Bandung, Indonesia Sentinel — The Javanese legend of Nyi Blorong has long captivated the imagination of locals, portraying a female supernatural being capable of granting instant, immense wealth. However, the riches bestowed by Nyi Blorong come at a steep price—one must offer a life in exchange for fortune.
One of the most compelling accounts of such a pact is documented in Java, Facts, and Fancies (1905) by Dutch traveler Augusta de Wit. In this travelogue, de Wit recounts the story of Pah-Sidin, a poor fisherman who, driven by his desire for wealth, makes a deadly deal with Nyi Blorong.
In addition to chronicling Pah-Sidin’s story, de Wit provides a vivid depiction of the mythical figure herself. Here’s a retelling of the tale.
A Deal for Life
Set in the late 19th century, Pah-Sidin lived in poverty with his wife, who worked tirelessly to support their household. According to de Wit, his wife spent her days weaving, selling fruits, tending to their home, and maintaining their small farm. Meanwhile, Sidin was jobless and spent his time gambling on cockfights at the beach, contributing little to their survival.
As their financial situation worsened—running out of rice and losing their property to creditors—Sidin’s wife erupted in frustration, demanding that he find a way to earn money.
Faced with mounting pressure, Sidin set off, but rather than looking for work, he wandered for days along the southern coast of Java in search of Nyi Blorong and Nyi Roro Kidul, the mythical queen of the southern seas.
After arriving at a cave, Sidin scattered flowers, burned incense, and pleaded with Nyi Blorong for money. “Nyi Blorong! I beg you. I am poor and truly wretched. Will you give me money? I will give you my soul in return,” Sidin shouted.
To his surprise, a voice responded, “I hear you, Pah-Sidin.”
Suddenly, the cave transformed into a grand house covered in gold, but Sidin realized the wealth before him was stained by human sacrifice. Nonetheless, his desperation for wealth outweighed his fear, and he agreed to the deadly bargain.
Upon returning home, Sidin was soon visited by Nyi Blorong again. In Augusta de Wit’s account, the two engaged in a romantic encounter, during which Nyi Blorong revealed her true form—a half-human, half-serpent figure with scales and a tail, but capable of producing gold. Sidin’s life quickly changed after that.
A Life of Wealth and Decadence
With his newfound wealth, Pah-Sidin’s fortunes reversed dramatically. “Pah-Sidin now lived like the wealthiest of kings: he owned a magnificent house, well-stocked rice barns, fine horses, sprawling palm and guava plantations, and vast, fertile rice fields,” de Wit wrote.
As he grew richer, Sidin’s character changed as well. He divorced his wife and married three younger women, living a life of excess and comfort. For years, he enjoyed his wealth without a care in the world.
But Pah-Sidin had forgotten that his riches came with a deadly price—Nyi Blorong would eventually come to claim his life. When she finally returned to collect on their deal, Sidin tried to evade his fate by sacrificing others in his place. He offered up his servants and even his own brother in his desperate attempts to escape death.
However, Nyi Blorong’s patience ran out. With no one left to sacrifice, Pah-Sidin ultimately surrendered to his fate, dying and leaving his wealth behind.
The Legend of Nyi Blorong and Envy
De Wit’s account of Sidin’s tale can be viewed through a broader lens, reflecting societal attitudes of the time. As George Quinn notes in his essay An Excursion to Java’s Get Rich Quick Tree (2009), myths such as those involving Nyi Blorong, or other creatures like the tuyul and babi ngepet, emerged from a sense of envy among those who observed wealth without understanding its origins.
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In 19th-century Java, peasants believed that wealth needed to be earned through visible hard work. When individuals accumulated wealth without apparent effort, rumors of supernatural pacts or black magic began to swirl. In Sidin’s case, the myth may have been fueled by the jealousy of his fellow fishermen, who could not fathom how Sidin had become so rich without working for it.
Nyi Blorong and Nyi Roro Kidul: Myth vs. Reality
Both Nyi Blorong and her counterpart, Nyi Roro Kidul, are central figures in Javanese folklore. However, the myth of Nyi Roro Kidul, in particular, has been deconstructed by literary figures like Pramoedya Ananta Toer. In his work Sastra, Sensor, dan Negara (1995), Pramoedya suggests that Nyi Roro Kidul was a creation of the Mataram court, intended to scare off Dutch colonizers from encroaching on the southern coast of Java after the Mataram Kingdom lost control of the northern territories.
In this context, the legend of Nyi Blorong may also have served as a cautionary tale, warning against the pursuit of wealth through unethical or supernatural means, while reflecting the social tensions between the rich and the poor in Javanese society.
Conclusion
The story of Pah-Sidin and Nyi Blorong remains one of Java’s most enduring legends, representing a timeless struggle between ambition, morality, and the consequences of desire. Whether viewed as a simple folk tale or a deeper commentary on human nature, the myth continues to capture the imagination of those who seek to understand the balance between fortune and sacrifice.
(Ray)
