Sekepel
by Balai Bahasa Surabaya
Sekepel and the Big Green Giant
Once, there was a tiny girl named Sekepel. Her body was as small as a fist. She lived with her mother, Mbok Randa. They were very poor. They lived in a small hut. Mbok Randa sold fruit from the forest. Each day, she warned Sekepel. "Be safe from Yai Buto Ijo," she said. "He is a big, green giant." "He lives in the forest." "He is very scary."
One day, Mbok Randa went to the market. Sekepel stayed home alone. Then, she heard loud noises. People were running and shouting. "Grrr!" said a loud voice. It was Yai Buto Ijo! The giant was scaring all. People ran away to hide.
Sekepel saw the scared people. She wanted to help them. She walked out of her hut. She saw the big, green giant. "Yai Buto Ijo!" she called. The giant looked down. "Grrr! Who is there?" he said. "I am Sekepel," she said. "Do not scare the people."
The giant laughed. "Ho ho ho!" "You are very small!" he said. "I will catch you!" he said. "Let us play a game," said Sekepel. "If you find me, you win." "If I win, you must go away." "Grrr! I agree!" said the giant.
Sekepel ran to hide. She hid behind a big tree. "Sekepel!" called the giant. "Here I am!" she said. The giant looked and looked. He could not find her. He was very angry. "Grrr! I cannot find you!" he said. Sekepel won the game.
The next day, the giant came back. "Let us play again!" he said. Sekepel hid under a bush. Again, the giant could not find her. "Grrr! You are too clever!" he said. He went away, very mad.
Sekepel told her mother. "I played with the giant," she said. Mbok Randa was worried. "Be safe, my child," she said. "I have a plan, Mother," said Sekepel.
On the third day, the giant came. "I will find you today!" he said. He looked all over. At last, he found Sekepel. "Ha! I found you!" he said. He picked her up in his hand. Sekepel was not scared. She had a clever plan. She tickled the giant's hand. "Grrr! That tickles!" laughed the giant. He opened his hand. Sekepel jumped down and ran away.
The giant was very surprised. He was also very tired. "Grrr! You are too smart!" he said. "I will go away now." He walked back into the forest. He never came back.
The people were very happy. They all came out to cheer. They sang and danced. "Sekepel saved us!" they said. "Even small Sekepel was brave and clever." "She saved her village."
Then, Nyai Buto Ijo, the giant's wife, came. She looked for her husband. The people had a trick. They told her, "The giant is gone for good!" Nyai Buto Ijo did not believe them. Sekepel led a taunting song. "The giant ran away! He was scared!" they sang. Nyai Buto Ijo heard the song. She got very scared. She ran away into the forest. She never came back.
The village was safe and happy. Sekepel was a hero. They lived in peace.
Original Story
Sekepel ada zaman dahulu hiduplah seorang janda yang sangat miskin. Ia tinggal di sebuah gubug reyot di pinggir hutan. Untuk memenuhi kebutuhan sehari-hari, Mbok Randa, demikian sebutan janda itu, berjualan daun-daunan dan buah-buahan hasil hutan. Janda itu hanya ditemani anak perempuan semata wayangnya bernama Sekepel. Ia diberi nama Sekepel karena tubuhnya hanya sekepalan tangan orang dewasa. Setiap akan berangkat ke pasar, Mbok Randa selalu berpesan kepada Sekepel agar berhati-hati terhadap kedatangan Yai Buto Ijo. Yai Buto Ijo adalah raksasa penghuni goa'di hutan belantara dekat rumah Mbok Randa. Selama ini, sudah puluhan orang warga desa dan puluhan binatang ternak