Chapter 14

THE Raja of Majapahit died without leaving any son to inherit the throne, but he left a daughter named Radin Galah Wi Casoma, who was raised to the succession by Pati Gaja Mada. Some time after there was a toddy-maker, who went to amuse himself on the sea, where he found a young boy, on a plank, and took him in-to his prahu; perceiving that he was insensible of his state, from his having been so long on the sea without meat or drink. He was not quite dead, but just at the point of it, or as the Arabs say, the angel of death had just reached him, but not death himself. The toddy-maker dropped rice water into his mouth, and the boy opened his eyes and perceived he was in a prahu. He then carried him home, and maintained him according to his circumstances. 

 

When the boy had recovered, the toddy-maker asked him what was his name, who he was, and how he came to be floating on that board? The boy said he was the son of the Raja of Tanjong Pura, the great-great-grand-son of Sang Manyaya, the son of the first raja who descended from the mountain Saguntang Maha Meru, and that his name was Radin Prana Sangu; and I have, he said, two brothers and one sister. It happened one day that I went with my father and mother to divert myself on an island, and was caught on the sea by a violent storm, which wrecked the vessel.

 

My father and mother endeavoured to save themselves by swimming, and I am ignorant of their fate. I laid hold of a plank, and was carried out by the waves into the sea, where I remained for seven days without eating or drinking, and fortunate was my falling in with you, who have treated me so kindly. If however you would add to your kindness, conduct me to my father at Tanjong Pura, when you will be gratified by an infinite reward. "True," said the toddy-maker, "but what ability have I to convey you to Tanjong Pura? Stay here with me, and when your father sends hither, then you can return to him. Besides, I am pleased with your appearance, therefore let me consider you in the mean time as my own child, for I have no other." "Very well," said Radin Prana Sangu, "I shall readily comply with what you desire."

 

He then received the name of Kyai Kimas Jiva; and was greatly beloved by both the toddy-maker and his wife; and in amusinghim, the toddy-maker would sometimes say, "Master, you must become Raja of Majapahit, and marry the Princess Nai Casuma; but when you become Ratu, I must be the Pati Ari Gaja Mada." "Very well," the Prince would answer, " when I am the bitara, you must be the other." How long did the Princess Nai Casuma sit on the throne of Majapahit, and the Pati Ari Gaja Mada under her, till many persons began to accuse the Pati Ari Gaja Mada of forming the design of marrying the Princess himself. 

 

One day the Pati  Ari Gaja Mada, having arrayed himself in mean apparel, went aboard a prahu, in which the crew were of the lowest order, and heard them, who did not suspect him to be present, talking on the subject. "Were I the Pati Ari Gaja Mada," says one, "I should soon pounce upon the Princess, for I should become raja." "How fine that would be," said another. "No doubt," says another, "he will make her his wife, for he is a great man, and who can oppose him." When the Pati Ari Gaja Mada heard this, he said to himself, "If this be the case, then all my long-continued sanctity will not avail against bad imputations."

 

He therefore presented himself before the Princess Naya Casuma, and stated that as she was now full-grown, she ought to take to herself a husband. The Princess said, if that was his opinion, she would agree to it; but she requested him to collect all the people of the country, that she might choose the person whom she preferred. The Pati Ari Gaja Mada promised to comply with her wishes, in collecting the inhabitants, and choose she a man, or choose she a dog, he promised to recognize him  as his lord and master. 

 

Then the Pati Ari Gaja Mada sent and proclaimed by drum and trumpet, through all the land of Majapahit, that the Princess Naya Casuma intended to choose herself a husband. As soon as the proclamation was heard, all the raja-rajas, para-mantris, seda-sidas, bentaras, hulubalangs, and all the people great and small, young and old, high and low, crooked and halt, and lame and limping, bow-legged and wry-legged, blind and deaf, all of them assembled at the fort of Majapahit. The fewer that were personally invited, the more numerous those who came of their own accord ; for every one said to himself, "It may very easily happen that the Princess should pitch upon me, and what should hinder me from becoming Raja of Majapahit?
 

When all were assembled, the Princess went up to a lofty balcony which commanded a view of the road, and the Pati Ari Gaja Mada ordered them all to parade before her singly. Then all the chiefs passed in review before her, and then the whole of the rest of the people, but she did not approve of any of them. 

