There was a time when the North Sumatran province was divided in two kingdoms. The kingdoms were East Kingdom and West Kingdom. One day the king of East Kingdom married the younger sister of the West Kingdom's king.

Several years afterwards, a baby girl was born and given the name of ‘Dayang Bandir’, seven years afterwards were born a baby boy who was named Sandean Raja. When they were still children, their father died. The death of the East Kingdom's king left the throne of the East Kingdom vacant.

Due to the capability reason, Sandean Raja who was still a child could not replace the position of his father as the king. Then the session of the royal palace appointed his uncle Kareang to control the kingdom. Dayang Bandir, who had the suspicious mind of him, rescued heirloom objects in order to save them not to fall to her uncle's hand. She apparently knew that her uncle was not a good king.

Kareang finally found out that the legacy heirloom objects of the king were kept by Dayang Bandir. He urged Dayang Bandir to hand over the objects.

“If you don't hand them over to me, your safety will not be guaranteed!” Kareang threatened Dayang Bandir. However Dayang Bandir continued to be sturdy and kept the heirloom objects. Loosing his patience Kareang exiled both Dayang Bandir and Sandean Raja to the forest.

In the forest, Kareang tightened Dayang Bandir up on a tree so Sandean Raja could not reach to release her. Sandean Raja cried endlessly seeing his sister on the tree tightened up. But Sandean Raja kept on trying to release her. It was useless, he kept falling every time he tried climbing. 

“Let me bear the cruelty of uncle Kareang myself,” said Dayang Bandir weak.

“If you are hungry, eat sprouts of the leaves around you,” said Dayang Bandir to her brother who looked so hungry.

After several days were tied in the tree trunk, finally Dayang Bandir appeared to begin to be limp and passed away.

Sandean Raja then lived alone in the forest. Several years later, he became a courageous young man. During in the forest, he was always accompanied by his sister's spirit, Dayang Bandir.

“My brother, go appeared before King Sorma,” the soft whisper of Dayang Bandir's spirit to Sandean Raja.

King Sorma was the brother of Sandean Raja's mother. He was not a cruel King, unlike Kareang who at that time had become the king of East Kingdom.

Sandean King succeeded in leaving the forest and immediately heading towards the royal territory of West Kingdom to appear before King Sorma.

Further, Sandean Raja was ordered to build the big palace known as “Rumah Bolon”* and evidently he successfully finished it in three days. King Sorma did not yet satisfy and acknowledge Sandean King as his nephew before accomplishing the last exam.

The final test was recognizing the princess, a daughter of King Sorma, among dozens of girls in a dark room. Sandean Raja worried if in this last exam he failed.

“Don't worry, I will help you,” the Dayang Bandir's spirit whispered him.

Finally Sandean Raja succeeded in holding the head of the princess, among other girls. On his success, Sandean Raja was acknowledged as the nephew of King Sorma and married with the princess.

A year later, Sandean Raja with the troop of West Kingdom attacked the East Kingdom ruled by the King Kareang. Shortly, East Kingdom finally conquered and King Kareang was killed by Sandean Raja. The East kingdom from that moment then ruled by Sandean Raja. He was enthroned to the king of the East Kingdom and lived happily with his wife and the entire people of East Kingdom.

* Rumah Bolon = House of Bolon, the long house that belonged to King

(Sumateran Folktale)