raib dimakan raksasa itu. “Nduk Sekepel...” kata Mbok Randa suatu hari. “Ada apa, Mbok?" tanya Sekepel tak berkedip. Matanya yang bulat seperti kancing baju yang paling kecil. “Mbok sedih karena setiap hari harus meninggalkanmu sendirian.” “Tidak apa-apa, Mbok.” “Kata pakde penyabit rumput, Yai Buto Ijo terus berkeliaran mencari mmangsa...bagaimana kalau dia sampai ke gubuk in...” Pandangan mata Mbok Randa menerawang, Sekepel tertegun sejenak, kemudian katanya, “Sudahlah Mbok, si Mbok jangan bersedih." “Iya, Nduk. Tapi, bagaimana kalau Yai Buto Ijo membawamu. Kamu anak Mbok satu- satunya. Mbok bingung. Apa Mbok tidak usah pergi saja ya?” ' “Jangan, Mbok. Kalau Mbok tidak ke pasar, kita makan apa? Tenanglah Mbok, Sakepel akan menjaga diri baik-baik. Mbok tak perlu cemas.” “Bagaimana kau akan melawan raksasa, Nduk, sedangkan tubuhmu hanya sekepalan tangan Mbok. Oh, Sekepel....”" “Mbok kan selalu bilang bahwa hidup dan mati itu milik Gusti Akarya Jagad, Tuhan Yang Maha Esa. Jadi, kita pasrah saja pada Yang Punya Hidup dan Mati ini, Mbok.” “Oh anakku Sekepel...Mbok bangga menerima amanat Tuhan untuk membesarkan dan merawatmu. Walaupun tubuhmu hanya segenggaman tangan, hatimu sungguh besar." Mata Mbok Randa berkaca-kaca. Kedua tangannya membelai tubuh Sekepel yang mengenakan baju dari kam perca. “Baiklah, Nduk. Mbok akan pasrah pada Gusti Akarya Jagad untuk menjagamu. Tapi, kau juga harus hati-hati ya. Selagi Mbok ke pasar, kau jangan pergi ke hutan. Tinggalah di rumah saja dan kunci pintunya dari dalam. Jika ada orang yang tidak kau kenal datang, jangan dibukakan pintu ya. Mbok tidak akan lama di pasar,” kata Mbok Randa memberi pesan. Setiap kali hendak ke pasar, Mbok Randa tidak bosan-bosannya mengulang pesan itu pada Sekepel. Sekepel selalu menuruti pesan mboknya hingga suatu hari Sekepel melanggar pesan itu. 87 Ketika itu, Mbok Randa sedang ke pasar. Suasana di luar gubuk mendadak ramai oleh suara orang berlarian lintang pukang sambil menjerit-jerit dan berteriak-teriak. Sekepel mengintip dari balik anyaman bambu gubuknya yang sudah banyak berlubang. Ia ingin tahu apa yang terjadi di luar dan mengapa terjadi keributan. Sekepel melihat penduduk kampungnya berlarian dengan wajah: ketakutan. Dari anak-anak hingga orang tua menunjukkan ekspresi wajah yang sama. Anak-anak menangis ketakutan dan orang-orang tua tampak ketakutan. Terdorong oleh rasa ingin tahu, sekepel pun melanggar pesan mboknya. Pelan-pelan dia membuka pintu gubuknya dan berlari mengejar seorang kakek tua yang sedang berlari sambil membawa temaknya. “Wak...Wak...Ada apa, Wak?" tanya Sekepel. “Anu...Eh, Nduk, cepat bersembunyi. Cepat....cepat....”" “Tapi...ada apa, Wak? Kenapa harus bersembunyi?” “Yai Buto Ijo, Nduk. Nyai Buto Ijo...cepat sembunyi...kalau tidak, kau akan dimakan!” kata kakek itu sambil berlari ke arah lubang di belakang gundukan tanah yang rimbun oleh pohonan. Sekepel bimbang hatinya. Sudah lama dia mendengar cerita tentang Yai Buto Ijo yang membuat resah warga. Bahkan, kini mereka berlari ketakutan. Sekepel ingin melakukan sesuatu untuk menyelamatkan warga desa dari ancaman raksasa Ia berusaha keras memikirkan caranya sambil melihat orang-orang yang terus berlarian menjauh dari pinggiran hutan. Tiba-tiba Sekepel tersenyum sendirian. Ia telah menemukan akal untuk menghadapi raksasa itu. Ia tak akan lari seperti yang lain. Sekepel segera menyongsong kedatangan raksasa “berbadan hijau. Ia tidak kesulitan karena raksasa itu sedang mencari-cari santapan