Malay Annals. Anonymous

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      Chapter 6

       Table of Contents

       The Adventures of the Champion Badang.

      THERE was a man at Salwang who cultivated the ground, and who had a slave named Badang. He was a native of the country of Sayang, and his master was in the constant habit of sending him to clear the jungle. It happened on a time, that Badang had set in the river a snare for fish; and on his going next morning to examine it, he found no fish; but he found the scales and bones of them. These he cleared out into the river, and again prepared the snare; and from the scales which were thrown into the river on this occasion, it has acquired the name of the scaly river, or Sungey basisi. The same circumstance occurred for several days successively, when the curiosity of Badang was excited ; " And come," says he, " let us try to see what it is that constantly eats our fish." Badang accordingly concealed himself one night among the reeds to watch the snare, when he saw a hantu, or spectre, who came to eat the fish that were caught. His eyes were red as fire, his hair coarse and matted as a basket, his beard hanging down to his navel, and in his hand was a whittle knife without the haft. On seeing this he made his heart strong, and fortified his courage, and rushed to seize the spectre. Having secured it, he said, " You are constantly coming and eating my fish, but now you perish by me."

      The spectre was greatly frightened at Badang's oration, and wished to make his escape, but was unable to effect it. Then said the spectre: " Pray don't kill me, and I will give you any gift you please." Badang listened to this proposal: " And if I should desire riches," thought he, " they would all belong to my master; or if I should ask the gift of invisibility, I might nevertheless die; but if, in like manner, I were to ask for strength to perform my master's business, —yes, truly, that would be of some advantage to me. Give me strength then," said he, " so that I may be able to rend up with one hand by the roots, trees of one or two fathoms girt." " Very well," said the hantu, " if you wish for strength, I will give it to you, provided you can agree to lick up my vomit." " Very well," said Badang to the hantu, " Vomit, and I will eat it up." Then the spectre vomited an immense vomit, and Badang swallowed it up, holding, however, the spectre by the beard.

      When he had eat it up, he then tried his hand on the largest trees, and shivered them to pieces with the greatest facility. On this he released the spectre's beard, and returned to his master's dwelling, shivering all the trees before him, and clearing away the brushwood with the waving of his hand, till he had cleared away the deep forest almost like a plain. When his master saw this scene, he inquired who had cleared the forest; Badang replied, "I have done it." " How could such a person as you do it," said his master; " and what faculty have you for the purpose?" Then Badang related the whole affair to his master, who thereupon gave him his freedom.

      Immediately the news reached Singhapura, and Sri Rama Vicrama sent to invite Badang, to appoint him a Raden. One day the raja of Singhapura wished to eat of the kuras leaf, which grows at Cowala Sayang, and Badang departed alone in a prow eight fathoms in length, with a trunk of the campas tree for an oar, which was a fathom in girt. When he reached Cowala Sayang, he ascended the kuras tree; but the branch of the kuras tree broke with him, and he fell down with his head on a huge stone, which stone was split in two; but not his skull. This stone is still to be seen at Cowala Sayang, and is named Batu Blah, or the split stone; and that said prow, with the trunk of the tree which he used for an oar, are still to be seen at Cowala Sayang. However, Badang returned to Singhapura the next day after he set out, bringing with him a cargo of plantains, and sugar-canes, for his food. After his meal he again set out for Johor-lama.

      On a certain occasion, the raja of Singhapura constructed a prow, of the kind named Pilang, fifteen fathoms in length, at the rajah's residence. When it was finished, he ordered fifty men to launch it, but they were unable. It was then essayed by two or three hundred, and afterwards by two or three thousand, all of whom were unable to succeed. Then the raja ordered Badang to attempt it alone, and he launched it with such force that it flew directly to the opposite shore. After this exploit, the king appointed him a champion, or hulubalang, and his fame extended even to the land of Kling.

      There was in the land of Kling at this time a champion of such amazing force that nobody could venture to contend with him, who was named Nadi Vijaya Vicrama. This personage the raja of Kling, on hearing of the prowess of Badang, sent to Singhapura to contend with him in wrestling, desiring him to stake seven ships, with their loading, on the issue of the contest. The champion arrived at Singhapura with his seven vessels, and paid his respects to Sri Rama Vicrama, informing him that he was a champion who had come to enter the lists of wrestling, and the stake that he was ready to lay on the issue of the contest. The raja ordered Badang to contend with him, and they began the contest and continued to play for some time, during which Badang always appeared to have the advantage in a small degree.

      There was a huge stone lying before the raja's hall, and the Kling champion said to Badang, " Let us now come to a serious exertion of strength, and lift up this stone, and let him be reckoned worsted who shall be unable to lift it." " Very well," said Badang, "do me however the favour to lift СКАЧАТЬ