The Legend of the Kuntilanak in the Forests of West Kalimantan

In a small village on the edge of the dense forests of West Kalimantan, there lived a woman named Sari. Sari was known as a beautiful and kind- hearted girl, but misfortune struck her when she became pregnant out of wedlock. Under the social pressure and shame, she fled into the forest to avoid the scornful gazes of the villagers.

One night, under the light of a full moon, Sari gave birth to her child alone in the forest. However, fate had other plans. Sari and her newborn baby died in the forest without any help. Only the wilderness and darkness witnessed the tragedy.

Since then, the villagers began to hear the sound of crying and eerie laughter every full moon night. They believed it was the voice of Saris restless spirit. They started calling her Kuntilanak, the ghost of a woman searching for her lost child and seeking revenge for the injustice done to her.

One day, a brave young man named Adi decided to uncover the truth behind the story. Bringing offerings and prayers, Adi entered the forest at night. With cautious steps, he kept hearing the crying sounds getting louder.

Suddenly, in the darkness, a figure of a woman with long hair in a tattered white dress appeared. Her face was pale, and her eyes were filled with sorrow. Adi felt terrified but tried not to show his fear. He then placed the offerings on the ground and prayed for Saris spirit to find peace.

The Kuntilanak stared at Adi intently but slowly approached and looked at the offerings prepared for her. Her crying began to subside, and she vanished in an instant, leaving a deep silence. Adi felt relieved, though cold sweat drenched his body.

Since that incident, the crying sounds in the forest gradually disappeared. The villagers believed that Saris spirit had found peace thanks to Adis prayers and bravery. However, they remained cautious whenever entering the forest, remembering the tragic tale that once occurred there.

This story became a legend in the village, reminding each generation to always do good and maintain social harmony with one another, so that nomor more tragic stories would befall them.