Raw Head and Bloody Bones || American Folklore

This story is told in two language Bahasa Indonesia and English. The story in bahasa is provided first, and the story in English follows. 

Nun jauh disana,  di dalam sebuah hutan yang lebat tinggalah seorang nenek tua yang berbadan kurus yang terkenal dengan kemampuannya menyembuhkan penyakit. Kehebetanyan menyembuhkan penyakit terkenal di Ozarak. Dengan Rambut kusamnya yang berwarna hitam ke abu-abuan, mata yang terliahat lucu (satu kuning, satu hijau, dan hidung yang besar, Old Betty adalah sosok yang menakutkan. Tetapi walaupun menakutkan, ia adalah satu-satunya wanita yang dapat diandalakan apabila ada penduduk yang sakit.

Rumah old Betty dipenuhi dengan tanaman herbal dan akar-akaran. Botol-botol pun banyak terletak di dalam rumahnya. Botol tersebut berisi ramuan obat-obatan. Rak berjejer di diding rumahnya, dimana di rak tersebut terletak buku-buku berberntuk aneh yang di dalamnya tertulis mantra-mantra ajaib. Hanya Old Betty, wanita yang bisa membaca mantra tersebut. Neneknya, yang juga tabib penyembuh seperti dirinya, telah mengajarinya membaca buku tersebut ketika Old Betty masih kecil. 

Satu satu teman OldBetty adalah seekor babi hutan yang kasar, jahar, dan buruk rupa yang bernama Razorback.Razorback hidup secra liar di sekitar rumah Old Betty. Razorback sering mengais tempat sampah Old Betty yang berisi sisa ramuan yang dibuat. Karena sering mengais tempat samaph yang berisi sisa ramuan, tubuh Rozerback pun mulai dipengaruhi oleh kekuatan ramuan tersebut. Para warga pun pernah melihat razorback dapat berjalan dengan dua kaki layaknya manusia. Beberapa lagi pernah melihat babi hutan tersebut sedang duduk di teras rumah Old Betty dan babi itu sedang mengobrol layaknya manusia dengan Old Betty. Tetapi, tidak semua percaya dengan cerita itu. Beberapa penduduk menganggap cerita itu hanya dibuat-buat dan bualan belaka.

“Raw Head” adalah nama panggilan yang diberikan kepada babi razorback tersebut. Babi razorback tidak keberatan mendapatkan nama panggilan tersebut.  Raw Head terus mengikuti di mana Old Betty melangkah ketika ia sedang berada di rumah. Ia juga terus mengais sisa ramuan yang Old Betty buang ke tempat sampah. Babi itu pun juga mengikuti Old Betty ketika ia pergi ke kota untuk menjual ramuannya.

Orang-orang di kota pun terbiasa meihat babi Rozerback tersebut. . Dan suatu hari, old Betty datang ke kota tanpa ada Rozerback mengikuti di belakangnya. Orang-orang di kota pun merasa aneh.

“Dimana Raw Head, si babi Rozerback?” pemilik toko obat di mana Old Betty menjual ramuan bertanya saat ia menerima satu keranjang penuh ramuan obat-obatan berbentuk cair.

“Aku tidak melihatnya di rumah ku hari ini, dan aku juga merasa khawatir” jawab Od Betty “Apakah para penduduk di kota ini melihat Raw Head hari ini?”

“Tak ada yang melihatnya hari ini. Mereka pasti telah mengatakan kepada ku, jika mereka melihat Razorback hari ini” jawab sang Pemilik toko obat. “Kami akan mengabarimu jika kami melihatnya” lanjut pemilik toko.

“Kau sangat baik sekali. Jika kau melihatnya, katakana kepadanya untuk langsung mendatangi rumahku” kata Old Betty. Pemilik toko pun menganggukan kepalanya dan kemudian memberika uang hasil penjualan ramuan minggu lalu kepasa Old Betty.

Old Betty kemudian langsung berjalan pulang kerumahnya. Tidak seperti biasanya Razorback bertingkah seperti ini. Dia biasanya akan selalu muncul di rumah Old Betty terlebih di hari di mana Old Betty pergi ke kota karena penual toko selalu memberikan makan kepada Razorback setiap kali ia menemaninya ke kota. Ia tidak pernah melewatkan makanan tersebut sebelumnya. Sesampainya di rumah, Old Betty membuat ramuan dan menuangkannya ke dalam piring. 

“Dimana babi itu pergi” tanya Old Betty kepada cairan tersebut. Kemudian cairan tersebut mengeluarkan gumapalan asap, dan kemudian terlihat gambar di dalam gumpalan tersebut. Pertama-tama ia melihat gambar seorang pemburu yang menyelinap di dalam hutan dan menagkap bai-bai hutan Razorback. Salah satu babi hutan yang tertangkap adalah Raw Head. 

