The Story of the Champa Raja.
THERE was a betel-nut tree near the palace of the Champa
Raja, which blossomed and exhibited a large receptacle for fruit, but the fruit
never seemed to ripen. The raja then ordered one of his servants to climb up
and see what was in the pod. He ascended accordingly, and brought down the pod,
which the raja caused to be opened, and saw in it a male child extremely
handsome and beautiful. Of this pod's envelope was formed the gong, named
jubang; while a sword was formed of its sharp ridge.
The Champa Raja was greatly pleased at the circumstance, and
named the child Raja Pogalang, and ordered him to be suckled by all the wives
of the raja-rajas, and para-mantris; but the child would not suck. The Champa
Raja had a cow whose hair was of the five colours, and which had lately calved,
and they suckled the child with the milk of this cow. This is the reason that
Champa never eats the cow, nor kills it.
Raja Pogalang grew up, and the raja of Champa gave him his daughter Pobea to
wife.
After a short time, the Champa Raja died, and Pogalang
succeeded to the throne. After he had reigned for a considerable time, he
founded a great city, which included seven hills within its bounds. The extent of the fort was a day's sail in each of its
four sides, with sails full distended with the breeze. The name of this city
was Bal, which, in a certain Cheritra, is named Metakat, the city of Raja
Subal, the son of Raja Kadail. After some time Pobea bore to Pogalang a son
named Potri. When he was grown up Pogalang died, and Potri succeeded to the
throne, and married the daughter of the raja of Cochi, named Bea Suri, who bore
him a son named Pogama; and Potri died.
After this Pogama prepared to visit Majapahit. He went
accordingly thither, and information was brought that the raja of Champa had
come to visit the paduca bitara. The bitara ordered his great men to go out and
meet him, and they accordingly received him with the greatest respect, and the
bitara gave him in marriage his daughter, named Radin Galu Ajong. After some
time she became pregnant, and Pogama asked permission to return to his own
country; but the bitara, while he assented to his return, would not suffer him
to carry his daughter with him. Pogama said, "I will not stay long away,
but I will quickly return to present myself before Your Majesty."
Then Pogama went and asked of his spouse, Radin Galu,
permission to take his departure. Radin Galu said, "if my child should be
a boy, what shall be his name?" Pogama said, "If it is a boy, name
him Raja Jignak; and when he grows up, send him to me at Champa." Raja
Jignak grew up, and he asked his mother "who is my father?" She said,
" Pogama, the raja of Champa; he
has returned to Champa." She then told him the whole account of his birth.
When he heard this, he prepared a prahu to go to Champa.
When he arrived at Champa, he went to meet his father, who
received him gladly, and gave him the government of Bal. Pogama died, and Raja
Jignak succeeded him. He married the Princess Putri Pochi Banchi, and begot a
son named Pogopoh. When Pogopoh grew up Raja Jignak died. Pogopoh begot a daughter,
who was asked in marriage by the raja of Cochi, but Pogopoh would not give her
in marriage to him. The raja of Cochi then attacked him, and Cochi fought with
Champa a terrible battle.
How long was it before victory declared for either! On a day
the raja of Cochi offered the bandahara of Champa, an immense sum to commit
treason, to which the bandahara of Champa agreed, and received.it; and towards evening
he opened the gate of the fortress, and all the champions of Cochi entered into
the fort of Bal, and run amok on the people of Champa. The half of them continued
the fight, and the half of them guarded the women and children. The fortress of
Bal was taken, and Pogopoh was slain, and all the young nobles of Champa fled
nobody knew where.
There were two sons of the raja of Champa, the one named
Indra Brama, and the other Poling, both of whom fled with their wives and
dependents. Poling passed to Achi, of which he became the original raja. The
other, Shah Indra Brama, arrived at Malaca, where he was gladly received by
Sultan Mansur, who had him converted to Islam, and made him a mantri; but he
was an original Champa man.