di kandang-kandang temak yang ditinggalkan pemiliknya. ”Oooiii, Oooiii, heeeiii Yai Buto Ijo..!” teriak Sekepel. ”Ggrrh...!” Raksasa itu menggeram ganas, bau mulutnya yang anyir memenuhi seluruh desa. "Oooiii Yai Buto Ijo! Aku Sekepel dari desa ini. Jangan kaumakan ternak-temak itu, kasihan yang punya,” kata Sekepel berusaha teriak kencang agar terdengar oleh Yai Buto Ijo. “Ho...ho...ho...! Kau, slilit...apa kau bilang, Sekepel? Kau melarangku makan ternak ini? Ha ha ha ha ha...kalau begitu kau saja yang kumakan ya... Ggrrh...! Ggrmh...! Ggmh...! Ggrrrh...!” Raksasa bernama Yai Buto Ijo menggeram memperlihatkan taring-taringnya yang runcing dan bengis. "Iya...iya Yai Buto Ijo. Kaumakan aku saja. Jangan ganggu ternak-ternak warga, kasihan “Ggrah...! 'Ggmb..! Ggmb...! Ggm..! Apa kau bilang, Sekepel? Slilir sepertimu...Ggrmh...! Ggrmh...! Ggrmh...! Ggmmh...! Tidak akan membuatku kenyang." ”Tubuhku memang kecil, tapi dagingku sangat enak." "Ggrmh...! Ggroh...! Ggrrh...! Ggrmh...! Hhhwwwuuuussss...coba...,” kata Yai Buto Ijo sambil meraih Sekepel dengan cepat. Sebelum jari-jari tangan Yai Buto Ijo menyentuhnya, Sekepel menghindar secepat kilat. Tubuhnya yang kecil memudahkannya berkelit dan melesat di sela-sela jari jemari Yai Buto Tjo. 88 "Eeeeciiiiiiittttttt, tunggu dulu.” Setelah terlepas, Sekepel lantas mengajukan syarat. "Kau boleh memakan tubuhku asalkan kau bisa menemukanku dalam permainan petak umpet. Bagaimana?" tanya Sekepel memberanikan diri. "Ggmb...! Ggmb..! Ggmh..! Ggmh..!Ggrmh..! Ggmb..! Gemb..! Gemh..! Ho...ho...ho..! Kalau hanya itu syaratnya....kecil! Dasar slilit, aku pasti akan menyantapmu. .! Ggmh..! Ggmb..! Ggmh...! Ggmb...! Ggmh...! Ggmb...! Aku Permainan pun dimulai Sekepel bergegas ke pengapit atau bagian dari dipan bambu. ”Sekepel..!” Yai Buto Ijo memanggil. ”Kuk!” jawab Sekepel singkat. ”Sekepel..!” panggil raksasa itu lagi. ”Kuk!” hanya itu jawaban Sekepel. Akhirnya tidak terasa permainan itu berlangsung sampai sore. Yai Buto (jo pun menyerah kalah. Baiklah Sekepel, aku mengaku kalah hari ini. Ggrrh...!” raksasa itu terlihat loyo tak bertenaga. ”He...he..he..! Yai Buto Ijo matanya dua tidak tahu saya...” Sekepel bersenandung mengejek. "Tadi kau sembunyi di mana, Sekepel? Ggrmh...! Ggrmh...! Ggmh...! Ggmmh...! Slilit sepertimu...Ggrmh...! Ggrmb...! Ggrmh...! Ggrmb...!?!" tanya Yai Buto Ijo heran. "Ha ha ha ha....kau tidak tahu ya. Tadi aku bersembunyi di pengapit dipan.” Sekepel menjelaskan, “Ggmnh...! Ggrmh...! Ggomb..! Ggrmh...! Apa kau bilang, Sekepel? Kau memang slilit .Ggr...! ..! Ggmh...! Ggrmh...! Baiklah Sekepel, kamu boleh senang karena aku kalah hari ini. Tetapi tidak untuk besok pagi.” Raksasa itu mencoba mengancam. Tanpa melihat ke arah Sekepel, ia kembali ke goa dalam hutan belantara. Malamnya, Sekepel menceritakan kejadian yang dialaminya sepanjang siang itu kepada . Mbok Randa. . “Aduh anakku, Sekepel. Kenapa kamu melanggar pesan Mbok?" ”Tapi....Mbok, kasihan orang-orang. Sekepel kan ingin membantu mereka." "Tya, Mbok mengerti maksud baikmu. Mbok senang kamu peduli pada penderitaan orang lain. Tapi....raksasa itu bukan lawanmu, Nduk!" "Mbok tenang saja. Yai Buto Ijo itu hanya besar tubuhnya, tapi belum tentu banyak akalnya. Buktinya tadi, Sekepel bisa mengalahkannya!"” ”Aduh, Sekepel. Bagaimana ini. Mbok takut. Yai Buto Ijo itu sangat licik. Ja tidak segan melukai orang yang dianggap musuhnya.” Mbok Randa gelisah. "Mbok jangan khawatir! Aku akan tetap berhati-hati.” Sekepel kembali menenangkan mboknya. Malam beranjak terus. Bintang-bintang bertaburan menghiasi langit hitam. Cahayanya bak mutiara yang berkilauan. Suasana sunyi senyap, hanya sesekali terdengar suara binatang hutan mengaum atau suara jangkrik berderik. Di dalam gubuk bambunya yang reyot, Mbok Randa tidur lelap bersama Sekepel. Sekepel tidur di antara lipatan ketiak mboknya yang hangat. Sepanjang malam itu tidak terjadi apa-apa sehingga Mbok Randa dan Sekepel serta penduduk kampung pinggiran hutan itu bisa beristirahat dengan tenang. 