 

When the whole had passed, last of all came Kyai Kimas Jiva, the adopted son of the toddy-man, dressed in the cloth sagara-gunung flowered with bees on the wing, with a green flowered vest, with a straight-handled creese, and without any other garment. He had bracelets on his arms which adorned his form, a nosegay of the semen rasa-welis and champaca flowers intermingled. He was sprinkled with scented flour over the body as far as the neck. His teeth were white as the ivory flower, or bungasri gading, and his cheek red as the catera-leaf, and he was extremely handsome, mild and gentle, light and active; his equal there is not  in these days of ours. 

 

As soon as the Patri Naya Casuma saw the young boy, she was affected to the heart by his appearance, and calling Pati Aria Gaja Mada asked him saying "Paman (father in Javanese) whose son is that ? it is he that I approve." The Pati Aria Gaja Mada said, very well my sovereign, whomsoever you approve of for your husband is a proper choice; he therefore called the boy, and having conducted him to his own house, he caused him to be bathed and sprinkled with scented  flour, and treated according to his rank, and prepared to celebrate his marriage with the Princess with suitable ceremonies. 

 

When these had lasted seven days and seven nights, the toddy-man's son was in a propitious time carried round in state and the nuptials celebrated. The young couple were extremely fond of each other, and thus the toddy-man's son became ratu of Majapahit, and assumed the name of Sangaji Jaya Ningrat. 

 

When Sangaji Jaya Ningrat was made bitara of Majapahit, the toddy-man presented himself to the raja and said, "where is the agreement which Paduca Bitara made with me (could in Javanese) that if Your Majesty became bitara  of Majapahit, I should be the Pati Aria Gaja Mada? Then said the bitara, let our paman (father) wait, and I will certainly consider how it may be accomplished. Then the toddy-man returned home, and Sangaji Jaya considered in his own mind how he could dismiss the Pati Aria Gaja Mada, since he had not been guilty of a single fault. Besides this person was the very factotum of the land of Majapahit, and he perceived that it would go to ruin without him. But yet how was it possible to break his agreement with his adopted father. Reflecting on all this, he was greatly distressed, and for two or three days suffered no one to see him. 

 

When the Pati  Aria Gaja Mada perceived this, he went into the bitara and enquired the cause of his shutting himself up. The bitara pretended that he was not well. The other said, I perceive you have some secret uneasiness, if you can confide it to me, perhaps, by my advice, it may be easily removed. The bitara said, "my father is right in his conjecture. I am not the son of the toddy-man, but of the raja of Tanjong Pura, descended of the raja who came down from the  mountain Saguntang, and I am named Radin Prana Langu."He then related to him all the events which had happened to him, and among the rest, the agreement into which he had entered with the toddy-man, and that his present distress originated from his desiring to fulfil his engagement and discard his paman, addressing that name to the prime minister. 

 

Pati Aria Gaja Mada requested him not to be cast down, and was greatly delighted to learn that he was the son of the raja of Tanjong Pura, the loss of whose son was a well known circumstance in these regions. He represented that he was  very ready to resign his office, being now old. The bitara said he did not wish him to resign, being conscious that the business could not be performed by his adopted father. Pati Aria Gaja Mada then advised him, that if he should again come to claim his promise, he should tell him, "no doubt the office of Pati Aria Gaja Mada is a very high one, but it is also extremely troublesome, so that it can never be executed by my father ; but I have found another office for you of the same dignity. I will set you to preside over all the toddy-men of the country, and you shall have the same place of dignity with the Patri Aria Gaja Mada."There is no doubt, said he, that he will cheerfully accept it, for he will comprehend the advantage of it. 

 

The bitara approved of this advice, and Pati Aria Gaja Mada requested permission to depart. The very next day the toddy-man appeared to claim his promise. The bitara proposed to him his new office, with which he was highly delighted, and all the toddy-men of Majapahit  were accordingly placed under him, and he received the title of Pati Aria de Gara, and was permitted to sit with Patri Aria Gaja Mada. 

 

The Raja of Tanjong Pura learned that the new bitara of Majapahit was his son, and dispatched persons to Majapahit to ascertain the fact, and they perceived that he was really the son of the raja of Tanjong Pura. They quickly returned, and informed the raja, who was greatly delighted, and sent an ambassador to Majapahit. Thus  it was noised over the whole country, that he, the new bitara of Majapahit was the son of the Raja of Tanjong Pura, and all the rajas of the land of Java came to pay their respects. 

