My Re-Write of Puteri Gunung Ledang

Introduction

My re-write is based on one of Malaysia’s classical and legendary story. It’s called “Puteri Gunung Ledang” which means “The Princess of Mount Ledang”, has also been defined as the ‘Malay’ version of Romeo and Juliet. This tale has been produced into a film and musical, resulting good reviews. This legendary tale took place in the fifteenth century, however for my re-write, it will be set in the beginning of the eighteenth century which was the British colonial times. This will give me a chance to include my ownpersonal visits to the monuments (from the colonial times) in Malacca – the historical state of Malaysia.

I’m going to re-write this legendary story through the eyes of a rich young lady instead of a Princess, showing the story from her point of view. I will also change the scene and time to fit in with the British colonial times. The story will not just include romance, but also her wittiness towards some situations she dealt with.

Gustri

The night was finally dark and the moon was almost full. I grabbed my scarf and tiptoed towards my bedroom window. I climbed over my window, grabbed the edge of it and fell on the garden at the back of the house. The garden was beautiful even though it was dark. My brother and I never got the courage to redecorate our garden after mother had died. She was the only one that would water the plants and sit under the mango tree in the middle. I started remembering the times mother used to feed me mangos, peeling sli

ces with the skin. She always carried an orange peeler with her just in case if we had ever gone for a walk, we would always come across a fruit tree. I stood under my window looking at the dried mango tree that was once so alive. It was then I heard my call; the whistling started to grow louder. I ran pass the tree and climbed across the wooden fence. Across the fence stood an open field leading to a downhill. A cloud was

slowly sliding pass the almost full moon, I ran faster towards downhill and walked into a pathway on the left into the jungle. Finally, with darkness being my biggest fear, a small hut was spotted and he was already waiting for me. I felt my heart jumped as I walked faster towards the hut.

I pushed aside the beaded curtain that separated the light and darkness. He was already sitting on the floor with heated tea ready on a bamboo mat.

“Gustri, is everything alright? I’ve been waiting here for half and hour now, even your favorite tea has become warm”, he said concerned and upset about the warm tea.

I smiled at the tea and ran towards him, hugging him and resting my head of his shoulder.

“I’m so glad I’m finally with you at the end of the day, I’m sorry I took long, I had to wait for my brother to settle in his room. I’m fine Hang Tuah don’t worry”, I said relieved.

“It’s just not save for a young lady like you to be roaming around Mount Ledang at this time, there must be another place we can meet? Closer to your house maybe”, he said.

“No Hang Tuah, we’ve spoke about this before, it’s too dangerous and I do not know what my brother would do if he found out”, I said worryingly.

“You do not know that Gustri, you’re just afraid and I understand your sti

ll mourning your father’s death, please Gustri I don’t want you to feel as if there’s no hope anymore”, he said.

“Please Hang Tuah, I can’t abandoned my brother, he’s my only family left, I’m not ready to tell him”, I said disappointed.

“I understand my love, but I’m sure your brother is as kind as you and he will understand that its now your time to live your life”, he said.

“I do not know about this yet Hang Tuah, please lets just enjoy the tea you made”, I said pulling him to sit down.

The hut was lighted with four lanterns placed around each corners and there was one big candle sitting on the bamboo mat with two cups of tea.

I sipped my tea tasting it was my favorite jasmine tea. I smirked and asked.

“So did you make the tea all by your self?”

“Well, it did take me longer than usual”, he said and chuckled.

I laughed and said, “ Oh Hang Tuah, I’m not even going to ask what you went through to make the tea”.

I noticed he laughed and then a frown appeared on his face.

“What’s wrong Hang Tuah? Are you alright”, I asked concerned.

He looked at me with a helpless look in his eyes.

“Gustri…has anyone asked for your hand in marriage recently? Please Gustri I can’t just sit here watching offers being made to you when I’m in no position to ask for your hand in marriage”, he said eyes tearing.

I looked at how broken he was explaining how he thinks he’s no good for me. I co

uldn’t look at him. I couldn’t bare to tell him I was going to be offered another hand in marriage by a rich man from the state called Malacca, not too far from here, and of course if Hang found out this time the marriage offer was from the town he lived and grew up in, he would feel more threatened. Ever since my father had died 3 years ago, I got numerous marriage offers from the rich and royalty from all over Malaysia. All of course I declined.

“Hang Tuah listen to me, there hasn’t been any marriage offers, and I don’t think there will be anymore, trust me”, I said with a smile.

I kissed Hang Tuah on the lips reassuring him that everything will be fine in the end. The hut was our only place to escape from the new world and the war. We laid in the hut till dawn until we separated again to our different paths.

