The Princess of Gunong Ledang. 
By R. 0. Winstedt, D. Litt., (Oxon). 
It is related in the “ Malay Annals” (Shellabear’s Romanized 
edition, vol. II, page 177, 1910: chapter 27) that Sultan Mahmud 
of old Malacca wished to wed the fairy princess of Gunong Ledang. 
She replied to his messengers, “ If the prince of Malacca desires 
me, make me a gold and a silver bridge from Malacca to this 
mountain : for a betrothal gift I want seven trays of mosquitoes’ 
livers, seven trays of lice’s livers, a tub of tears, a tub of the juice 
of young betel-palms, a basin of the prince’s blood and a basin of 
the blood of his son Raja Ahmad.” 
There is a parallel to this episode in the Persian Sindibad 
Nama. “ A merchant arriving at Ivashgar sells his stock of sandal- 
wood to a rogue, who persuades him it is valueless, on condition 
that he give in return ‘Whatever else he may choose.’ Finding 
himself swindled he resorts in disguise to the house of the blind 
chief of the rogues and hears him rate his subordinate, ‘ You are a 
fool; for instead of this merchant asking a measure of gold, he 
miay require you to give him a measure of male fleas with silken 
housings and jewelled trappings and how will you do that? ’ Next 
day before the Ivadzi the merchant makes this demand and gets 
back his sandal-wood. The same story contains the incident of a 
worsted gambler being required to drink up the sea.” (C'louston’s 
“Popular Tales and Fictions,” Vol. II, pages 105-106). 
Jour. Straits Branch R. A. Soc., No. 83, 1921. 
