A Single Ape

 Legend has it that there was a castle situated on the riverbank, where the king resided with his seven daughters. Among them, the youngest princess, Puteri Bongsu, held a special place in his heart. Next to the castle, there was a rundown hut occupied by a middle-aged woman who worked as a farmer. Despite her hard work, she longed for a child of her own.

One day, she drank water from a magical shell and soon found herself pregnant, giving birth to a unique ape named Beruk Tunggal. As Beruk Tunggal grew, he helped his mother with farming tasks. When their rice crop was threatened by rats, the ape took matters into his own hands and caught all the rodents attacking their harvest.

Beruk Tunggal then sought out the Rat King and warned him to stop the attacks. The Rat King, realizing the ape's divine origins, offered gold grains as a peace offering. The ape accepted the gift, and soon, the hut was filled with gold.

Inspired by her son's bravery and generosity, the mother decided to seek a marriage proposal for him with the king's princess. The king was taken aback by the woman's request.

The king told his seven daughters about the request. "Married to an ape?" asked the Eldest Princess. The other princesses were surprised too. Only Puteri Bongsu, who was polite, agreed to marry the ape. The king and queen felt sorry for the youngest princess and asked for a diamond ring, thinking she wouldn't be able to get one. Beruk Tunggal, the ape, begged his father, the Heavenly King, for help. That night, the father sent a diamond ring. The ape's mother also brought a diamond ring to the palace and asked him to choose one. The king had no choice but to let Puteri Bongsu marry Beruk Tunggal. After the wedding, they moved to the ape's lodge. On the first night, Puteri Bongsu found a monkey's coat. The next day, Beruk Tunggal was no longer a monkey but a handsome young man. "Turns out, my husband is actually a prince!" Said Puteri Bongsu.

"Burn the monkey's coat, sprinkle some dust outside the hut, and ask for anything you want, my wife," said the prince. Puteri Bongsu followed his instructions and the hut turned into a beautiful palace with a garden.