Salah satu upaya pencerdasan bangsa adalah peningkatan minat baca masyarakat Indonesia. Peningkatan minat baca harus ditunjang dengan penyediaan buku dan jenis bacaan lain yang cukup. Buku yang dapat memperluas wawasan dan pengetahuan itu tidak hanya tentang kehidupan masa kini, tetapi juga kehidupan masa lain. Sehubungan dengan itu, karya sastra lama yang memuat informasi kehidupan masa lalu …
Coconut leaves on towering trees lining the shore were swaying in a gentle sea breeze, as if waving at a flock of birds that flew over the ocean back to their nests on the cliff. Slowly but surely, the afternoon sun went down the horizon. The light scattered and tinged the sky orange on that late afternoon. The beautiful sunset only added to the joy of a little girl who was busy chasing after…
How wonderful is the creation of God. A small island, which is like a little piece of heaven on earth with the soaring mountains and clear, blue expanse of the sea, such was the nature’s landscape of the exceptionally beautiful Banda Island, a small island which lies in the southeastern side of Ambon Islands, Molucca. Once upon a time, there lived a married couple on the Island of Banda. Th…
Once upon a time, there was a great kingdom surrounded by hills and jungles. It was Azamnawi Kingdom. Its royal palace was adorned with glittering apparatus and the rooms were splendid. The King’s name was Azam. He was a famous king. King Azam was a strong and fearsome adversary. He was benevolent and revered. King Azam had a son named King Keinderaan. He was well-built, tall, valiant and h…
In a village called Wanua Uner, lived a pair of husband and wife, Pontohroring and Mamalauan, respectively. They had been married for a long time, but they had not got any children. Despite their old age, they still had a hope that one day they would get children. “What are you doing, dear?” Pontohroring asked his wife, Mamalauan, one afternoon. “Oh.... Look at this! I’m making a shir…
It was a fine day. The sun shone brightly and the sea water was blue and clear. The white sands on the beach were greeted by the rolling waves, whose sound mixed with the cries of the seagulls. It was such a beautiful scene. However, the group of men could not enjoy such beauty. They were busy felling coconut trees and cutting mangroves. They did not fell randomly; instead, they selected onl…
On a fine morning, as the winds blew softly touching the leaves and the colourful flowers in the garden at Kadipaten (a region ruled by an adipati) Surabaya, some flowers were red, some yellow, and some others white, increasing the beauty and coolness of the garden, the cheerful voices of the princess and her maids could be heard from a distance. That fine morning, they were busy making crow…
This is the graceful land they speak of, the land surrounded by a vast and clear, turquoise ocean. The sands are yellowish white like shiny pearls under the sun light, with the sea waves gently breaking on the shore. On one side of the island is a stretching ridge of towering rocks, while the other side is a lush mangrove forest, home to spawning crabs and fish. Along the coast, windswept co…
The amber glow of twilight dimmed as it bade farewell to the dusk, ushering the coming of night. Leaves were bowed and limp, as if exhausted from having spent the day in the company of the sun. The birds had stopped chirping, retiring one after the other to their nests. Once in a while the flapping of bat wings could be heard as they flew over the house where Sasandewini and Suntre lived. The…
It was almost dusk, and the sun had just greeted the western horizon. Buffaloes and cows over the dried rice paddies were approaching a hamlet in the Priangan realm. Shepherds played merrily in the vast rice paddies. The squeal and the moos of the buffaloes and cows described the serenity and peace of the village. Smoke puffed from the roofs of the houses that looked like a giant’s cigaret…