THE LEGEND OF KEBO IWA

In olden times there lived on island of Bali a creature that could be called a giant, since he
was as tall and as big as a mountain and strong as the current in the largest stream of Bali.
When he was born and who his parents were, nobody has ever been able to tell, but even
today the people of Bali tell various stories about him. About his death, however, all tell the
same tale.
The people of Bali used to say that Kbo Iwo was everything, a destroyer as well as a creator.
People thought he was able to build great temples, enormous structures and huge irrigation-
work, but they also knew that he could destroy them all afterwards. Kbo Iwo was kind and
ready to help people. On the other hand, if he were angry, he could devour twenty or thirty
men in a moment or two. Among the traits in his character, cleverness was mixed with
stupidity, as the story of his death reveals.
Kbo Iwo did not ask money in return for the work he did; he was satisfied with a meal, but
this meant for the Balinese people enough food for a thousand men. Whereever he had helped
people throughout the island, he always demanded this, and every person had to pay his
share. But there were times when people did not need him and therefore he had no work,
nevertheless, he had to be fed. The village people were very tolerant and indulged him as
long as they still had food stored in their barns. But difficulties arose when for the first time
the barns were completely empty and the new harvest was still along way off. Everybody
had, of course, to think about himself first, and this made Kbo Iwo wild with anger. In his
hunger, he destroyed all the houses and other buildings and even the temples, the result being
that people became greatly frightened. But when they saw that their temples had been
destroyed, their fear turned to range for, to the Balinese, the temples were the places they
honoured most of all.
So the people of Bali came together to plan steps to oppose this powerful giant. At first they
thought of just keeping out of his way, but this did not work, for Kbo Iwo ran after them,
devouring alive the men who were unlucky enough to be caught. People then realized that
this was not the way to overcome him. The situation, was becoming worse and worse, the
more so when Kbo Iwo devoured the pigs and cattle kept by the people. After a great number
authorities addressed those who still remained: “My people, we cannot oppose this giant with
physical strength, as the he far too strong. Therefore, we shall have to think of a trick. Let us
make peace with him, pretending that we need him, and then, when an opportunity arises, we
shall kill him.”
“That`s good idea,” shouted the people. ”But how shall we do it?”
“Have patience, my friends. The gods will help us for their temples have been destroyed. Just
wait until the day comes for revenge.”
The people then sought a good moment to have a talk with Kbo Iwo. One afternoon, after he
had eaten a lot, he was taking a rest in a field. Probably he was in a good temper, for he lay
smiling on the grass. Some of the village elders approached him and spoke: “Mighty Kbo
Iwo, we would like to be friends with you. We need you very much, but you have destroyed
everything we have. If you are willing to rebuild our temples and houses for us, and to dig a
very deep well that can provide us with water, we`ll give you food again.”
Kbo Iwo, hearing this offer, was satisfied and replied: “All right!” When the houses were
being rebuilt, the people had only to help the giant by gathering lime to whitewash the stones.
But Kbo Iwo noticed that they were collecting much more than was needed.
“Why are you getting so much lime?” he asked them.
“Well, when the houses are finished, you still have to dig a well, and after that we would like
to build a houses for you, too.”
Kbo Iwo had never thought of having a houses of his own, and the idea appealed to him very
much. He got on with his work and the temples were ready in one week. But the digging of
the well required much more would take at least a month, for, having no tools, he had to use
his bare hands. But day after day, the hole became deeper and deeper, and Kbo Iwo went
further into the ground, while the heap of earth at bthe edge of the hole grew higher and
higher.
Whenever Kbo Iwo had had his dinner, he took a rest wherever he pleased. Sometimes he lay
on the heap of earth, but often he just rested in the hole he was digging, deep in the ground.
One day, when he had eaten far too much, he fell asleep in the hole. Fore some days he did
not appear on the surface and when the people heard a terrible noise from below, the realized
that Kbo Iwo was sound asleep. This was the moment they had been waiting for.
The oldest man among the village people gave a sign and the villagers began to throw the
lime they had collected into the hole. At first Kbo Iwo was not aware of what was happening
for he was fast asleep. Only when the lime and water boiling around him in the hole had
covered his nose did he discover what was being done, and then he realized that his hours
were numbered. No matter how he tried to get free, his efforts were in vain, despite his great
strength. The lime had mixed with the water at the bottom of the well and it soon became so
firm that Kbo Iwo was buried alive. The last people saw of him was a calm look in his eyes,
perhaps showing resignation to his fate.
Shortly afterwards, the water in well rose higher and higher until at last it overflowed and
formed Lake Batur, which we can still see today. The mound of earth dug from the well by
Kbo Iwo was not covered by the water and today it still stands 

Prepared by

Ayu Budiyawati
X10