********

It was a tiring morning once again. I could hear the house cleaner sweeping the marble floors downstairs. It was not any ordinary broom, it was made out of many long wooden sticks, a rubber band was tied on the top of it to create a handle and to keep the sticks together. This broom was usually used to sweep water of the marble floors when cleaning. My mother always used it, and I remembered how I

used to take out all the wooden sticks and then the broom would fall apart and mother would get annoyed having to gather it up all again and tie it. I would run to the back of the house and into the garden with my long thin wooden stick as if it were a sword fighting the mango tree and the plants.

I got out of bed and into the shower. I decided to wear my batik red sarong with my matching long blouse. As I was rolling my hair in a bun, a knock appeared on my bedroom door and without my permission for entry, my brother walks in.

“I did not say you may enter brother”, I said privately.

“Good morning sister, but I am afraid you have just received another letter to confirm a meeting with a particular rich man”, said my brother ignoring to response to what I had said before.

“Well has this one given me an option or am I allowed to choose where I would like to meet him”, I asked

cheekily.

“This is a different one Gustri, he’s the first that has decided to let you choose, apparently he’s really in need for a wife and a mother”, said my brother.

“A what?!...A mother? But I am only 21, I do not know anything about being a mother”, I said feeling afraid.

“I’m sure it’s not that hard Gustri, just remember how mother used to take care of us”, said my proud brother reassuringly.

“I hope mother heard that brother”

“I’m sure she did Gustri, she would be proud of you no matter what, so how do you feel about this one”

“I’m sorry if I have disappointed you brother but he’s not the one for me”, I cried.

He walked up to me and grabbed my shoulders looking into my eyes.

“Do you really think your brother is a blind fool sister, the on

ly reason I’ll be disappointed with you is because you did not have faith in me to tell me you were already in love with some one else”,

I couldn’t believe my ears, I did not think this would end so easily and soon Hang and I wouldn’t have to hide our meetings anymore. I jumped and hugged my brother, full of happiness.

“But how did you know all this time brother? And what about you, you’re the only family I have left, I’m afraid

something may go wrong, I can’t loose you brother”,

“Listen to me Gustri, you need to be strong, I am fine, I’m a grown man, I’m not a child anymore and

why do I need taking care of when you’re the younger, sometimes I feel you have understood everything upside down sister”,

“It’s not that brother, it’s just that mother made me promise to take care and look out for you…. And it’s a promise I made to keep”,

“Wow, but father and mother did not make me promise to take care of you, well that’s the just great of them to assume I wouldn’t be able to take care of myself”,

“Oh don’t be silly brother, maybe mother had to make me promise because I was the young and careless one but for you, they knew you would take care of me no matter what”, I said laughing.

“Well, you certainly are good with your words little sister”,

“I do try”, I said cheekily.

“So when will you be arranging a meeting with this man to break the bad news”,

“Well I have to meet him soon I guess, arrange a meeting for tomorrow morning at the Malacca streets, after that I shall announce the good news to Hang Tuah”, I said excited.

“Great it will be arranged please be ready for your rickshaw tomorrow morning then, I won’t bother lecturing you now, we’ve spoken enough, just try and be more quiet next time when your climbing down the window in the middle of the night”, said brother sarcastically.

“Hey! That’s not fair, you still did not tell me how long you have know

n this for, I feel like a fool now for sneaking when you knew”, I said ashamed.

”You really should have more faith in me sister”, he chuckled leaving the room.

********

The next morning finally arrived. My heart was filled with excitement and mischief. I wore my pretty yellow and white flowered sarong I had been saving to wear f

or a year now. I walked downstairs to the living room, feeling a pinch of coolness on my feet as I walked on the marble

floor. The rickshaw was already waiting for me outside, my brother had came out to wish me good luck and had given me an embroidered hand made white cloth umbrella he bought for me to use in the summer sun. It matched perfectly with my white flowers on my sarong. I had imagined myself as a princess.

The rickshaw followed the path out to the field and down the hill, passing the pathway that leads to the hut and down to a road. It was a beautiful sunny day; I lifted up my umbrella, opening it to protect me from sunburn. After ten minutes of riding in between trees, a town was spotted growing larger. As we entered Malacca town, it was the rich architectural heritage that caught my attention, we approached the Dutch Square, the roads were filled with more rickshaw’s, local Malay’s shopping for food (some whites as well), children playing in front of shops and the bright red protestant Christ Church built by the Dutch in the 16^th century, I remembered my father had brought me here when I was younger. As we rode on, I noticed a fountain that wasn’t there before I visited when I was a child.

