4 snippets from the Malay Annals

- - - Raja Suran -vs- Raja Chulan (chapter 1, p. 10-13)

-:: ...Raja Suran advanced to the country of Glang Kiu, which in former times was a great country, possessing a fort of black stone up the river Johor. In the Siamese language, this word signifies the place of the emerald (Khlang Khiaw) but by persons ignorant of this language, it is usually termed Glang Kiu. The name of the raja of this country, was Raja Chulan, who was superior to all the rajas of the countries lying under the wind.

As soon as he heard of Raja Suran’s approach, be summoned all his vassals, and marched out to meet him with a host, like the sea rough with waves, and elephants and horses like the islands in the sea, and standards like a forest, and armour plated in scales, and the feathering of the spears like the Bunga lalang. After having marched about four times as far as the eye can reach, they arrived at a river ; when he saw the host of Raja Suran extending like a forest, on which he said, in the Siamese language, “ call them,” and the river still retains the name of Panggil, which in Malay has this signification.

When the Siamese troops engaged with the troops of Kling, a dreadful noise arose, the elephants rushed against the elephants, and the horses bit the horses, and clouds of arrows flew across each other, and spears pierced spears, and lances encountered lances, and swordsmen encountered swordsmen, and the descent of weapons was like the rapid fall of rain, and the noise of the thunder would have passed unheard in the combat, from the shouts of the combatants, and the ringing of weapons. The dust ascended to the heavens, and the brightness of the day was darkened like an eclipse. The combatants were all so mingled and blended, that they could not be distinguished, amokas madly encountered amokas, many stabbed their own friends, and many were stabbed by their own partizans, till multitudes were slain on both sides, and also many elephants and horses. Much was the blood which was shed upon the earth, till at last it allayed the clouds of dust, and the field of combat was light, and the fierce amokas became visible, none of whom on either side would fly.

Then Raja Chulan advanced his elephant, and broke into the ranks of Raja Suran, which exceeded all power of calculation. Wherever he approached the corpses swelled in heaps over the ground, till great numbers of the Kling troops perished, and unable to maintain their ground, they began to give way. He was observed by Raja Suran, who hurried forward to meet him. Raja Suran was mounted on a lofty elephant eleven cubits in height, but the elephant of Raja Chulan was very courageous, and they fiercely rushed together, roaring like the thunder, and the clash of their tusks was like the stroke of the thunderbolt. Neither of the elephants could conquer the other.

Raja Chulan stood on his elephant, brandishing his spear which he aimed at Raja Suran ; he missed him, but pierced his elephant in the fore flank, from side to side ; Raja Suran rapidly discharged an arrow at Raja Chulan, which struck him on the breast, and pierced him to the back, and Raja Chulan fell down dead on his elephant. When the host of Raja Chulan saw their master dead, they quickly took to flight, and were hotly pursued by the Kling forces, who entered with them into the fortress of Glang-kiu. ::-

Malays in Padang Pandjang [source- TropenMuseum].

- - - Three men on Mount Segantang Maha Miru (chapter 2, p. 20-25)

-:: There is a country in the land of Andalas named Paralembang, which is at present denominated Palembang, the raja of which was denominated Damang Lebar Dawn, (Chieftain Broad-leaf,) who derived his origin from Raja Sulan, (Chulan ?) whose greatgrandson he was. The name of its river was Muartatang, into which falls another river named Sungey Malayu, near the source of which is a mountain named the mountain Sagantang Maha Miru.

There were two young women of Belidung, the one named Wan-Ampu, and the other Wan-Malin, employed in cultivating rice on this mountain, where they had large and productive rice-grounds. One night they beheld their rice-fields gleaming and glittering like fire. Then said Ampu to Malin, "What is that light which is so brilliant? I am frightened to look at it." "Make no noise," said Malin, " it is some great snake or naga." Then they both lay quiet for fear. When it was daylight, they arose and went to see what it was shone so bright during the night. They both ascended the hill, and found the grain of the rice converted into gold, the leaves into silver, and the stalks into brass, and they were extremely surprised, and said, "This is what we observed during the night." They advanced a little farther up the hill, and saw all the soil of the mountain of the colour of gold. And on the ground which had assumed this golden colour, they saw three young and handsome men.

One of them had the dress of a raja, and was mounted on a bull, white as silver; and the other two were standing on each side of him, one of them holding a sword, and the other a spear. Ampu and Malin were greatly surprised at the handsomeness of the young men, and their elegant apparel; and immediately thought that they must be the cause of the phenomenon which had appeared on their rice-grounds. They immediately inquired who they were, whence they had come, and whether they were Jins or Peris; for as long as they had remained in this place they had never seen any of the race of man until that day.

The person in the middle answered, "We are neither of the race of Jins nor Peris, but that of men. As to our origin we are the descendants of Raja Secander Zulkarneini, and the offspring of Raja Suran, the king of the east and west; our genealogy ascends to Raja Suleiman. My name is Bichitram Shah, who am raja; the name of this person is Nila Pahlawan; and the name of the other, Carna Pandita. This is the sword, Chora sa mendang kian, and that is the lance, Limbuar ; this is the signet, Cayu Gampit, which is employed in correspondence with rajas."

"If you are the descendants of Raja Secander," said the girls, "what is the cause of your coming thither?" Then Nila Pahlawan related the whole story of Raja Secander's espousing the daughter of Raja Kida Hindi, and of Raja Suran's descent into the sea. Then Ampu and Malin asked what proofs they could produce of the truth of this relation: "Ladies," said Nila Pahlawan, "this crown is an evidence of descent from Raja Secander. If any farther evidence is wanting, consider the phenomenon which you have seen on your rice-grounds in coming hither."