Kemudian ia membawa babi-babi huta tersebut ke lembah Hog-Scald diman biasanya para babi huta di potong. Kemudia is melihat Raw Head dan babi hutan lainya di potong dan kemudian di gantung untuk kemudian di keluarkan isi perutnya. Gambar terahir yang ia lihat adalah tumpukan tulang yang bersimbah darah dan salah satu tulang tersebut adalah tulang –tulang itu adalah tulang Raw head. Ia juga melihat potongan kepala Raw Head ditumpuk dengan potongan kepala babi hutan lainnya.

Old Betty sangat marah atas kematian satu-satunya sahabatnya itu. Sahabatnya tersebut dibunuh dengan sangat mudah. Setiap orang di kota telah tahu bahwa Raw Head adalah teman Old Betty dan pemburu itu akan membayar atas apa yang telah ia lakukan.

Selama ini, Old Betty telah memeraktekan sihir putih untuk keperluan pengobatan, tetapi ia juga sebenarnya tahu tentang sihir hitam. Old Betty pun kemudian mengambil salah satu buku yang pernah neneknya beri kepadanya. Ia kemudian membuka halam trahir buku tersebut. Kemudian, ia menghidupkan beberapa lilin dan menempatkannya secara melingkar di sekitar piring yang berisi ramuan yang ia gunakan tadi untuk melihat keadaan Raw Head. Kemudian ia mulai berkata “raw Head dan tulang berdarah. Raw head dan tulang yang berdarah.

Keadaan di sekitar rumah Betty pun berubah menjadi Gelap Gulita. Awan hita menyelubungi atap rumah Betty. Dan suara arwah jahat dapat didengar di dalam desauan angina yang bertiup kencang menggoyangkan pohon yang tumbuh di sekitar rumah tersebut.

“Raw Head dan tulang berdarah. Raw head dan tulang yang berdarah."

Betty melanjutakan rapalannya, sampai petir menyambar pring tersebut dan membuatnya terlempar keluar jendela. Tempat dimana piring tersebut terlempar menunjukan arah di mana Hog-Scald terletak.

Petir juga menyambar kepala Raw back yang telah dikuliti dan juga tulang tulangnya. Kemudian secara ajaib, Kepala rawa head berkata “Tulang yang berdarah, bangun dan menarilah” Tulang tersebut pun bergerak dan menari membentuk kerangkan Raw head. Kemudia Kepala Raw head menempel k kerangka tersebut. Selanjutnya, kerangka tersebut lari ke dalam hutan untuk mencari senjat untuk melawan sng pemburu. Sesampainya di dalam hutan, raw head mengambil gigi dari seekor macan tutul yang telah mati, cakar dari beruang yang mati, dan ekor dari seekor rakun yang telah mati juga. Kemudian ia meletakan senjata tersebut ke kerangka dan kepalanya yang telah dikuliti tersebut.

Setelah mendapatkan senjatanya, kerang babi razorback itu pun menunggu kedatangan sang pemburu di rumahnya. Dia pun menyelinap di kandang kudanya dimana ia biasa menyimpan kuda dan keretanya setelah berburu.

Hari telah malam, ketika pemburu itu pulang kerumah. Ia pun kemudian membawa kudanya ke kandang. Sesampainya di depan kandangkuda tersebut meringkik ketakuakan. San pemburu pun heran, kudanya tidak seperti biasanya seperti itu. Kuda tersebut adalah kuda penurut. Belum selesai keheran sang pemburu, tiba tiba ia melihat sepasa mata yang memerhatikannya dari pjok gelap kandangnya tersebut. Pemburu tersebut mengerenyitkan dahinya, dan menganggap kalau itu adalah anak anak sekitar yang sedang jahil.

‘Hei, anak nakal, apa yang kau lakukan dengan mata yang besar itu” dia mengira anak tersebut sedang menakutinya dengan menggunakan topeng seram.

“Untuk membuatkan mu kuburan’ jawab sosok itu

“Lucu sekali. Ha-ha” sang pemburu pun tertawa dengan sinis dan menempatkan kudanya ke kandangnya.

Sosok tersebut kemudian mendekat dan sang pemburu bisa mlihat sosok tersebut membawa cakar yang besar.

“Hei bocah nakal, kenapa kau bawa cakar besat iyu” kata sang pemburu “kau erlihat menggelikan”

“Untuk menggali kuburanu” jawab sosok itu dengan pelan tetapi dalam. Suara tersebut pun pada akhirnya membuat buluk kuduk sang pemburu. Dia menganggap bahawa sosok tersebut adalah bocah gila dengan suara yang menyeramkan.