“Oh sorry, you can stop right here please, Thank You”,

The fountain was so magnificently made; it was designed very differently than other fountains I had seen. The fountain had a small tall tower in the middle with engraved patterns and stone made lily pads floated still on the water. As I admired the fountain, I waited for the man impatiently. I sat at the fountain admiring my beautiful hand made umbrella as a skinny small man started to approach me from afar, I stood up and waited for him.

“Good Morning Miss Gustri, Mr Mahmud Shah has been waiting for you”,

“Oh really….. How long exactly has Mr Mahmud Shah been waiting me?”

“About five minutes Miss Gustri”

“Well I’ve been waiting for almost fifteen minutes”, I snapped.

Who does he think he is? What kind of name is Mahmud Shah anyways? My temptation to make this rejection as short as possible started to grow stronger on me. I couldn’t bare wasting my time with this old rich man, I wanted to be at Hang Tuah’s house right now telling him the great news. I immediately noticed the man I was about to reject. He was dressed in black pants and a traditional batik shirt only instead of white; there were yellow flowers on his shirt. I chuckled as I walked towards him.

“Good Morning Miss Gustri, it’s great to see we have both great taste with colors….I hope you had not been waiting too long”

“Good Morning to you too Mr Mahmud Shah” I said abruptly.

He looked at me very strangely, not expecting a short response I had given him.

“Shall we walk then”, I started.

“Oh yes we should…..So Miss Gustri or do I call you Gustri?”, he said cheekily.

“Miss Gustri is fine”,

“So then….Miss Gustri, I believe you are here with good news”,

“Yes I believe I am……I’ve come here to ask you if you will be able to keep me happy and fulfill my dreams”,

“Of course I will be able to keep you happy, do you not know who I am?”

I looked blankly at his face, bewildered.

“I am the mayor of this state. I am the mayor of Malacca”,

“So then Mayor of Malacca, if I wanted a golden bridge built from my house to yours….will that be possible?” I smirked and said.

“Anything is possible in the state of Malacca Miss Gustri….So I take it my proposal is accepted”,

I looked at him bewildered again. He doesn’t seem to get affected by anything foolish I say. His answer surprised me. Clearly he doesn’t know what he’s getting into, clearly he’s blinded by his ego. This sickened me and shouted out,

“No! Your proposal is definitely not accepted! I am not interested in how wealthy you are or a golden bridge and I am not interested in marrying anyone that’s twelve years older than me…..I am sorry if I have wasted your time Mr Mahmud Shah. Good Bye!”

I ran to the end of the street, not wanting to hear a response from Mahmud Shah.

10 Months Later

“Did your father ever teach you to defend yourself Hang Tuah?” I said lying under the mango tree holding an orange peeler.

“My father was an extraordinary swords man and he taught me sword fighting when I was a child, his moves, his quick short cuts……..I’m not as great as my father but at least I know how to hold the sword”, Hang Tuah said laughing.

“You never told me that you father taught you sword fighting”,

“It was a long time ago love and I do want to have anything to do with violence anymore”,

“My father gave me a knife when I was twelve and until today I still have it and keep it with me at all times just in case of anything bad that might happen suddenly….Do you want to see it, it’s a really pretty knife”,

I took out the knife from the side of my bra. I gave Hang Tuah a knife with golden engraving on its handle, he slide the lid upwards and it shined with the sun. Hang Tuah was lying beside me staring at the knife, engrossed in the reflection he could see. I grabbed the knife back and said,

“Lets have a race, come on Hang Tuah! First one at the hut is the winner!”

“That’s not fair Gustri, you’re already running!....Just you wait!”, he laughed and said.

I ran as fast as I could to the hut, down the hill, through the pathway in the jungle and I stopped to look behind for Hang Tuah, but something strange was happening. I couldn’t hear footsteps nor Hang Tuah running towards me. I could hear nothing at all. I turned my direction towards my house, ready to run out of the pathway of the jungle to find Hang Tuah, but then I heard someone run through the trees behind me, I changed direction again and followed the sound through the trees. The person that was running had passed by the hut and gone deeper inside the jungle. I stopped, catching my breath, I had ran too far inside the jungle, I knew Hang Tuah was in trouble, but where was he, where was I. My fears started to take over me, my palms were now sweaty, I sat low waiting for the next noise I could here, I took out my knife and got in position to defend myself. Something was wrong and I could feel it. Where are you Hang Tuah? I could feel as if someone was behind me watching me, I held my knife tighter and got into position again, the person was getting closer and closer. Suddenly, an arm quickly tried to grab my neck attempting to strangle me; I struggle to get myself out of his arm and finally as I do I turn around finding myself already accidentally stabbing the man on the left side of his chest- his heart- my lover- my husband- my Hang Tuah.