LEGENDA PUTRI PUKES DAN DANAU LAUT TAWAR –

CERITA RAKYAT ACEH

Alkisah di dataran tanah gayo, terdapat seorang putri cantik anak seorang raja
yang bernama Putri Pukes. Putri cantik ini menyukai seorang pangeran yang berasal
dari kerajaan lain. Awalnya, kedua orang tua putri pukes tidak merestuinya,
disebabkan asal pangeran ini yang bertempat tinggal jauh dari kediaman sang putri.
Namun, berkat kegigihan si putri pukes dan sang pangeran, akhirnya orang tua si
putri pukes ini merestui hubungan keduanya hingga pada akhirnya mereka berdua
dinikahkan oleh sang raja.
Setelah menikah, maka tibalah saatnya sang putri menyusul suaminya. Putri
Pukes pun pamit kepada kedua orang tuanya untuk pergi ke kerajaan suaminya.
Tentunya kedua orang tua sang putri pun dihinggapi rasa sedih, namun mereka
harus melepas anaknya itu pergi.
“Pergilah, Nak, bersama para pengawal. Namun, satu hal yang harus kau jaga,
begitu melangkahkan kaki keluar dari kerajaan ini, jangan sekalipun kamu menoleh
lagi ke belakang”, pesan orang tuanya.
Putri Pukes pun berangkat bersama para pengawalnya. Di tengah jalan, ia selalu
teringat akan orang tuanya dan sangat merindukan mereka. Karena ia terlalu
bersedih, tanpa sengaja ia menoleh ke belakang.
Tiba-tiba, datanglah petir menyambar dan hujan yang sangat lebat. Putri Pukes
beserta rombongannya berteduh di dalam sebuah goa. Di dalam gua, Putri Pukes
berdiri di sudut goa untuk menghangatkan tubuhnya yang kedinginan. Perlahan,
sang putri merasa tubuhnya mengeras. Putri Pukes sangat terkejut dan menangis.
Ternyata tubuhnya menjadi batu. Ia pun menyesal karena tidak mengindahkan pesan
orang tuanya. Seharusnya, ia tidak menoleh ke belakang selama perjalanan
sebagaimana yang dipesankan oleh orang tuanya.
Setelah merasa cukup lama beristirahat dan hujan mulai reda, mereka berniat
melanjutkan perjalanan. Para pengawalnya pun memanggil Sang Putri. “Tuan Putri !
Hujan telah reda, mari kita melanjutkan perjalanan !” panggil para pengawalnya.
Berkali-kali mereka memanggil, tetapi tetap tidak terdengar jawaban.
Para pengawal sang putri pun pergi menghampiri tempat Putri Pukes berdiri.
Mereka terus memanggil, tetapi Sang Putri diam saja. Saat melihat dengan jelas, para
pengawal sangat terkejut karena tubuh putri pukes telah mengeras dan menjadi
batu.
Sampai sekarang, batu Putri Pukes masih bisa dilihat. Bentuknya membesar di
bagian bawah, tetapi bentuk sanggul dan kepala Sang Putri masih dapat dikenali.
Menurut kepercayaan penduduk setempat, batu tersebut membesar dibawah karena
Putri Pukes terus menangis yang menyebabkan air matanya menumpuk di bawah.
Sementara itu, karena hujan yang sangat lebat, terbentuklah danau di kawasan
itu. Penduduk sekitar menyebut danau tersebut dengan nama “Danau Laut Tawar“.
 THE LEGEND OF THE PUKES PRINCESS AND THE FRESH SEA LAKE –
ACEH FOLK STORY

Once upon a time, in the plains of Gayo, there was a beautiful princess, the daughter
of a king, named Putri Pukes. This beautiful princess likes a prince who comes from another
kingdom. Initially, the princess's parents did not approve of it, because the prince lived far
from the princess' residence. However, thanks to the persistence of the Pukes princess and
the prince, in the end the Pukes princess' parents approved of their relationship so that in
the end they were both married by the king.
After marriage, the time came for the princess to follow her husband. Putri Pukes said
goodbye to her parents to go to her husband's kingdom. Of course, the princess's parents
were saddened, but they had to let their child go.
“Go, child, with the guards. "However, one thing you must take care of, once you step
out of this kingdom, don't even look back," advised his parents.
Putri Pukes left with her bodyguards. On the way, he always thought of his parents and
missed them very much. Because he was too sad, he accidentally looked back.
Suddenly, lightning struck and very heavy rain came. Putri Pukes and her entourage
took shelter in a cave. Inside the cave, Putri Pukes stood in the corner of the cave to warm
her cold body. Slowly, the princess felt her body harden. Putri Pukes was very shocked and
cried. His body turned to stone. He also regretted that he did not heed his parents' message.
He should not have looked back during the journey as ordered by his parents.
After feeling rested long enough and the rain starting to stop, they intended to
continue their journey. The guards also called the Princess. "Princess ! The rain has stopped,
let's continue our journey!" call the guards. They called several times, but still there was no
answer.
The princess's bodyguards went to where Putri Pukes was standing. They kept calling,
but the Princess remained silent. When they saw clearly, the guards were very surprised
because the pukes princess's body had hardened and turned into stone.
Until now, the Putri Pukes stone can still be seen. The shape enlarges at the bottom,
but the shape of the Princess's bun and head are still recognizable. According to local beliefs,
the stone grew bigger at the bottom because Putri Pukes kept crying, which caused her tears
to accumulate at the bottom.
Meanwhile, due to very heavy rain, a lake was formed in the area. Local residents call
the lake "Lake Laut Tawar".