Batara Kala

It is good to know some of folktales our country has. This is one of the legends that is commonly told in Java. People in some villages in Java believe that in eclipse happens when the sun or the moon in swallowed by Batara Kala, an evil giant. The story says that although Batara kala is not one of the gods in heaven, he is very powerful.

One day Batara Wisnu (god, the protector) distributed the “ Tirta Amerta Sari” or the drink of the gods. Anyone who drank from it would never die. Batara Kala wanted to have some, too, so he tried to cheat by taking the form of a god. Batara Surya (the sun god ) and Batari Candra ( the moon goddess), however, knew of this trick and told Batara Wisnu about it. When Batara Kala’s turn came to receive the drink, Batara Wisnu shot him from a distance with his famous weapon, ‘the Cakra’ and it cut his head off. Some of the drink, however spilled over Batara Kala’s head and this made his head live forever. From then on Batara kala has continued to live without his body.

Batara Kala was very angry with Batara Surya and Batari Chandra and tried to eat them, but the god and goddess escaped. Batara Kala got angrier and from that time on he has never stopped chassing them. Batara Wisnu wanted to protect the god and goddess and ordered the people on earth to make a lot of noise whenever there is an eclipse. The noise would help Batara Surya and Batari Chandra to escape from Batara Kala’s throat. To this day people beat objects like grinders when they see an eclipse. They stay in their houses and pregnant women are told to hide under their beds in order to avoid Batara Kala’s anger 

Answer these questions based on the text!

1. Why are people in villages afraid of Batara Kala?
2. According to the story, how could the gods in heaven make themselves live forever?
3. Why was Batara Kala angry with Batara Surya and Batari Chandra?
4. What did Batara Wisnu do to Batara Kala?
5. How could Batara Kala’s head live forever?
6. What is ‘the Cakra’?
7. Was Batara Kala able to catch Batara Surya and Batari Candra?
8. What happens when Batara Kala catches Batara Surya or Batari Chandra?
9. Why do some of the village people make a lot of noise when there is an eclipse?
10. Is a legend a true story?            

Cara Belajar Stucture

PRESENT TENSE

Verbal	Nominal
S + V1 + O	S + to be + Complement -ks, -jb, -um, -tp

She                    (+) She cleans the room                      She                      (+) She is busy

He          does     (-) She does not clean the room          He            is          (-) She is not busy

It                        (?) Does she clean the room                It                          (?) Is she busy

They                   Yes, she does                                     They                     Yes, she is

We         do        No, she does not                                We           are       No, she is not

You                                                                              You

I                                                                                   I               am

PRESENT CONTINUOUS TENSE

Verbal	Nominal
S + to be + Ving + O	S + to be + Being + Complement -ks, -jb, -um, -tp

She                    (+) She is reading a book                    She                      (+) She is being busy

He          is          (-) She is not reading a book               He            is          (-) She is not being busy

It                        (?) Is she reading a book                    It                          (?) Is she being busy

They                   Yes, she is                                          They                     Yes, she is

We         are       No, she is not                                     We           are       No, she is not

You                                                                              You

I             am                                                                  I               am

PAST TENSE

Verbal	Nominal
S + V2 + O	S + to be + Complement(ks,jb,um,tp)

She                    (+) She cleaned the room                    I                           (+) She was busy

He          did       (-) She did not clean the room             She          was      (-) She was not busy

It                        (?) Did she clean the room                  He                        (?) Was she busy

They                   Yes, she did                                       It                          Yes, she was

We         did       No, she did not                                   They                     No, she was not

You                                                                              We           were

I                                                                                   You         

PAST CONTINUOUS TENSE

Verbal	Nominal
S + to be + V ing + O	S + to be + Being + Complement -ks, -jb, -um, -tp

I                         (+) She was writing a letter                 I                           (+) She was being busy

She        was      (-) She was not writing a letter            She          was      (-) She was not being busy

He                      (?) Was she writing a letter                  He                        (?) Was she being busy

It                        Yes, she was                                      It                          Yes, she was

They                   No, she was not                                 They                     No, she was not

We         were                                                               We           were

You                                                                              You         

FUTURE TENSE

Verbal	Nominal
S + Will + V1	S + will+be +Complement (ks, jb, um, tp)

I                         (+) She will ask                                  I                           (+) She will be busy

She                    (-) She will not ask                             She                      (-) She will not be busy

He                      (?) Will she ask                                   He                        (?) Was she be busy

It            will       Yes, she will                                       It              will       Yes, she will

They                   No, she won’t                                    They                     No, she will not

We                                                                               We          

You                                                                              You         

PRESENT PERFECT TENSE

Verbal	Nominal
S + has/have + P.2	S + has/have + been + Complement(ks, jb, um, tp)

She                    (+) She has cleaned                            She                      (+) She has been busy

He          has       (-) She has not cleaned                       He            has       (-) She has not been busy

It                        (?) Has she cleaned                            It                          (?) Has she been busy

They                   Yes, she has                                       They                     Yes, she has

We         have     No, she has not                                  We           have     No, she has not

You                                                                              You         

I                                                                                   I