TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - During the holidays, the Mampu Cave is crowded with tourists yearning to see the beauty of the earth. The 2,000 square meter cave consists of seven levels located at Watampone City, Bone District in South Sulawesi.
Legend has it that Mampu Cave used to be a village. The cave was said to be formed due to a curse by an ancient king who was forced to eat his own words.
The curse began when a walida (a weaving tool) belonging to the princess fell. The king then announced that whoever can recover the weaving tool will be wed to his daughter. In the end, the one that managed to recover the tool was the princess's pet dog. Enraged at his inability to renounce his promise, the king cursed the whole village and turned it into stone.
FAHMI ALI