The truth about Puteri Gunung Ledang, Psycho Princess of Melaka (A story for children)

Once upon a time, there lived a great sultan. He was just, wise, and generous, respected throughout his kingdom and beyond. Everywhere he went, people bowed to him out of respect and love. His subjects had abundant food, shelter, and clothing; they were free from sickness, injustice, and hardship - the best of everything was theirs for the taking. They enjoyed their work, which made them happy and fulfilled 

One day, he heard stories of the beautiful Mount Ledang princess. Although he had never seen her, he wanted her for his wife and sent his finest soldiers to carry out his proposal of marriage. One day, as he wandered the forest, he heard stories of the beautiful Mount Ledang princess. Although he had never seen her, his heart clenched, and he took his leave from his people to travel to see if she was real. He traveled for a month until he reached the base of Mount Ledang where the trees were so thick and verdant that it seemed like night on two sides no matter when one looked. The middle was an emerald ocean of plants that swayed in the wind. Leaves and branches shimmered with fat, velvet raindrops. When they reached the summit, his horse reared up on its hind legs, terrified by the bright rays of sunlight that lit up the grove in assorted colors. A woman appeared and wrapped herself around him and he saw stars when they kissed. 

The sultan’s soldiers arrived at the base of Mount Ledang, where the princess lived in a magical palace, but were quickly turned away. The princess had set an impossible task for the sultan before she would even consider his proposal. The soldiers arrived at the base of Mount Ledang. The trees were so thick and verdant that it seemed like night on two sides no matter when one looked. The middle was an emerald ocean of plants that swayed in the wind. Leaves and branches shimmered with fat, velvet raindrops. 

As night fell, dew glistened in trees like sparkling diamond dust. The soldiers jumped at every nocturnal sound, thinking they were surrounded. 

The palace is beautiful and majestic, unlike any place they had ever seen. The spectacle of it was overpowering, and the soldiers had to cover their eyes and look away for a few moments to regain their senses. It is really a giant living organism, with glowing purple-red veins beneath its bark. The dark, murky waters that encircled it were home to strange creatures of the deep and the air was pervaded with the crisp smell of pure water. The scent of a thousand flowers hung in the air, perfuming the atmosphere with the heady aroma of summer. 

The sultan’s soldiers were overwhelmed by the smell of eucalyptus and mint, so strong that it felt like it was going to burn the inside of their nostrils. The smell of the forest was more wild, dangerous, and mysterious than anything they had ever experienced. The silence was deafening, broken only by the sound of leaves and branches snapping off in the distance, not from the wind. The soldiers were convinced they were being stalked. His men begged him to turn back and return to his kingdom, but he said that even if he died trying, Mount Ledang was worth it.  

The seven tasks were to  

1. build a golden bridge from the base of Mount Ledang to the palace 

2. bring seven trays of star dust 

3. present seven bowls of milk of seven different colors 

4. carry around the world on seven different animals 

5. catch a live supernatural creature 

6. bring seven magical coins 

7. fetch seven buckets of pure water from seven sacred wells 

The sultan was dismayed. Under normal circumstances, if a common person were to receive these commands, they would say how troubled this princess is. A psycho princess, some would call her. She would need to see a shrink.An American preferably.

These tasks seemed impossible, even for a great ruler like himself. But he was determined to win the favor of the beautiful princess, so he set off to complete the tasks. The sultan was filled with dread and disbelief as he heard the impossible tasks expected of him. He had been dreaming of marrying the beautiful princess, but this felt like a fool’s errand.  

Despite all his doubts, he marched off to complete these impossible tasks, in hopes of winning her favor. Next, the sultan tasked his most skilled astronomers to gather the star dust from the far reaches of the universe. They traveled far and wide, using powerful telescopes to locate and collect the glittering star dust from the heavens above. After much hard work and determination, they returned with seven trays overflowing with the precious star dust, ready to present them to the princess. 

For the third task, the sultan brought together the most skilled dairy farmers in the land to present the princess with seven bowls of milk of seven different colors. They worked tirelessly, gathering the rarest and most exotic ingredients to create the colorful milk, each bowl more beautiful than the last. 

Next, the sultan embarked on a journey around the world, riding on the backs of seven different animals, each one more magnificent than the last. He rode on the back of a giant eagle soaring across the highest peaks, a swift cheetah racing through the savannahs, and a great whale swimming through the depths of the ocean. The sultan travelled for months, crossing deserts, climbing mountains, and braving treacherous waters, but finally, he completed his task and returned to Mount Ledang. 

For the fifth task, the sultan called upon his bravest hunters to catch a live supernatural creature. They searched everywhere for the elusive creature, but it was only when they stumbled upon a hidden grove deep in the forest that they finally found it. The creature was a glowing and ethereal unicorn, with a mane that shimmered like stardust and eyes that glowed like the moon. Despite its beauty, it was a fierce creature, but the sultan's hunters were undeterred. They worked together to capture the unicorn and bring it back to the princess. 

The sixth task was a tricky one, but the sultan was determined to complete it. He searched far and wide for the seven magical coins, each one with a unique power. Finally, he found them in a hidden cave deep within a mountain. Each coin was imbued with a different power, from making the impossible possible, to healing all ailments. With these coins in hand, the sultan completed the sixth task and was ready for the final task. 

For the seventh and final task, the sultan called upon his trusted advisors to fetch him seven buckets of pure water from seven sacred wells. These wells were in the most remote and sacred places in the land, and the advisors had to journey through treacherous terrain to reach them. But they were determined to complete the task, and after much struggle and hardship, they returned to Mount Ledang with seven buckets of the purest water. 

With all the tasks complete, the sultan presented himself to the princess, offering her the fruits of his labor. The princess was impressed by his determination and ability to complete impossible tasks, and she accepted his proposal of marriage. They were married in a grand ceremony, where the seven tasks were celebrated as testament of true love and devotion. The sultan had won the heart of the beautiful princess, and they lived happily ever after in the magical palace on Mount Ledang. 

Their love was pure and true, and they spent their days exploring the beautiful forest and surrounding lands. They would ride on the backs of unicorns and fly through the sky on the wings of eagles. The sultan and princess were the happiest they had ever been, and their love only grew stronger with each passing day. 

As they lay in bed at night, the sultan would gaze into the princess' eyes, the color of the emerald ocean, and he would feel his heart swell with love and joy. They were truly meant to be together, and nothing could ever separate them.  

In the years that followed, the sultan and princess ruled their kingdom with fairness and kindness. They were loved by all who knew them, and their love inspired others to find their own true love. They were an example of what true love between the rich and famous is.  

Years later the princess was seen by the subjects in a psychiatric ward in a government hospital in a town called Tanjung Rambutan, down south. And the Melaka sultan? He received another offer from a princess from another kingdom in another mountain adjacent to where her psychologically deranged wife used to reside. He will gather the kingdom’s resource for this new mission and command the palace scribe to write another hikayat. For the glory of the kingdom and for children of future generations to be reminded of how power should be used.

Readers, what do you think happened to the cuckoo princess of Melaka, in this case?