 

After some time the bitara of Majapahit had a daughter by the Princess, who was named Radin Galah Chandrakerana, whose beauty was celebrated far and wide. How many rajas sought her in marriage, but the bitara of Majapahit refused her hand to them all. Her fame reached as far as Malaca, and Sultan Mansur Shah became enamoured of her by description. and meditated on going to Majapahit. He ordered Paduca Raja the bandahara, to fit out a fleet for him. The bandahara quickly fitted out five hun-dred large prahus, with an innumerable multitude of small ones. At Singhapura he fitted out a hundred lancharans, with three masts. At Sungi-Raya there was another hundred of the same sort. The bandahara Paduca Raja, and Sri Nara al-di Raja, and Sri Vija al-di Raja, and all the chief para-mantris  and hulubalangs were left in charge of  the country. 

 

Then the Prince selected forty sons of nobles, and forty virgins of noble  family ; and the chief of this band was Tun Bija Sura, whose great-grandfather was  Sri Vijaya Raja Tun Sabut, whose son was Tun Siak of Achi. The following were celebrated characters among these; Hang Jabut, Hang Casturi, Hang Lakir, Hang Lakiu, Hang Ali, Hang Secander, Hang Haran, Hang Husain, Hang Tuah. These nine were men of unequalled powers, and who could not be imitated by other persons, especially Han g Tuah. How much superior was he to the rest in intellect and ability! If he happened to be flouting with the young men, he was accustomed to tuck up the sleeve of his coat, and to hoot at them, "bring a Lacsamana to fight with me;" and all the youths were accustomed to term him "the Lacsamana of Sultan Mansur  Shah," and the raja himself had also adopted the practice of terming him Lacsamana. 

 

It happened on a time that there was a Javanese sick of the ague, and when he was in his shivering fits, the young folks were accustomed to jeer him; at which he became greatly ashamed, and seizing a Sunda knife with one edge, he ran amok, and slaughtered a great number of men, and no one could stand before him; wherefore every one was flying hither and thither in excessive agitation. Hang Tuha came quickly up, and as soon as the Javanese  set eyes on him, he attacked him, and Hang Tuha retreated gradually from before him, and let fall his creese. When the Javanese saw this, he seized the creese of Hang Tuha which was an excellent one, for Hang Tuha knew a good creese well by its look. 

 

As soon as Hang Tuha saw that the Javanese had dropt his knife, he quickly seized it and attacked the Javanese who stabbed at Hang Tuah with the creese, but Hang Tuah made a spring, and it did not touch him, when he immediately stabbed the Javanese under the arm, through and through the breast with the knife, and the Javanese expired. 

 

The Sultan was in-formed  that the Javanese had been slain by Hang Tuah, and ordering him to be sent for, he invested him with a dress of honour, and fixed on him the name of Lacsamana, and the name gained ground on him every where. Then the Prince summoned the Maha Raja Merlang of Indragiri, and the Raja of Palembang, and the Raja of Jambi, and the Raja of Linga, and the Raja of Tungal, to attend him to Majapahit; and all of them attended him accordingly; and when all were present, they set sail for Majapahit; all the young warriors attending the Prince, and all the great men remaining for the government, of the country. How long did they sail till they reached the land of Java! 

 

When the bitara of Majapahit heard of their arrival, he immediately dispatched his head officers and champions to receive and invite them. At this time the Rajas of Daha and Tanjong Pura, who were the younger brothers of the bitara, were present at Majapahit. The Raja of Malaca arrived, and was received with high respect and honour at the court of the bitara, and invested with an honorary dress, adorned with gold, and set with gems, pearls, and diamonds. He seated him above all the princes who were in attendance, and presented with a creese of the kind named Ganja Karawang, or with an ornamented guard, and forty other creeses for his attendants, with all their sheaths broken. This very creese had been formerly presented to the Raja of Daha, together with the forty creeses, with the broken sheaths, to his followers. The Raja of Daha had ordered the sheaths to be prepared, but in the meantime the Raja of Majapahit sent rascals who filched back the whole. The bitara then made the same present to the Raja of Tanjong Pura, and the very same thing took place. 

