The Bajang Child Swinging the Moon (62)
Sumantri wants to ask Sukrosono, why does all this sadness have to happen? Why did his father have to die at his hands? He does not continue with his intention to ask.
In the midst of his sadness, suddenly he hears a voice calling his name. The voice breaks his heart. And before he can even turn toward the voice, suddenly Sukrosono is already lying in his arms, dropping his tears, "My older brother, why do you have the heart to leave me?"
Sumantri hugs his younger brother. Then he strokes his younger brother’s head in a way showing his love.
"My younger brother." He says, as though they are the only words he has.
"My older brother, don't leave me. Now I have no one, except you, my brother," says Sukrosono. He looks at Sumantri, a look of begging across his face.
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"Yes, Sukrosono, now I only have you," replies Sumantri with teary eyes.
“Father has gone forever. Do you have the gut to leave me alone too?”
"No, Sukrosono, I will not leave you," Sumantri answers as though without hesitation. Sukrosono looks at him happily, "Is that really it, my older brother?"
The moon does not leave them. It moves the leaves aside with its light, and a dim light falls over both of them.
“Sukrosono, all of this is too sad to remember. Let us now rest to forget it for a moment," says Sumantri. He leads his younger brother to a banyan tree. There he leans back, and lets his younger brother lay his head in his lap.
Sumantri wants to ask Sukrosono, why does all this sadness have to happen? Why did his father have to die at his hands? He does not continue with his intention to ask. In Sukrosono’s face, so sincere and honest, he can already read the answer: I myself, not my younger brother, should answer this. Indeed he knows the answer. But he avoids accepting it, because it will only add to his feelings of guilt. The forest leaves sway noisily. And he throws his feelings away in the expectation they can disappear with the night wind.
"My older brother, why don't we just go back to Jatisrana?" Sukrosono asks. The silence of the night is broken into a thousand questions. And Sumantri falls silent again.
"After our father died, I don’t know where to go, except to return to Jatisrana. But I don't want to go there alone. Without you, Jatisrana will only be mere sadness for me, my older brother," Sukrosono further urges.
"Sukrosono, please sleep. Let our sorrow sink into the night." Sumantri himself feels very tired. He realizes he wants to take a rest as soon as possible. The moon is shining, its light is hitting the leaves that make a little noise. The kemuning (orange jessamine) flowers are awakened by the greeting of the light and send a fragrance for the two of them to sleep. Sukrosono is getting sleepy. As in Jatisrana, he can soon forget everything if he is close to his older brother. All that has happened disappears from his memory, as soon as he is able to hug his older brother.
"My older brother, look the moon is swaying to call me," he says.
Sumantri knows, his younger brother asks him to call the moon to put him to sleep. And he greets the moon with his song. His voice is soft, singing about the goodness of the moon, which is willing to stay up all night so the world can rest in peace. It is the moon that makes humans free from fatigue, so when the moon comes, all their beautiful dreams flow. And what else does he dream about, except love. Love is supposed to be like the moon, which faithfully accompanies humans every night. It is far on the other side, but with its light it is always near before humans. It always wants to be close to humans, why do humans not want to be like it, and are easily tempted to separate from those who love them?
And how happy he feels, when he is allowed to swing the moon.
At this point, Sumantri stops, and feels sad. The words seem to be spoken to himself. Meanwhile, as he is contemplating this, Sukrosono is already asleep in his lap. Indeed, hearing Sumantri sing, Sukrosono is carried away in a dream. It seems as though he is flying back to Taranggana Sekar. There he is swinging together with a thousand moons. And how happy he feels, when he is allowed to swing the moon.
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Sumantri is amazed, seeing Sukrosono's face become like the moon. He feels that his younger brother has extraordinary strength and power. Does his younger brother really hide it? No, in front of him, Sukrosono does not feel he has any advantages, and never feels like he has to hide it, does he? He wonders.
Sukrosono only needs his older brother's love, and wants to give his love to his older brother. In the face of love, what is the use of showing all strengths and advantages? Sukrosono feels that love does not need it all. So in front of his brother, he becomes a weak and helpless person. He does not need anything, except his older brother's love. Sumantri knows and feels it all. He knows that his younger brother cannot be paralyzed or killed with any supernatural powers. Only he himself can defeat his younger brother, because his younger brother will only show his weakness and helplessness, for the love he wants.
There will be no more light in the forest. He looks at his younger brother sleeping soundly in his lap.
Sumantri is moved to remember it all. He thinks, perhaps he has to go home with his younger brother to Jatisrana. There he will feel the love with his younger brother, and will be happy in his life. But by doing so would he not have to abandon his noble ideals? Does he not want to be glorious as a knight? He is confused as to whether he has to continue his journey to Maespati, or return to Jatisrana. The moon begins to darken. There will be no more light in the forest. He looks at his younger brother sleeping soundly in his lap. He observes his younger brother with eyes that are lulled by the majesty of his ideals. And he sees that his younger brother is an ugly demon child. He feels his younger brother will only become a hindrance to his nobility. He puts his younger brother's head on the ground slowly, so as not to wake him up. And with determination he goes way, through the night, leaving Sukrosono to go back to his loneliness.
(This article was translated by Hyginus Hardoyo)