Lake Kastoba Legend, Bawean Island, East Java, Indonesia

Long long time ago, Majeti Island (Old Bawean Island) was reigned by Goblin. Every creature on this island obeyed him. The ruler of this island was very popular and respected by all goblin kings in the surrounding area as he had a powerful strength for he had a virtuous tree, that they called as Kastoba Tree.

Oneday, the king ordered his trusted crew to call a  female and male black raven to come over him. When the raven were present, the goblin said ” Hi Raven, i am giving you new tough assignment, are you ready?”.They answered ” Yes we are, King”. King trusted them as they always succeed for any assignment. King asked them to be quiet to any one about what his was about to say and order. And both ravens agreed.  The King explained that their kingdom had a virtuous tree, and because of this tree, the kingdom was well respected. The tree name is Kastoba Tree. The root, stock, leave and branch  were useful to solve any bad luck or disaster. One leave of the tree even could heal various diseases. Its flower could make body immune from anything. Finally, he asked both ravens to protect the tree from anyone that knew the virtue of the tree.

Afterwards, ravens went to Majeti island and did their call. They were not alone as king goblin also asked other powerful genies to strengthen kastoba tree guards. Everything went perfect only both ravens were always spoke about things until the secret of the kingdom known by others and become a chit chat topic.

One day in a long dry season, as if it would burn the earth. Suddenly from far away, there was an old man walked slowly with his cane where Kastoba Tree grew. From close distance, he had skin disease all over his skin and his eyes were blind. He arrived at Kastoba tree that was guarded by ravens and genies. He meditated under the tree and waited until he got vision from sky so his disease and blind eyes could be healed. Though his eyes were blind, his hearing was very good still. He could hear a subtle conversation. He finally knew the conversation was between ravens stood not far from where he meditated.

The male raven said ‘ Poor old man that he is blind and seems that he had been blind for long time’. The female raven said ‘So what is on your mind?’. Male raven said ‘If he only knew the virtue of this tree that we guard, surely he would be healed from his blindness and disease’. Female raven replied ‘ You right, with one leave he could heal his eyes’. Hearing this, the old man became more curious. He was considering the ravens conversation. He could hear female raven said ‘Stupid old man, for years he tried to heal his diseases after arriving here he is not doing anything only sitting and silence.’ The male raven realized that they both have talked too much about the kingdom secret. And the male raven warned female raven to stop the conversation and they both silenced.

The old man was getting more and more curious and he decided to prove both ravens conversation. He stood and picked one leaf of kastoba tree. He dropped gum from the leaf to his eyes and miraculously he could see the world again. He took few leaved to cure his skin as well. After he was healed completely, he said to the ravens loudly: ‘ Ravens, Thank you very much now i am healed and it is because of your advice’ Hearing this scream, both ravens were shocked and realized that their conversation was heard and understood by the old man.

King goblin knew this, and he was very angry as his kingdom was threatened. The secret of the kingdom was revealed already. He then pull out Kastoba tree angrily with his power, and threw it away as far as he could. The tree flied to the sky and disappeared to the bottom of the sea.

King goblin punished both ravens as they failed to do their call. They were outcast from Majeti island, not only both ravens, all ravens were prohibited to live on the island. Until today, there is no ravens live on Bawean Island. The hole where Kastoba tree located was expelling water, like spring and it kept flowing and became a lake. That lake is Lake Kastoba that we can see today in Bawean Island.