 

When the Raja of Malaca arrived, he made the same present to him, and he directed Tun Vijaya Sura to get them sheathed. Then Tun Vijaya Sura delivered them to the forty virgins, one to each for the purpose. These virgins conveyed them to the artificer, and took care to watch over them all the while, and they were all prepared in one day; and the light-fingered Javanese found no opportunity of exerting their dexterity. The bitara of Majapahit is more clever than the other rajas. The place where the bitara of Daha remained was elevated three steps, and all the raja's servants stayed below on the floor, where a dog was also tied by a golden chain, in a place directly before the Raja of Malaca, and all the other rajas. 

 

When Tun Vijaya Sura saw this proceeding, he started up and performed the movements of fencing, with his shield adorned with bells, before the Raja of Majapahit. The raja invited him to ascend into the hall, which he accordingly did. There he performed his evolutions in the hall, ruffing violently with his shield and bells, in his manoeuvres, and ruffing several times towards the dog, he took fright, broke his chain, and fled into the wood, after which they never tied a dog there. 

 

Near the public hall, there was another private one, into which no one was permitted to enter; and if anyone entered it, the Javanese were to pierce him with their lances; so that nobody durst go up unto it. Then said Hang Jabat to Hang Gasturi, let us go try and enter the prohibited hall, and see if the Javanese will drive us out or not. Very well, said Hang Casturi. One day the bitara of Majapahit was  sitting in the great hall of audience, with all the nobles and chiefs and champions present, and all the people, when Hang Jabat and Hang Casturi mounted the prohibited hall. 

 

As soon as the Javanese saw them, they quickly assailed them with their lances in a mixed crowd. Then Hang Jabat  and Hang Casturi pulled out their creeses, and in warding they quickly cut asunder the blades of the Javanese lances, without one of them taking effect. The men took up the fragments, and the fragments were cut sheer asunder. Then they raised a great outcry, and the Raja of Majapahit asked who was raising such an outcry. Then Pati Aria Gaja Mada represented to him that Hang Jabat and Hang Casturi had sealed themselves in the prohibited hall, and related to the raja all the circumstances. The raja ordered them to be let alone, and not to be prohibited from entering the prohibited hall; then the Javanese desisted from their attack on them with lances. After this, whenever the bitara  sat in the great hall of audience, Hang Jabat and Hang Casturi sat in that prohibited hall.

Wherever Hang Tuah came, he also excited the greatest awe by his resolute carriage, and he even excited admiration by his commanding presence in the royal hall of audience. If he entered the market he excited admiration, if he entered the theatre, he excited admiration; and all the ladies of Java, and all the virgins, were enamoured of Hang Tuah. And whenever  Hang Tuah was passing, the women would spring from their husbands' arms, and wish to go out to see him ; and the  poets of Java thus mention him in their songs in the Javanese language. 

 

"Unu-suru tangka-pana panylipor saban
"Den catan puran dine dunangugi —" 

 

WHICH  SIGNIFIES

 

"This is the betel-leaf, come and take it, to allay the sense of love.
It is true we have beheld his form, but love still continues to subsist." 

 

AGAIN; 

"Ibor sang rawa kabel den Laksamana, lamakan Laksamana lamakan penjurit ratu Malayu, sabor."

"All the virgins delighted to view the Laksamana passing, to view the Laksamana, the champions, and the Ratu of Malaca." 

 

Indeed, at this period he had not his match in the land of Majapahit. There was a champion of Daha named Sanku Ningrat, who was able to match him a little, and he is likewise celebrated by the Javanese  poets in their songs. 

 

"Ke kruang panggung dini sangka ning-rat
Tak sangka ning-rat tak panyurit ratu any Daha."

"In the theatre the people were struck with awe by the sight of Sanka Ningrat, Sanka Ningrat the champion of the Raja of Daha." 

Such was the conduct of the men of Malaca, at Majapahit, according to their several habits at that period. When the bitara of Majapahit perceived the Raja of Malaca, to be very sagacious as well as handsome, and that his conduct was more noble than that of all the other rajas, and that his followers were all of them very good men, and also both clever and acute, he determined in his mind that Sultan Mansur Shah was  the proper person on whom to bestow his daughter, Galah Chandra Kirana.