Merasa sedikit ketakutan kemudian ia buru buru keluar kandang dan menutup pintu kandang. Tetapi raw head menyelinap dengan cepat keluar. Ketika sang pemburu berbalik badan, ia pun langsung melihat lagi sosok tersebut. Sang pemburu pun melihat sosok tersebut juga membawa ekor rakun. Sang pemburu pun berteriak

“Kau membuat jantungku hamper copot. Kenapa kau membawa ekor raku. Dasar bocah gila!” teriaknya.

“Untuk menggali kuburmu” jawab sosok ini

Kemudian sang pemburu panic dan berlari ke rumahnya. Jarak ruamh dan kandangnya lumayah jauh. Sang pemburu pun mempercepat laarinya. Tetapi, lari Raw head lebih cepat. Ketika sang pemburu telah sampai di teras rumahnya. Ia pun melihat banyangan sosok tadi.  Sang pemburu pun ketakutan dan ia pun melihat sosok bermata kuning besr dengan cakar beruang dan ekor rakun di tubuhnyan dan juga ia melihat sosok tersebut memegang gigi panter..

“Apa yang akan kau lakukan dengan gigi itu?” tanya sang pemburu

“Untuk memakanmu, seperti kau memakan ku” Jawab Raw Head. Kemudian ia mengankat cakar dan gigi panter tersebut. Sang pemburu pun berteriak dengan keras. Kemudian semuanya kembali seprti semula. Hening.

Sejak saat itu, tak ada yang mleihat sang pemburu dan kudanya. Terkadang, penduduk kota melihat sosok mirip Raw head muncul dari dalam hutan, sedang menemani Old Betty. Dan dalam bulan purnama, sosok mirip Raw head biasanya melewati perkotaan pada tengah malam. Sosok tersebut biasa mengenakan pakain dan di tubuhnya tergantung gigi panther, cakar beruang, dan ekor rakun.

The original English Story is taken from here!

Way back in the deep woods there lived a scrawny old woman who had a reputation for being the best conjuring woman in the Ozarks. With her bedraggled black-and-gray hair, funny eyes - one yellow and one green - and her crooked nose, Old Betty was not a pretty picture, but she was the best there was at fixing what ailed a man, and that was all that counted.

Old Betty's house was full of herbs and roots and bottles filled with conjuring medicine. The walls were lined with strange books brimming with magical spells. Old Betty was the only one living in the Hollow who knew how to read; her granny, who was also a conjurer, had taught her the skill as part of her magical training.

Just about the only friend Old Betty had was a tough, mean, ugly old razorback hog that ran wild around her place. It rooted so much in her kitchen garbage that all the leftover spells started affecting it. Some folks swore up and down that the old razorback hog sometimes walked upright like man. One fellow claimed he'd seen the pig sitting in the rocker on Old Betty's porch, chattering away to her while she stewed up some potions in the kitchen, but everyone discounted that story on account of the fellow who told it was a little too fond of moonshine.

"Raw Head" was the name Old Betty gave the razorback, referring maybe to the way the ugly creature looked a bit like some of the dead pigs come butchering time down in Hog-Scald Hollow. The razorback didn't mind the funny name. Raw Head kept following Old Betty around her little cabin and rooting up the kitchen leftovers. He'd even walk to town with her when she came to the local mercantile to sell her home remedies.

Well, folks in town got so used to seeing Raw Head and Old Betty around the town that it looked mighty strange one day around hog-driving time when Old Betty came to the mercantile without him.

"Where's Raw Head?" the owner asked as he accepted her basket full of home-remedy potions. The liquid in the bottles swished in an agitate manner as Old Betty said: "I ain't seen him around today, and I'm mighty worried. You seen him here in town?"

"Nobody's seen him around today. They would've told me if they did," the mercantile owner said. "We'll keep a lookout fer you."

"That's mighty kind of you. If you see him, tell him to come home straightaway," Old Betty said. The mercantile owner nodded agreement as he handed over her weekly pay.

Old Betty fussed to herself all the way home. It wasn't like Raw Head to disappear, especially not the day they went to town. The man at the mercantile always saved the best scraps for the mean old razorback, and Raw Head never missed a visit. When the old conjuring woman got home, she mixed up a potion and poured it onto a flat plate.

"Where's that old hog got to?" she asked the liquid. It clouded over and then a series of pictures formed. First, Old Betty saw the good-for-nothing hunter that lived on the next ridge sneaking around the forest, rounding up razorback hogs that didn't belong to him. One of the hogs was Raw Head. Then she saw him taking the hogs down to Hog-Scald Hollow, where folks from the next town were slaughtering their razorbacks.

Then she saw her hog, Raw Head, slaughtered with the rest of the pigs and hung up for gutting. The final picture in the liquid was the pile of bloody bones that had once been her hog, and his scraped-clean head lying with the other hogsheads in a pile.

Old Betty was infuriated by the death of her only friend. It was murder to her, plain and simple. Everyone in three counties knew that Raw Head was her friend, and that lazy, hog-stealing, good-for-nothing hunter on the ridge was going to pay for slaughtering him.

