The story of Sankuriang is a Sundanese Myth about the creation of Lake Bandung, Mt.

Tangkuban Parahu, Mt. Burangrang and Mt. Bukit Tunggul. The first written record of the story
is in the Bujangga Manik palm leaf manuscript at the end of the 15th century or the early 16th
century.1 This Myth has more similarities and parallels than any other myth that I have ever
heard. The chart that follows covers all the details of the story that reminded me of other
stories.

Given the nature of the similarities, it doesnt seem likely that they arose just from the nature of
human life. I therefore lean more toward the explanation that they were borrowed from the
literature and mythology of other countries. If they were borrowed from just one country, why
would there be so many similarities with dierent myths?

If the myths were borrowed, the question arises: how did these borrowed myths arrive in
Indonesia? I would need to know what sort of interactions Indonesia was having with other
countries, and how much other countries might have influenced its mythology.

But on the other hand: the Sangkuriang story is a myth about the creation of Lake Bandung,
which is no longer a lake, but a basin of dry land inhabited by nearly 8 million people. Since
the lake ceased to be a lake 16,000 years ago, how could the Sundanese people have made a
myth about it if there was no such story until thousands of years after it was no longer a lake?
Perhaps the Indonesian story was earlier than the similar stories from Europe. Could the
Greeks have gotten their myths from Java? But there werent really any interactions between
Greece and Indonesia before 1500.

Part of Sangkuriang Similar Myth Similarities Dierences

myth

Gods punished. Apollo and Poseidon Gods being punished. Celeng Wayungyang
forced to build walls of and Tumang are turned
Troy. into animals. Rather
than having to complete
a task they just have to
live as a boar and a
dog.

King finds baby and King Polybus and Raising a child despite Dayang Sumbi is
raises as his own. Queen Merope of not being the biological actually the kings own
Corinth raise Oedipus parents (or not thinking daughter.
as their own. that you are the
Vernon and Petunia biological parent)
Dursley raise Harry
Potter as (well, not
quite) their own.

1 Wikipedia article on Sangkuriang. Electronic access at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/

Sangkuriang . This article is also the most complete version of the story that I have been able
to find.
Part of Sangkuriang Similar Myth Similarities Dierences
myth

Many nobles and Penelope, Helen of Troy. Princess (and Penelope) With Helen and Atalanta
princes tried to court Atalanta. is uninterested in any of it is leading up to the
her, but none caught the suitors. one suitor, and with
her interest. Penelope to Odysseuss
return. With Dayang
Sumbi she is keeping
her rash promise when
marrying Tumang.

Terompong falls outside The Princess and the Theres an object that Princess in the frog
the pavilion. Frog she drops her both princesses want story just cant reach
golden ball into a pond back very badly, bad her ball, while Dayang
and he fetches it out for enough to make rash Sumbi is prohibited
her. promises. from leaving the
pavilion.

Tumang the dog fetches The Frog fetches the Outwardly loathsome Tumang is a god who is
the terompong. ball for the princess. creature fetches desired being punished.
object. The frog is a prince who
is under a curse by a
malicious fairy.

Princess not allowed to Atys, son of Croesus Beloved child not Atys father had a
leave the palace on (Herodotus, book 1) is allowed to leave house. dream, not a curse.
foot. forbidden from hunting
and kept close to home

Rapunzel kept in tower.

Promise that whoever rash vow? Jephthah? Stupid promise. -_- Dayang Sumbi keeps
picks up her terompong Princess and the Frog her promise even
wil be rewarded. again: "Well, if you will though her father
bring me my ball, I doesnt want her to; the
promise to do all you Princess with the Frog
require. doesnt want to.
Rumplestiltskin
demands promise of
firstborn child in order
to spin straw into gold.

Dog tranforms into god Beauty and the Beast, You think you just In Beauty and the
once a month. Cupid and Psyche married a beast, but its Beast, the beast is just
actually a handsome a prince, not a god.
god/prince.