Then the girls were rejoiced, and invited them to their house, whither they proceeded, he of the centre being mounted on the white steer. Then Ampu and Malin returned, and cut the paddy for their food. The name of the prince they changed into Sangsapurba. The bull which was his conveyance, vomited foam, from which emerged a man named Bat'h, with an immense turban, who immediately stood up, and began to recite the praises of Sangsapurba, (which he does very ingeniously in the Sanscrit language*.)

The title which the raja received from this Bat'h, (Bard), was Sangsapurba Trimarti Trib'huvena. From this Bat'h or Bard are descended the original reciters of Cheritras, or histories of the ancient time. Nila Pahlawan and Carna Pandita were then married by Bat'h to the young females, Wan Ampu and Wan Malin; and their male offspring were denominated by Sangsapurba, Baginda Awang, and the female offspring, Baginda Dara; and hence the origin of all the Awangs and Daras.

At last the chief, Damang Lebar Dawn, discovered that the two girls, Ampu and Malin, had found a young raja, who had descended from the regions of the atmosphere, and he proceeded accordingly to pay his respects with numerous and rich presents. He was very courteously received by the young prince. It was soon noised over the whole country, that a descendant of Raja Secander Zulkarneini had descended on the mountain Sagantang Maha Miru, and all the rajas of the neighbouring countries came, with rich presents, to pay their respects to him, and were most courteously received by him. ::-

- - - Raja of the Menangcabow (chapter 2, p. 37-39)

-:: When Sangsapurba had left Bentan, he sailed on for a day and a night, till he arrived at Ruco, whence he proceeded to the point of Balang, where he observed a river's mouth of very great extent. He enquired of the guide, what was that river? The guide answered, " the river of Cuantan, and the country is extremely populous. "Let us ascend it," said the raja. It was represented to him that all the fresh water was exhausted, and that there was no place to obtain more. Then Raja Sangsapurba directed them to bring rotans and tie them in circles and throw them into the water; then having himself descended into a small boat, he inserted his feet into the water, within the circles of bamboo, and by the power of God Almighty and the virtue of a descendant of Raja Secander Zulkarneini, the water within these circles became fresh, and all the crews supplied themselves with it, and unto this day the fresh water is mixed with the salt at this place.

Raja Sangsapurba now ascended high up the river Cuantan, and when he arrived at Menangcabow, all the Menangcabows were surprised at his appearance and the splendour of his diadem, and they all came to enquire of his attendants whence they came, and who they were, and " who" said they, " is this raja, and what is his origin? His dress is amazingly elegant." They answered, " this is Raja Sangsapurba, the descendant of Secander Zulkarneini, who descended on the mountain Sagantang Maha Miru. Then they related his whole history and adventures.

Then all the chief men of Menangcabow consulted about appointing him their raja, since they had none. Then the ancient chiefs desired them first to enquire if he would engage to kill the snake Sacatimuna (Icktimani) which destroys all our cultivation. Then all the chiefs waited respectfully on the raja, and informed him that they considered his arrival as a signal piece of good fortune, and would be happy to appoint him raja, but that they were grievously harrassed by an immense snake, which destroyed their cultivation, which they wished he would oblige them by destroying, which had resisted all their efforts either to cut or pierce without either being stunned or wounded, Sangsapurba assented, and requested them to shew him its den.

Then a champion, named Peramas Cumambang, was sent by Sangsapurba with his famous sword Chora Samanda Kian, to perform this service. He went accordingly, and as soon as he approached the place, the snake smelling a man, unfolded his coils. As soon as the champion saw it lying with huge coils like a hillock, the snake saw him, and put itself in motion, when the champion smote it with the sword, and cut it into three parts. Then the champion came and informed Sangsapurba, and returned him the sword. He was very glad, and extolled his conduct with many praises, and presented him with a royal dress like a raja's son. In this combat, however, the sword Chora Samanda Kian received one hundred and ninety notches.

Then all the people of Cuantan appointed Sangsapurba their raja, and he was established raja of Menangcabow, and of him are descended all the generations of the rajas of Pagaroyung unto this day. ::-

- - - Sword-Fish Invasion (chapter 10, p. 83-85)

-:: It happened in process of time, that a species of sword-fish named todak came upon the coast of Singhapura, and springing ashore, killed a great number of persons on the beach. Striking the breast, they pierced through and through the body to the back ; and striking the neck, they separated the head ; and striking the waist, they pierced it from side to side ; so that at last so many were slain, that nobody durst reside on the shore, but fled in consternation in every direction from the dread of the destruction.

Then Paduca Sri Maharaja, mounted his elephant, and marched out with all his ministers and warriors to the shore. He was astonished on perceiving the devastation occasioned by the todak ; the numbers slain, and that one stroke was sufficient. Then the raja ordered a rampart to be formed of the legs of his men ; but still the sword-fish sprung out and pierced their limbs through and through, for these fish were numerous as the close-falling rain.

Among the people there was a boy who said, " of what use is it for us to form a rampart with our legs, it would be much better to make a rampart of plantain stems." When the raja heard this, he said, "the observation is just," and he ordered them to bring plantain stems and form a rampart.

The sword-fish rapidly struck their beaks into the plantain stems, and remaining there fixed, the people came and slew them in great numbers, so that their carcases lay in heaps, and the people were unable to eat them up, and those that remained ceased from their ravages in the vicinity of the rampart, and sprung against the raja's elephant, and even struck the raja's coat. As it is said by the writers of songs,

"The Todak springs up to rend the raja's garment,

The Todak is not worsted of itself,

It is from a child's understanding that it is worsted in the war."

Then the Maha-raja returned, and all the great men represented to him, "Sire, if this boy, though so young, possesses such an uncommon understanding, what will he do when he grows up. It will be best for us to kill him."

"Very well, let us kill him," said the raja. He was accordingly put to death... ::-