Then the bitara ordered Pati Aria Gaja Mada to order his people to exert themselves incessantly for forty days and forty nights, and that all kinds of musical instruments should be incessantly sounded. Those who contributed to the amusements were extremely numerous, and the Malaca men joined those of Majapahit in their diversions; and the diversions of Java were even found inferior to those of Malaca. 

When the pastimes had been carried on incessantly for the space of forty days and nights, at an auspicious time, the marriage was celebrated between Sultan Mansur Shah and the Princess of Majapahit, Radin Galah Chandra Kirana. The new married couple were highly enamoured of each other, and the bitara was highly pleased with his son-in-law, and caused him to be seated in a place of equal honour with himself, both on public occasions and at meals. Till how long did Sultan Mansur Shah remain at Majapahit; at last, however, he took the resolution of returning to Malaca. He therefore requested permission of the bitara to take his departure, and to carry with him his wife, Radin Galah, to Malaca. 

 

The bitara assented, and Tun Bija Sura was sent by the Prince, after he was ready, to beg Indragiri of the bitara. Tun Bija Sura went and presented himself before the bitara of Majapahit, and said, "the Paduca, your son, entreats you to give him Indragiri. If you grant his desire it is well, (dalap) if not, it is also well."Then the bitara consulted all his chiefs concerning the propriety of assenting to this request. 

The Pati Aria Gaja Mada advised it to be granted, that no difference might arise between them. Then said the bitara "it is well, I give him Iudragiri; but it is not only Indragiri, for whose is all the land of Java, but my son's the Raja of Malaca? "Then Tun Bija Sura returned from this conference with the bitara, and the Prince was highly delighted to learn in what manner he had assented. He then directed Hang Tuah to go and ask for Siantan. Hang Tuah went, and said to the bitara,  "I have to ask you for Siantan, if you give it is well (dalap), if not, that too is well."Then said the bitara " very " well; not merely Siantan, but if the Laksamana wanted Paralembang, he would get it too. I give it." 

That is the reason that all the rulers of Siantan, unto this day, are the descendants of Laksamana. After all, the raja returned to Malaca, and how long was he on his passage till he reached Pulau Subat? Then the bandahara and the pangulu bandahari, with all the head men, came out to meet him, with all the instruments of music and the ensigns of royalty, with innumerable prahus. Then the Prince met them, and all the great men paid their respects to His Majesty. When he reached Malaca, he proceeded to the palace with Radin Galah Chandra Kirana. Then Sultan Mansur Shah gave Raja Merlang of Indragiri, his daughter Putri Bacal in marriage, and would not permit him to return to Indragiri. Raja Merlang begat Raja Nerasingha, who was denominated Sultan Abdal Jelil. 

Sultan Mansur Shah had by the Princess Radin Galah, a son, named Radin Galang, and how many sons had he by his first wife, the daughter of Sri Nara di Raja; and besides these, he had two daughters one named Raja Maha Devi, and the other Raja Chandra, who were both extremely handsome. He had also offspring by his concubines. By his wife, the younger sister of Paduca Raja, the bandahara, he had also a son named Raja Husain, of excellent qualities, both of mind and body, who married Tun Nacha, the sister of Tun Taher.

It happened on a certain occasion that the raja's state horse fell into the jakes, and whatever attempts were made to get him up, nobody would descend into the place, to fasten a rope around the horse. When Hang Tuah saw this, he quickly descended into the jakes, and fixed a rope around the horse, and the people pulled him up. When the horse got up, Hang Tuah like-wise ascended all besmeared with dirt over the whole body, and both face and head covered with it, and went and bathed and purified himself. Sultan Mansur Shah was delighted to recover his horse, and gave great praise to Hang Tuah, and bestowed on him an honorary dress. 

When Hang Tuah reached maturity, he was wrongfully accused of having seduced one of the female attendants of the palace ; Sultan Mansur Shah was grievously enraged, and ordered Sri Nara di Raja to put him to death. Sri Nara di Raja, conceiving that his fault was not established, for Hang Tuah was not at that time a common man, and that it was difficult to get a servant to the raja like him, ordered him to be concealed in a certain village, and fettered; and he informed the raja that he was dead. Sultan Mansur Shall, when he heard this, was silent.