct. Finally, King Naungsasi granted his son's request. However, the birds were not handed over directly. “I will send you these birds once a year in the eastern season. Rest assured, I will not break my promise," said the King.

The King's son was very happy and hurried back to the mainland. The King's son then met his sister and went back down Mandar Beach towards Arung Paria Kingdom. Arriving at the palace of Arung Paria Kingdom, the King's Son then showed the Golden Fishing Rod to the king and the porters and hulubalang. The whole government was happy.

The Raja's son then recounted his experience in the Naungsasi Kingdom to Raja Arung Paria. He also said that King Naungsasi would send his birds once a year in the east season across the Mandar Sea.

And the promise was finally fulfilled by Raja Naungsasi. Every time it enters the east monsoon, the sky of the Mandar Sea is filled with birds flying in flocks. But the bird has a unique shape because it has scales like a fish. The King's son then gave the bird a name as tuing-tuing or in Indonesian it is known as a flying fish.

Since then, tuing-tuing fish has become a dish at royal parties. This fish is still a popular dish in the Mandar area. It has even become a source of livelihood for the people of West Sulawesi.

 

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