89 Keesokan harinya raksasa itu segera menghampiri rumah Mbok Randa. Ia penasaran karena telah dikalahkan seorang anak kerdil. “Ggmmh..! Ggmh...! Ggmh..! Ggmh..!Ggmb..! Ggmb..! Ggmb..! Ggmb..! Gem... .! Ggmmb.. ! Gem. Ayo kta mula lagi obak delikan. Gmtih,. 1” raksasa itu berkacak pinggang di depan halaman gubuk Mbok Randa. Dengan ujung jempol kakinya, raksasa itu sebenarnya dapat menghancurkan gubuk Mbok Randa beserta isinya. “Baik Yai Buto Ijo. Siapa takut?!” kata Sekepel ringan. Permainan dilanjutkan. Raksasa itu segera menuju pengapit dipan, tetapi ia tidak menemukan Sekepel di sana. Seharian penuh mencari, akhirnya ia dihinggapi keputusasaan. Gemb..! Ggmb..! Ggmb..! Ggmh..! Sekepel pun Lam keluar dari pesembinyian sambil bersenandung, "Yai Buto Ijo matanya dua tidak tahu saya.” ”Sekepel, tadi kamu bersembunyi di mana?!” Yai Buto Ijo menatap geram. “Di dekat genuk!” (istilah yang dipakai di Jombang untuk menyebut tempayan besar dari tembikar) “Baiklah Sekepel, kali ini aku masih bisa kamu kalahkan. Tapi tidak untuk besok pagi." Raksasa itu pulang dengan langkah gontai. — Seperti hari sebelumnya, raksasa itu kembali menemui Sekepel. Permainan pun dilanjutkan. Malang tak dapat ditolak mujur pun tak dapat diraih. Di hari ketiga, permainan delikan ini berhasil dimenangkan Yai Buto Ijo. Sekepel berhasil ditemukan Yai Buto Ijo. Itu artinya Sekepel harus siap menjadi santapan raksasa, Ho...ho...ho...! Bukan ukuran badanmu yang membuatku kenyang. Tapi kemenanganku dalam obak delikan itu yang harus dirayakan. Bagaimana Sekepel, apa kamu sudah siap!?” tanya Yai Buto Ijo. “Yai Buto Ijo, aku siap kamu telan kapan pun. Hari ini pun kamu boleh menelanku.” Sekepel berkata cukup tenang. Di balik ketenangannya itu, ternyata ia memiliki rencana. ”Ggmb...! Ggmb..! Ggrmh...! Ggmh..!Ggmb..! Ggmh..! Ggmh..! Ggmt...! Ggrmh...! Ggrmh...! Ggrmh...! Ggmh...! Ggrrb...! Ggroh...! Ggrmh...! Ggrreh...!Ho...ho...ho..! Bersiaplah Sekepel..!" dengan sekali tegukan tubuh Sekepel lenyap di kegelapan perut raksasa, Tetapi apa yang diperbuat Sekepel di dalam perut raksasa Yai Buto Ijo? Ternyata Sekepel segera mengeluarkan pisau dapur milik Mboknya yang sudah diasahnya berhari-hari. Dengan pisau itulah Sekepel merobek-robek perut Yai Buto Ijo. Akhirnya raksasa itu tewas mengenaskan, Seisi desa bersuka cita menyambut kemenangan Sekepel. Atas ide para tetua kampung, akhirnya daging Yai Buto Ijo dimasak menggunakan bumbu yang cukup lezat. Masakan itu segera diantar ke tempat persembunyian Nyai Buto Ijo atau istri Yai Buto Ijo. Konon dengan jalan itu Nyai Buto Ijo dapat dikalahkan. Singkat cerita Nyai Buto Ijo makan daging suaminya dengan sangat lahap. 90 Sekepel segera memimpin nyanyian diikuti seluruh penduduk desa, "Nyai Buto Ijo matanya dua memakan daging suaminya..!" Nyanyian itu terus diulang-ulang. Mendengar nyanyian penduduk desa yang dipimpin Sekepel serta merta tubuh Nyai Buto Ijo limbung dan jatuh tersungkur di pintu goa menimbulkan ledakan cukup keras. Nyai Buto Ijo mati menyusul suaminya. Pesta pun digelar warga desa sebagai wujud rasa syukur atas perjuangan Sekepel. Desa itu kembali hidup tenang dan damai. »