Now Old Betty tried to practice white conjuring most of the time, but she knew the dark secrets too. She pulled out an old, secret book her granny had given her and turned to the very last page. She lit several candles and put them around the plate containing the liquid picture of Raw Head and his bloody bones. Then she began to chant: "Raw Head and Bloody Bones. Raw Head and Bloody Bones."

The light from the windows disappeared as if the sun had been snuffed out like a candle. Dark clouds billowed into the clearing where Old Betty's cabin stood, and the howl of dark spirits could be heard in the wind that pummeled the treetops.

"Raw Head and Bloody Bones. Raw Head and Bloody Bones."

Betty continued the chant until a bolt of silver lightning left the plate and streaked out threw the window, heading in the direction of Hog-Scald Hollow.

When the silver light struck Raw Head's severed head, which was piled on the hunter's wagon with the other hog heads, it tumbled to the ground and rolled until it was touching the bloody bones that had once inhabited its body. As the hunter's wagon rumbled away toward the ridge where he lived, the enchanted Raw Head called out: "Bloody bones, get up and dance!"

Immediately, the bloody bones reassembled themselves into the skeleton of a razorback hog walking upright, as Raw Head had often done when he was alone with Old Betty. The head hopped on top of his skeleton and Raw Head went searching through the woods for weapons to use against the hunter. He borrowed the sharp teeth of a dying panther, the claws of a long-dead bear, and the tail from a rotting raccoon and put them over his skinned head and bloody bones.

Then Raw Head headed up the track toward the ridge, looking for the hunter who had slaughtered him. Raw Head slipped passed the thief on the road and slid into the barn where the hunter kept his horse and wagon. Raw Head climbed up into the loft and waited for the hunter to come home.

It was dusk when the hunter drove into the barn and unhitched his horse. The horse snorted in fear, sensing the presence of Raw Head in the loft. Wondering what was disturbing his usually-calm horse, the hunter looked around and saw a large pair of eyes staring down at him from the darkness in the loft.

The hunter frowned, thinking it was one of the local kids fooling around in his barn.

"Land o' Goshen, what have you got those big eyes fer?" he snapped, thinking the kids were trying to scare him with some crazy mask.

"To see your grave," Raw Head rumbled very softly. The hunter snorted irritably and put his horse into the stall.

"Very funny. Ha,ha," The hunter said.

When he came out of the stall, he saw Raw Head had crept forward a bit further. Now his luminous yellow eyes and his bears claws could clearly be seen.

"Land o' Goshen, what have you got those big claws fer?" he snapped. "You look ridiculous."

"To dig your grave…" Raw Head intoned softly, his voice a deep rumble that raised the hairs on the back of the hunter's neck. He stirred uneasily, not sure how the crazy kid in his loft could have made such a scary sound. If it really was a crazy kid.

Feeling a little spooked, he hurried to the door and let himself out of the barn. Raw Head slipped out of the loft and climbed down the side of the barn behind him. With nary a rustle to reveal his presence, Raw Head raced through the trees and up the path to a large, moonlight rock. He hid in the shadow of the huge stone so that the only things showing were his gleaming yellow eyes, his bear claws, and his raccoon tail.

When the hunter came level with the rock on the side of the path, he gave a startled yelp. Staring at Raw Head, he gasped: "You nearly knocked the heart right out of me, you crazy kid! Land o' Goshen, what have you got that crazy tail fer?"

"To sweep your grave…" Raw Head boomed, his enchanted voice echoing through the woods, getting louder and louder with each echo. The hunter took to his heels and ran for his cabin. He raced passed the old well-house, passed the wood pile, over the rotting fence and into his yard. But Raw Head was faster. When the hunter reached his porch, Raw Head leapt from the shadows and loomed above him.

The hunter stared in terror up at Raw Head's gleaming yellow eyes in the ugly razorback hogshead, his bloody bone skeleton with its long bear claws, sweeping raccoon's tail and his gleaming sharp panther teeth.

"Land o' Goshen, what have you got those big teeth fer?" he gasped desperately, stumbling backwards from the terrible figure before him.

"To eat you up, like you wanted to eat me!" Raw Head roared, descending upon the good-for-nothing hunter. The murdering thief gave one long scream in the moonlight. Then there was silence, and the sound of crunching.

Nothing more was ever seen or heard of the lazy hunter who lived on the ridge. His horse also disappeared that night. But sometimes folks would see Raw Head roaming through the forest in the company of his friend Old Betty. And once a month, on the night of the full moon, Raw Head would ride the hunter's horse through town, wearing the old man's blue overalls over his bloody bones with a hole cut-out for his raccoon tail. In his bloody, bear-clawed hands, he carried his raw, razorback hogshead, lifting it high against the full moon for everyone to see.