Two new beautiful "Bidadari Angels" have flown into Sharing Bali and found a home in our bale.These days Bidadari Angels are thought of as beautiful, radiant women who inspire loveliness....
but I do love the original ancient Indonesian tale of the Angels that I first heard from Wayan many years ago. There seems to be a few versions, but this short version is how I remember it:
The Bidadari Angels would come down to earth and bathe in a lake was surrounded by shade trees. That magical place was very attractive for angels. The lake became their playground.
“We’ve looked everywhere and we can’t find it. Maybe a deer took it” one of them said.
“We have to go. It’s getting dark.”
“No, don’t leave me here.” the girl started to cry.
“But we can’t stay. I’m sorry, my sister. May the gods protect you tonight.” they told their sister. The other girls then tied their shawls in their waist and held the tips. Then slowly they started to fly. The young man came out from the trees and offered to look after the sad and lonely angel.
The young man entered the barn and was shocked when he saw his wife was standing there holding a shawl that he had hid all this time.
“It was you?” his wife asked him. She could not believe that her own husband took her shawl. “How could you do this?” she was very disappointed.
“I’m sorry. I just… I don’t want you leave me.” He tried to give an explanation and hoped his wife would forgive him.
“I have to go. I can’t stay here. I don’t belong here.” His wife tied the shawl to her waist and flew. Her husband was left, crying alone.
One day the angels were bathing in the lake and didn't realise human eyes were watching. The eyes belonged to a young man who lived nearby and spent time in the forest collecting birds and playing his flute. As he was watching the angels he noticed that they had hung their shawls in a tree. They were beautiful soft shawls like he had never seen before, that could only belong to angels. He took on of the shawls and put it under his shirt.
The girls finished their bath and prepared to leave the lake. One girl couldn't find her shawl. Everyone
helped her look but could not find it. The young man was still standing in silence behind the big tree watching the girls looking for the shawl that he took.
“We’ve looked everywhere and we can’t find it. Maybe a deer took it” one of them said.
“We have to go. It’s getting dark.”
“No, don’t leave me here.” the girl started to cry.
“But we can’t stay. I’m sorry, my sister. May the gods protect you tonight.” they told their sister. The other girls then tied their shawls in their waist and held the tips. Then slowly they started to fly. The young man came out from the trees and offered to look after the sad and lonely angel.
The girl then stayed with the man. Time passed by, and they married. For many years, her husband did not tell her about the shawl. He still hid the shawl in the rice barn.
But you can’t hide a bad secret forever. It will show up and eat you someday. And that day came when a black chicken entered his barn and made it messy. The wife took a broom to scare the chicken and got rid of it. Suddenly her eyes saw something shiny in the rice. She approached it and was very surprised when she saw something that very familiar for her a long time ago.
But you can’t hide a bad secret forever. It will show up and eat you someday. And that day came when a black chicken entered his barn and made it messy. The wife took a broom to scare the chicken and got rid of it. Suddenly her eyes saw something shiny in the rice. She approached it and was very surprised when she saw something that very familiar for her a long time ago.
The young man entered the barn and was shocked when he saw his wife was standing there holding a shawl that he had hid all this time.
“It was you?” his wife asked him. She could not believe that her own husband took her shawl. “How could you do this?” she was very disappointed.
“I’m sorry. I just… I don’t want you leave me.” He tried to give an explanation and hoped his wife would forgive him.
“I have to go. I can’t stay here. I don’t belong here.” His wife tied the shawl to her waist and flew. Her husband was left, crying alone.
There seems to be a moral to this story!
This is our Bidadari Angel, the inspiration for our Bali Pink Ribbon Retreats in May 2012 to support Breast Cancer awareness in Bali. I'm sure we will have lots of lovely ladies who inspire loveliness!
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