Moral of the Story
Even the smallest and most vulnerable can overcome great evil through courage and cleverness.
Characters
Sekepel ★ protagonist
Extremely small, her entire body is only the size of an adult's fist. Despite her diminutive size, she is agile and quick. Her overall build is tiny and compact.
Attire: Simple, patched clothing made from 'kain perca' (fabric scraps), indicating extreme poverty. This would be a basic, loose-fitting garment, perhaps a simple tunic or dress, in muted, earthy tones from various fabric remnants.
Wants: To protect her mother and the villagers from Yai Buto Ijo, and to ensure their safety and well-being.
Flaw: Her extremely small physical size makes her vulnerable to larger threats, though she often turns this into an advantage.
Sekepel transforms from a dutiful child who obeys her mother's warnings into a courageous hero who defies expectations and saves her entire village through her intelligence and bravery. She learns to trust her own ingenuity.
Brave, clever, compassionate, determined, and resourceful. She shows great concern for her community and is willing to face danger for others.
Mbok Randa ◆ supporting
A poor widow, her body likely shows signs of hardship and labor from selling forest produce. Her build would be slender due to poverty, but her hands might be calloused from work. Height is average for an Indonesian woman.
Attire: Very simple, worn traditional Indonesian peasant clothing, such as a faded batik sarong and a plain, loose-fitting kebaya or blouse made of coarse cotton, in muted colors. Her clothes would show signs of mending.
Wants: To provide for herself and Sekepel, and to keep her only daughter safe from harm.
Flaw: Her overwhelming fear for Sekepel's safety often makes her anxious and hesitant.
She begins as a fearful and overprotective mother, but by the end, she finds pride and relief in Sekepel's bravery, though her worries likely persist.
Loving, worried, protective, devout, and hardworking. She is deeply concerned for Sekepel's safety and relies on faith to cope with her difficult life.
Yai Buto Ijo ⚔ antagonist
A massive, green-bodied giant, implied to be incredibly strong and destructive. His size is so immense that he can destroy a hut with his toe. His body is likely muscular and imposing.
Attire: No specific clothing is mentioned, implying he might wear minimal attire or simply be covered by his green skin. If any, it would be rudimentary, perhaps a loincloth or simple wrap made of rough material, reflecting his wild nature.
Wants: To satisfy his hunger by eating villagers and livestock, and to assert his dominance over the forest and its inhabitants.
Flaw: His arrogance, lack of intelligence, and inability to find Sekepel due to her small size and clever hiding spots. He is easily outsmarted.
He begins as a terrifying, unchallenged predator but is repeatedly humiliated and outsmarted by Sekepel. His arrogance leads to his downfall and death.
Cruel, gluttonous, arrogant, easily frustrated, and initially overconfident. He is a predator who enjoys terrorizing villagers and eating their livestock.
Nyai Buto Ijo ⚔ antagonist
A female giant, implied to be similar in size and appearance to Yai Buto Ijo, but female. Her body would be large and imposing. She is described as having two eyes.