Dayang Sumbi cooks The punishment of Eating the meat of Sangkuriang doesnt
and eats Tumangs liver Harpagus in Herodotus, someone you love. know that the dog is his
not realizing that it cannibalism in the father. Dayang Sumbi is
belongs to him. house of Atreus upset not just because
(Tantalus, Thyestes) of what she ate, but
because of who it is.
Part of Sangkuriang
myth
Dayang Sumbi prays to
be reunited with
Sangkuriang
Sangkuriang learns
martial arts and how to
control spirits from a
wise hermit (crab?)
Sangkuriang helps Theseus vs. bandits on
villagers against bandits the road to Athens.
and troublemakers
Sangkuriang sees a
beautiful girl and falls in
love.
Dayang Sumbi
recognizes the scar
from the rice spoon on
Sangkuriangs forehead. (Odysseus nurse)
Dayang Sumbi realizes
that shes about to Oedipus) realizes she is
marry her son.
Similar Myth Similarities Dierences
Joshua promises the Promise/Prayer doesnt The Gibeonites are the
Gibeonites that he will work out in quite the ones making the plea
not destroy them, but expected way. and they are also the
then holds them to the ones twisting words to
letter of their promise to be interpreted in
be his servants after dierent ways.
he discovers that they
have lied about living far
away.
Yoda and Luke Convenient wise and We dont learn very
Skywalker; Chiron and powerful guy to teach much about this hermit
various Greek heroes stu. in this version of
(Heracles, Jason) Sangkuriang
Hero proves himself Sankuriang is helping
against various villagers against these
enemies. bandits, rather than
doing it only for himself,
seeming more heroic
Samson? Hero falls in love with a With Sangkuriang its his
beautiful girl own mother, with
Samson its a Phillistine
Harry Potters lightning- Hero is recognized by a The one doing the
bolt scar from scar recognizing is the same
Voldemort. Eurycleia one who inflicted the
wound, not the case
recognizes Odysseus with Harry Potter,
scar from his youthful Odysseus, or Ged.
boar hunt.
Ged/SparrowHawks
scar on face from the
nameless evil in the
EarthSea Cycle
(LeGuin).
Jocasta (wife/mother of Sudden realization Dayang Sumbi realizes
concerning marriage of before the wedding and
married to her son, own son. tries to call it o,
goes and commits Jocasta realizes too
suicide. late.
Part of Sangkuriang Similar Myth Similarities Dierences
myth

Dayang Sumbi sets Heracles (Hercules) 12 Setting impossible Dayang Sumbi, when
some impossible tasks labours. tasks as a way of she sees that
for Sangkuriang to do Theseus and Perseus defeating/dissuading Sangkuriang is almost
as a condition for also have to do the hero, turns out said done, tricks him into
marrying her. impossible tasks. tasks are not so thinking that he has
Saul agrees to give impossible lost. Heracles, Theseus,
David Michal if he Perseus, and David all
brings him 200 acomplish the task.
foreskins of the
Philistines.

Sangkuriang must Cinderellas coach will Time limits to complete Cinderellas time limit is
complete both tasks in turn into a pumpkin at a task. magical.

one night midnight. Suitors have 3 days and

In Grimms Twelve nights as opposed to 1
Dancing Princesses, and if they dont
suitors of the kings compete it they will be
twelve daughters have executed.
3 days and nights to
discover where they go
dancing.

Sangkuriang dams Heracles diverts a river Manipulating water. Sankuriang is making

Citarum river. to clean the stables of Lake Bandung, where
Augeus. as Joshua and Moses
Joshua cuts o flow of are parting the water
the Jordan river; Moses long enough for the
and the Red Sea. Israelites to cross
through, and Heracles
is cleaning a stable.

Dayang Sumbi makes Joshuas long day at Day/LIght is an Dayang Sumbi only
dawn appear to come Gibeon (Joshua 10:14): important factor makes day APPEAR to
early. Joshua asked for the come early using her
sun to stand still so that shawl, but in Joshua
he could finish the 10:14 the day is actually
battle in daylight. prolonged.

Sangkuriang kicks the Typhoeus gets buried Mountains being Typhoeus is a person
boat and it turns into by Zeus and the created by the (well, sort of) as
Mount Tangkuban Hundred-Handed transformation of opposed to a boat.
Parahu (Upside down giants, turns into Mt. something else.
boat). Etna on Sicily.
Part of Sangkuriang Similar Myth Similarities Dierences
myth

Dayang Sumbi prays Daphne is turned into a Transformation of There isnt much
and is turned into a laurel tree to escape person into plant. dierence in the first
Jaksi flower to escape Apollo. case, (other than
Sangkuriangs pursuit. (Narcissus turns into Dayang Sumbi turning
Narcissus flower,etc) into a flower, and
Daphne turning into a
tree) And Narcissuss
transformation isnt the
result of a prayer.