The Legend of Jokotole

 According to the history of Madura, Bukabu’s grandchild had a daughter named Dewi Saini, also known as Princess Kuning (the Yellow Princess) because of her radiant golden skin. She loved to meditate and live in solitude. Through a spiritual union with Adipoday, the second son of Penembahan Blingi, also known as Ario Pulangjiwo, two sons were born — Jokotole and Jokowedi.

Both children were abandoned in the forest. The elder, Jokotole, was found and adopted by a blacksmith named Empu Kelleng from the village of Pakandangan. When he was discovered, Jokotole was being nursed by a white buffalo. The younger brother, Jokowedi, was found in Pademawu, also by a blacksmith.

From a young age, Jokotole loved making weapons such as daggers (keris), knives, and farming tools. It was said that although he used clay as his material, he could magically transform it into iron. When he turned six, his foster father, Empu Kelleng, was summoned by the King of Majapahit, King Brawijaya VII, to help forge a magnificent palace gate.

Three years passed, and Empu Kelleng never returned. His wife, worried, asked Jokotole to travel to Majapahit and find his father. Along his journey along Madura’s southern coast, Jokotole met an old man in the village of Jumijang — who turned out to be his uncle, Pangeran Adirasa, the brother of his father, Adipoday.

Adirasa told Jokotole the story of his family’s origins and introduced him to his younger brother, Jokowedi. He gave Jokotole advice, along with a jasmine flower, instructing him to eat it — for it would later help him save his foster father in Majapahit.

Adirasa also told Jokotole that to complete the Majapahit gate, a magical adhesive would be needed — one that would emerge from Jokotole’s navel when his body was burned. Jokotole was told that after being burned to ashes, someone must quickly retrieve the substance from his navel and pour water over his body so that he would come back to life.

Before parting, Adirasa gave Jokotole a black, winged horse named Si Mega that could fly like the mythical Garuda, and a magical whip from his father, Adipoday.

On his way to Majapahit, Jokotole passed through Gresik, where he was stopped by royal guards. The King of that region had dreamt that his youngest son-in-law would come from among two brothers. When Jokotole and Jokowedi were brought before the King, he welcomed them kindly and revealed his dream. Jokotole, humble and wise, left his younger brother behind to marry the princess and continued his journey to Majapahit.

Upon arriving in Majapahit, Jokotole met his foster father and was allowed to assist the royal blacksmiths. Following Adirasa’s instructions, he asked to be burned alive. When his body turned to ash, the blacksmiths took the substance from his navel and used it as an adhesive. Magically, the great Majapahit gate could finally be assembled. Then, they poured water over Jokotole’s ashes — and he came back to life.

However, the gate was too heavy to stand upright. With hidden help from his uncle Adirasa, Jokotole lifted it into position. Everyone — the King, ministers, and craftsmen — was astonished. Jokotole’s talents and bravery earned him great honor, and he was later granted the hand of Princess Dewi Mas Kumambang, the royal crown princess. But due to the jealousy of the royal advisor, the King changed his decision and instead gave him Princess Dewi Ratnadi, who was blind. As a true knight, Jokotole humbly accepted.

After some time in Majapahit, Jokotole asked permission to return to Madura with his blind wife. During their journey, they stopped by the shore. Dewi Ratnadi asked to relieve herself, but there was no water. Jokotole struck the ground with his wife’s stick, and water burst forth — splashing into her eyes. Miraculously, she regained her sight. The place was then named Socah, from the word meaning “eye.”

As they continued their journey, they passed through Sampang, where Dewi Ratnadi lost her undergarment (called Amben in Madurese) while washing clothes. Jokotole said, “May this water never flow out of this village,” and since then, the place has been called Omben.

Later, upon meeting his father again at Mount Geger, Jokotole was told that he would face a great warrior from China named Dempo Awang (Sampo Tua Lang) — a powerful general who sought to challenge the kings of Java and Madura.

When Jokotole, now titled Pangeran Setyodiningrat III, ruled Sumenep around the year 1415, Dempo Awang arrived from China aboard a ship that could travel between earth and sky.

In the fierce battle that followed, Jokotole rode his flying horse, as guided by his uncle Adirasa. When he heard his uncle’s voice shout “Strike!”, Jokotole pulled hard on the reins, causing the horse’s head to turn backward. He then lashed his whip, striking Dempo Awang and his ship — shattering them to pieces. The wreckage fell upon Bancaran in Bangkalan. Dempo Awang’s plate fell at a place now called Ujung Piring, and his anchor fell in Socah.

From this victory, the flying horse that turned its head backward became the symbol of Sumenep. In fact, Jokotole had already introduced this emblem during his time in Majapahit — it appeared on the gate he helped build, depicting a winged horse with its front legs raised and its head turned.

To this day, the flying horse can be seen carved in marble at Asta Tinggi, engraved on the Sumenep Palace gate, and displayed in the Sumenep Museum — a lasting symbol of heroism and wisdom from Madura’s legendary prince, Jokotole.