Kay Lyons - Malaysian Childrens Favourite Stories
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- Book:Malaysian Childrens Favourite Stories
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- Publisher:Tuttle Publishing
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- Year:2012
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Malaysian Childrens Favourite Stories is collection of folk tales drawn from the rich treasure trove of legends and historical stories in the lush Southeast Asian nation of Malaysia. This story book contains a fascinating collection of tales of brash animals, brave villagers and of course handsome princes and beautiful princesses, all set in strange and exotic locations. These stories are widely retold and much beloved by children and adults throughout Malaysia to this day.
Retold for the first time here for an international audience, the beautifully illustrated tales in this story book will give children insights into the traditional culture and rich natural environment of Malaysia.
Malaysian childrens tales include:
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Every country in the world has its own folktales based on its own culture and environment. Long before books were widely available, such stories were traditionally told by parents to their children, who told their children, who told their children. Malaysia is no exception to such traditions. These tales were told not only, I imagine, after the day's work was done, but also at other quiet timesperhaps while waiting for fish to enter traps or nets, while resting near the rice fields during the fiercest heat of the day, or at night by a fire near the durian trees, waiting for the ripe fruit to fall.
Storytelling was not confined within families. It also played an important role in village entertainment, especially at festival times. On these occasions storytelling took many forms. Villagers retold the tales of their ancestors, often accompanied by local musicians and dancers. There were "professional" storytellers who moved from village to village reciting the familiar tales. Puppet shows, a very popular method of storytelling in many countries, in Malaysia are usually wayang kulit (shadow play) with colourful leather puppets. These performances are held on a specially constructed stage at night, so that the light behind the puppets throws their shadows on the white screen. Music played on traditional instruments adds to the drama of the stories.
Malaysia has a particularly rich store of folklore because of the many ethnic groups in the country. As a tropical country covered in rainforest, the animals of Malaysian folktales are those of the jungle, such as tigers and elephants. Stories of these animals teach children to be cautious of themmany are dangerousor give explanations of why they have certain characteristics (why the tapir is black and white; why the leopard has a long tail). However, the very favourite animal of Malaysian folktales is not at all dangerous. It is the tiny mousedeer, usually called Sang Kancil, a very wily creature. He may be small, but he can outwit the larger animals of the forest, time and time again.
Mountains seem to hold special significance in Malaysian folkloreparticularly Kinabalu, Santubong and Ledangand many stories are centred on them. These tales often feature those universal favouritesprinces and princesses, kings and queens. Of course, no collection of Malaysian folktales would be complete without heroes, those men and women who are able to surmount all obstacles.
Kay Lyons
The Princess of Mount Ledang
O nce upon a time there was a beautiful princess who lived at the top of a mountain, Mount Ledang, in Johore. Her palace was surrounded by a beautiful flower garden and many tall trees.
Every morning the princess went to the foot of the mountain to collect herbs and roots. The villagers who came to the stream to bathe and to wash their clothes admired the beautiful princess. They talked about her, and news of her beauty spread. Even the Sultan of Malacca heard about the beautiful princess.
"If the princess is so beautiful, I would like to marry her," thought the Sultan. He ordered his craftsmen to make many gifts for her. Weavers wove fine silk and gold cloth. Jewellers made gold necklaces and bracelets. Silversmiths made silver howls and boxes. When all the gifts were ready they were packed in boxes and loaded on the hack of an elephant.
The Sultan sent his nobles to ask the princess to marry him. The nobles made a long journey through the forests and streams on elephants. Finally they arrived at the village at the foot of Mount Ledang.
"Is this Mount Ledang?" they asked the headman of the village. "The Sultan of Malacca has sent us to find the Princess of Mount Ledang. He wants to marry her."
"Many people have come looking for the princess, but none have met her," said the village headman. "Rest here tonight, and tomorrow I will show you the way to the top of the mountain. ' The village people prepared food for the visitors. To thank them the nobles gave them presents of cotton and silk cloth.
Next morning they set off to climb the mountain, with the village headman as their guide. On the way they met an old woman. "The Sultan of Malacca has sent us to meet the Princess of Mount Ledang. Where can we find her?" they asked.
"The palace is right at the top of the mountain, said the old woman. The nobles asked if she could guide them There. The old woman wearing ragged clothes was really the princess in disguise. She had changed herself from a beautiful young girl to an old woman. But of course the nobles didn't know that.
"The path to the top is dangerous," the old woman told them.
"We have faced danger before," replied the nobles. "We cannot return to Malacca without meeting the princess."
The old woman led them up the mountain. At last they reached a large building. Nearby was an old hut.
"This is my hut," said the old woman. She served them cakes and drinks.
"Where do the cakes and drinks come from?" wondered one of the nobles.
"This old woman can't make so many."
The nobles wanted to climb to the top of the mountain. "Don't go yet," begged the old woman, "I seldom have guests. Rest here for a while. Many people have come to meet the princess, but she will only meet people with good intentions."
"We have good intentions," replied the nobles. "The Sultan of Malacca wants to marry the princess."
"Bad things have happened to many people climbing the mountain," said the old woman. "Some have fallen down to the bottom."
The low, soft voice of the old woman lulled the nobles to sleep. When they woke up it was already evening. So they stayed the night at the old woman's hut. Next morning they climbed to the top of the mountain. At last they reached the palace with its beautiful garden. The princess was waiting at the entrance of the palace to greet them.
"I am the Princess of Mount Ledang," she said. "Please come in."
The nobles were served food and entertained with music and dancing.
"We have come from the Sultan of Malacca." the nobles told the princess.
"He has sent you many gifts of gold, silver and silk. The Sultan would like you to become his wife."
"I cannot marry the Sultan," the princess told the nobles.
"Why not?" asked the nobles.
"I have lived on the mountain all my life," replied the princess. "Here I am happy and free. I don't want diamonds an d gold. The stars shine in the sky like diamonds. The blue sky at night is like sapphires. The flowers and leaves are as pretty as emeralds. The sky at sunrise and sunset is like goId. The light of the moon is like silver, but brighter. The water that flows in the river is softer than silk. Why should I want these gifts you have brought? If the Sultan wishes to marry me he must send seven bowls of mosquito hearts. He must build a golden bridge and a silver bridge from Malacca to Mount Ledang. And he must send one cup of his blood and one cup of his son's blood."
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