Indonesia
Granny Pakande from South Sulawesi
A very popular legend among kids in South Sulawesi. They still tell the story until today.
Long ago, before us and even our mothers were born, lived an old woman who likes to eat babies and kids. She roamed in Soppeng, a district in South Sulawesi. Actually this was no more than ordinary woman in one look, with grey hair and the wrinkles. Nothing about her was suspicious.
She went out on her wicked actions to kidnap and eat little children in the night. Who were the victims? Not children who were sleeping soundly in their bed, or sitting quietly in front of the TV. It was children who stayed outside and play. For her, it’s easier to kidnap those having fun in the night than sneaked up into the houses. Locals called her Ganny Pakande. The name was derived from the word ‘manre’ from Buginese which means ‘to eat’. More or less Pakande meant ‘the eater’
After having three kids as her dinner menu, Granny Pakande’s evil started to smell out. People became suspicious to her because the loss of children occurred only after she came to the village. But what can they do to stop her?
Granny Pakande must pose occult at high level. She was believed to be afraid to Raja Bangkung Pitu Reppa Rawo Ale only, a giant eating man who once roamed the area. La Beddu, a smart local young man, came up with some ideas. He asked for some eels, turtle, salaga, a full bucket of soap bubble, dried bamboo shoots skin, and large stones. People initially assumed Beddu was just bragging. Where he might be able to beat Grandma Pakande magic only with a soapsuds and stuffs? But La Beddu managed to convince them.
People also prepared a bait, a cute baby. They didn’t leave the chubby baby outside, instead alone at home with the front door wide open. It worked, Granny Pakande took the bait. She probably got tired of walk around and found no kid outside.
When she was about to take the baby, a loud voice thundering from the roof. “Hey, don’t take the baby. Get out of here or I’ll eat you!” It was La Beddu, who disguised himself as Raja Bangkung. His voice was so loud because he used dried bamboo shoots as a funnel speaker. But Granny Pakande didn’t just believe it. She was sure that it’s was only a man pretending to be Raja Bangkung.
La Beddu then spilled the bucket of soap water from the roof. Granny Pakanda was shocked, thinking the soap water as the saliva of the evil giant. But she stood the ground, not really sure it was Raja Bangkung. So La Beddu dropped the salaga that looked like a giant comb and some turtles that looked like giant louses.
Now Granny Pakande really scared. She flew from the stage house, ran for her life. But she slipped on the eel placed by people near the stairs. Granny Pakande fell on the ground, rolled over until her head hit a rock.
But she didn’t just give up. Got up on her feet, Granny Pakande cursed, “One day i will come back! I’ll monitor your children from the distance with the moon light.” She also threatened them, “I will eat any children who still playing outside in the night!”
After that, Granny Pakande left to the unknown. Will she return?
RETOLD BY HAFIDA INDRAWATI
ILLUSTRATED BY CAECILIA SANDY SIPUTRI
Neylaa
Cool story, you can also put moral of the story. ❤ i need that one