The Princess of Mount Ledang
Once 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."
"Very well, we shall take your message back to the Sultan." The nobles were very sad that the princess had refused to accept their gifts. The Sultan would not be happy. They thanked the princess for talking to them and then quickly set off down the mountain.
They collected their elephants from the village at the foot of the mountain and returned to Malacca.
"Did you bring back good news?" asked the Sultan.
"The princess has asked for seven bowls of mosquito hearts, a golden bridge and a silver bridge from Malacca to Mount Ledang and also one cup of your blood and one cup of your son's blood."
The Sultan thought very hard about these strange requests. While he thought, he watched his children playing in the palace garden. Finally he decided that his children were much more important to him than his dream of marrying the Princess of Mount Ledang. While he had keen dreaming of the princess, he had neglected his children. He had also forgotten to look after had people of Malacca.
The Princess of Mount Ledang, like all fairytale princesses, lived happily ever after. People still climbed up the mountain, hoping to meet the beautiful princess.
Badang, the Strongest Man below the Wind
