The unlucky Pak Kadok

Once upon a time there was a kingdom named Seri Cempaka, ruled by its king Indera Sari. This kingdom was well-run by laws and customs of a good government. However, the king had one weakness – he loved to gamble. And so, the people of the land, too, were preoccupied with gambling.

By the river bank, there lived a middleaged couple – Pak Kadok and Mak Siti. Pak Kadok was an idiotic man who was always

hasty in his actions. One day Pak Kadok told his wife that he wanted to go to the

arena to watch cock-fighting. “I just love to watch the audience,” he said. “Maybe we can bet on our favourite rooster, Si Kunani, for he has all the signs of being lucky. We can put up our land as a prize. If we win the king would give us lots of money.”

When she agreed, Pak Kadok asked her to sew a shirt and pants using paper he had bought. Mak Siti pointed out if she used paper to make the clothes, it would tear open and he would be the laughing

stock of everyone. Pak Kadok wouldn’t listen and told Mak Siti to make the clothes quickly.

So Mak Siti began to cut the paper into the proper shapes. In his hurry to go, Pak Kadok told his wife to simply glue the clothes together. Mak Siti was too puzzled to argue so she did as he told her to. When it was finished, Pak Kadok put on his attire

– a colourful suit of yellow, red, black and white with jasmine flowers. On his head was a headdress of a “soaring eagle”

plume. He looked really dashing – just like someone seasoned in the art of cockfighting. Then he went to get his prize cockerel, Si Kunani. He took along the pouch to cover Si Kunani’s talons. Then he made his way to the arena.

When he arrived, the king saw him and greeted him. Pak Kadok showed his cockerel to the king. The king, being a seasoned owner of fighting cockerels straight away recognised the excellent characteristics of Si Kunani.

The king said, “Oh, Pak Kadok your

copper coloured Si Kunani does not show much signs of good fortune, unlike my silvery white Jalak who is bursting with signs of good luck.”

The king then invited Pak Kadok to exchange roosters. Pak Kadok, pleased by the king’s attention agreed and they switched their cockerels.

So the king’s chief handler wrapped Si Kunani’s comb, fixed a metal spur on the cockerel’s talon and then made various other preparations to ensure the success of the rooster in the fight. Similarly, Pak Kadok started to prepare Jalak. He wrapped Jalak’s comb so that it would not be torn in the fight. However, being a novice, he did everything wrong. He fixed the spur with the sharp end pointing towards Jalak’s breast.

Then the king said, “Pak Kadok, what will we bet on?” Pak Kadok said, “Begging Your Majesty’s pardon, all I have is one piece of land where my house stands. If it pleases Your Majesty, I will offer this property for fifty rial.” The deal was sealed and the king signalled for the fight to begin. The king called upon Pak Kadok to release the roosters. As soon as the roosters were brought into the arena they became excited and bristled their neck feathers. Si Kunani immediately attacked, aiming his spur at Jalak’s breast. Jalak retaliated but alas, the sharp end was pointed to his own breast and he ended up stabbing himself. Badly wounded, Jalak fluttered on the arena floor once and died.

Pak Kadok forgot that he had exchanged roosters with the king and started clapping excitedly. He kept on cheering and jumping up and down, showing happiness at his first good fortune at the arena. In his excitement, he did not realise his glued paper clothes had started to tear and pieces of his clothes was blown all over the arena. In the end Pak Kadok was left standing naked surrounded by laughing spectators.

At first Pak Kadok thought they were celebrating his success. Then he felt a cool breeze on his body and looked about him. To his horror, he realised he did not have a single stitch of clothing on his body. The laughter was on him. Embarrassed, he dashed back to his house, with the king’s words ringing in his ears.

“Pak Kadok, the luckless man; his cockerel won but he lost his land.”

When he got home Mak Siti was shocked to see him naked. “What happened to you?” Mak Siti asked. When he told her the story, Mak Siti was so angry that she nagged at him all day long. Pak Kadok kept quiet and silently went his about his chores.