Attire: No specific clothing is mentioned, but she would likely wear rudimentary attire, perhaps a simple, large wrap or dress made of rough material, reflecting her wild nature.
Wants: To satisfy her hunger.
Flaw: Her gluttony and gullibility, which lead her to unknowingly consume her husband's flesh and then die from the shock of the revelation.
She is introduced as a secondary threat and quickly defeated through a clever trick, dying after unknowingly eating her husband's flesh.
Gluttonous, easily tricked, and likely as cruel as her husband. Her primary action is to consume the meat given to her without question.
Locations
Mbok Randa's Dilapidated Hut
A very poor, rickety hut made of woven bamboo, with many holes in its walls. It's located at the edge of a dense forest.
Mood: Humble, precarious, but also a place of warmth and familial love, despite the constant threat of Yai Buto Ijo.
Sekepel lives here with her mother; it's where Mbok Randa gives warnings, Sekepel sleeps, and Yai Buto Ijo confronts Sekepel on the second and third day.
The Forest Edge and Village Outskirts
The area where the dense forest meets the village, characterized by scattered livestock pens and a path where villagers flee in terror. It's a place of sudden chaos and confrontation.
Mood: Initially peaceful, then abruptly chaotic, fearful, and tense due to the raksasa's presence.
Villagers flee from Yai Buto Ijo here, and Sekepel confronts the raksasa for the first time, initiating their game of hide-and-seek.
Yai Buto Ijo's Cave in the Deep Forest
A dark, ominous cave deep within the dense, wild forest, serving as the raksasa's lair. It's a place of fear and danger.
Mood: Eerie, dangerous, foreboding, and later, a place of grim celebration.
Yai Buto Ijo retreats here after his defeats. Later, Nyai Buto Ijo consumes her husband's flesh here and is ultimately defeated at its entrance.
Story DNA
Moral
Even the smallest and most vulnerable can overcome great evil through courage and cleverness.
Plot Summary
A tiny girl named Sekepel lives with her poor mother, constantly warned about the man-eating giant Yai Buto Ijo. When the giant attacks their village, Sekepel bravely confronts him, challenging him to a game of hide-and-seek. After winning two rounds, she is eventually found and swallowed by the giant. However, Sekepel uses a hidden knife to cut her way out, killing Yai Buto Ijo. The villagers celebrate, and Sekepel then leads them in tricking Yai Buto Ijo's wife, Nyai Buto Ijo, into unwittingly eating her husband's flesh, leading to her demise and bringing peace to the village.
Themes
Emotional Arc
fear to triumph
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
The story reflects traditional Indonesian village life, the importance of community, and common folklore figures like the 'Buto Ijo' giant, often depicted as a fearsome but sometimes outwitted antagonist.
Plot Beats (15)
- Mbok Randa, a poor widow, lives with her tiny daughter Sekepel, constantly warning her about the dangerous giant Yai Buto Ijo.
- One day, while Mbok Randa is at the market, Yai Buto Ijo attacks the village, causing widespread panic.
- Sekepel, despite her mother's warnings, leaves her house to confront the giant and protect her community.
- Sekepel challenges Yai Buto Ijo to a game of hide-and-seek, offering herself as food if he wins, to save the village's livestock.
- Sekepel wins the first day by hiding in a bamboo bed frame, taunting the giant.
- Sekepel wins the second day by hiding near a large earthenware jar, further frustrating Yai Buto Ijo.
- Sekepel tells her mother about her encounters, reassuring her despite her mother's fears.
- On the third day, Yai Buto Ijo finally finds Sekepel and prepares to swallow her whole.
- Sekepel, having a plan, calmly allows herself to be swallowed by the giant.
- Inside Yai Buto Ijo's stomach, Sekepel uses a sharpened kitchen knife to cut her way out, killing the giant.
- The villagers rejoice and, on the advice of elders, cook Yai Buto Ijo's flesh.
- They deliver the cooked flesh to Nyai Buto Ijo, Yai Buto Ijo's wife, who devours it unknowingly.
- Sekepel leads the villagers in a taunting song, revealing to Nyai Buto Ijo that she has eaten her husband.
- Nyai Buto Ijo collapses and dies upon realizing the truth, bringing an end to the giant threat.
- The village celebrates Sekepel's heroism and lives in peace.
