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HORRIBLE RAKSASAS

Anyone who is squeamish, will you stand up and be counted and pass on to the next chapter.
This is a gusty tale of greed and guts, so brace yourselves. Mark you, it doesn't start off too badly, but don't let that fool you.
So, you've all swallowed your tranquilisers
O.K. Here we go - and don't say I didn't warn you.
Long, long ago, there lived a man and his wife who were so poor they had nothing whatever of any value. Nothing, that is, except their baby daughter, whom they loved very dearly.

Now this poor family (who, of course, had no dole cheque to rely on) lived in the village of Djukut Paku, near Nukuning, and every day the mother and father, who were known as Ibu and Pak, walked across the sawahs to the Tjampuhan River, where they collected edible ferns, which they then took to Ubud to sell. Came one rainy season, the river rose high, all the ferns were swept away, and Ibu and Pak had nothing to sell - and nothing to eat.

In despair, they went to the little temple in the forest where the two rivers join at Tjampuhan. (Forest Certainly There were more trees than tourists in Tjampuhan those days). Now, where was I Ah, yes They prayed to the god in the temple by the river to make them'rich, promising, in return, to make him a special offering - a roasted tailless pig.

(Watch it now - the story begins to get seamy)

From that day on, the family's fortunes changed. Money simply fought its way to their door. If they went to the river they found many ferns - other people found none, so prices soared. Let Pak bet on a cockfight - he would win at such long odds you wouldn't believe. In a few brief months they had more wealth than most people acquire in a lifetime.