The dragon stirred in his cave at the top of Mount Kinabalu. He was playing with his toy, a big pearl. Today, he was in a good mood and he rolled the pearl back and forth. Flashes of light arched from the mountain top as he played.
The villagers who lived near Mount Kinabalu saw the flashes of light.
“ Look! The dragon is in a playful mood today.”
“Yes, surely the weather would be fine for the next few days.”
But they knew that the dragon could just as easily in a bad mood. When he was, the mountain would rumble and dark clouds hang heavily over it. It was a sign that thunderstorms would soon follow. To the farmers, Mount Kinabalu was like a god and they prayed to it so that they would have good harvests.
“I am an Emperor! This wondrous pearl should belong to me. Go! Obtain for me this pearl.”
And his emperor command, twelve sailing junks carrying a hundred soldiers each set sail for Borneo. The quest for the pearl had started.
The junks spent months at sea. It was quite some time before the men set eyes on the shores of Borneo. When at last they reached their destination, they made haste to Mount Kinabalu. And when they reached its foot, they looked up to its clouded summit.
“Soldiers! Climb to the top of this mountain. Seize the pearl if you can, in the name of our Emperor.”
The Chinese soldiers began climbing, the pearl forecast on their minds.
The dragon cocked open one eye. He looked down from his lofty perch. What was that irritating noise? He could hear tiny voices from down below. Vegetation was rustling and he ehard a few clatters here ans there as the soldiers made their ascent. He looked closer and to his displeasure, saw that a few hundred puny humans were invading his home. They were already half way up. The dragon decided that he would teach them a lesson.
One soldier was attempting to scale a small rock wall when he heard a rumbling sound above him. He thought that it was simply thunder and ignored it. The rumbling came, louder this time. He looked up to see what it was and fell, terrified beyond belief. The immense form of the dragon was bearing down upon them.
The dragon let loose his anger and roared. He thrashed, he tossed and he rampaged. Screams of terror were heard as some soldiers were flung off the mountain to a rocky death.
“Retreat! Retreat!” was the panicked cry and those who were still alive heeded the call. As they ran, they heard the terrible roar of the triumphant dragon. All the survivors returned, shaken, to China.
“ It seems that the soldiers have failed me,” mused the Emperor as the survivors sadly gave the report. “Wee Ping! Wee San!”
The emperor called his twos sons to him. He had decided the honour of getting the pearl would fall upon them. They were young, daring and clever. They would have a good chance at getting the pearl. In fact, they were so eager that they set sail almost immediately to Borneo. But the same thing happened again.
“Oh no! Our warriors are being killed!” Wee ping the older brother said. “It’s no use trying to climb all the way up. He’s too watchful. We must think of another way.”
The younger brother, Wee San was deep in thought. He finally said, “I have an idea. Let’s make a big kite and I ‘will to the top. Since we want to take way the pearl, we should also make a lantern pearl to replace it so that the dragon will not miss his toy immediately.
Everyone who heard the plan agreed and soon they were at work. Some men worked on the kite while others fashioned the replacement pearl. While this was going on, Wee San quietly observed the dragon. He soon noticed that the dragon had a daily routine.
At a certain hour, the dragon would leave his cave to look for food. This was the only time that the pearl was unguarded and that would be the time that they would use to strike.
The kite and pearl were ready. All that they had to do was wait for a strong wind to coincide with the correct time. There it was! They felt a very strong breeze.
With excitement, Wee San, carrying the lantern pearl, mounted the kite with six other men and away they went. The wind carried them to the top of the mountain and they landed. Wee San softly sneaked into the cave, holding the imitation pearl. He made the swap and ran back to the kite, tugging on the rope.
Wee Peng felt a pull on the rope. That was the signal that his brother was ready. He and his men started to pull the kite down. He was rewarded with the sight of his brother safe and with the real pearl in his arms.
“Quick! Quick! Let’s set sail. The dragon will return soon,” said Wee San urgently. All the men started running towards the ship.
The dragon returned to his cave. He had just eaten and he was in a good mood. He felt like playing with his pearl. There it was, shining just as brightly as he had left it. He went to pick it up.
There was something wrong with the pearl. He tossed it up. This was not his real pearl! Roooaaarrr, his cry of anger shook Mount Kinabalu. The vegetation and rock trembled with his fury. He bounded down the slopes and tried to fell for the pearl. It was traveling away from him, on the sea. The thief must be at the sea. He dove into the waters and swum furiously.
Cries rose from the men.
“The dragon! He’s gaining on us”
Wee San looked back. He could see the dragon coming. The waves churned and frothed bubbles at the dragon’s passage. Feverishly, he tried to think of a plan.
“Men! Heat up the cannon ball until it is red hot,” he commanded.
They sprung to it. Every second they took, the dragon was catching up. The ball seemed to be taking forever to heat. Wee San spared another glance. The dragon was just right behind the ship. The canon ball was ready and he hoped that there was enough time. He ordered them to load.
Meanwhile, the dragon was almost upon them. He saw the men on the ship feverishly working or running around. They seemed to be terrified. He would sieve these thieves in his mouth! He opened it wide and was about to pounce.
“Fire!” Wee San shouted.
The red hot cannonball arced over the sea, glowing. The dragon saw the ball flying. Was that his pearl? He swallowed it without hesitation. But it was not. It was a fiery ball that burned at his stomach. He gave a loud yowl of pain.
Hanging on to whatever hold he could find. Wee San saw the dragon thrash in pain. The waves rose alarmingly high and his shipped rocked vulnerably in the aftermath of the dragon’s pain. The water became white with foam. But he saw the dragon twisting a little less each time until it was finally still. With less than a whimper, the dragon og Kinabalu sank beneath the waters.
They were victorious. The men were cheering with happiness and Wee San sailed on home.“I made the kite and whisked the pearl away from the dragon. And the dragon actually fell for my trick! It swallowed the cannon ball and died!”
Murmurs of admiration were heard among the listeners. But Wee San was silent. Why was his brother speaking as he was the only one who had outwitted the dragon? Everyone believed him.
When the feast that the Emperor held for his sons’ victorious return ended, Wee Ping asked the Emperor’s permission to keep the pearl in his room.
But the Emperor was puzzled. His younger son had been unusually quiet. Perhaps Wee ping had not obtained the pearl by himself. There was more to it than that. He felt that Wee San had had a hand in the capture of the pearl, which was why he had been so quiet.
That was why he then ordered the country’s best craftsman to make an exact copy of the pearl taken from the dragon.
“Take this pearl and keep it. Remember always that the love between brothers is worth more than all the pearls in the world.”
Wee San dutifully took the pearl and thanked his father. He looked at it. It looked exactly like the real one. But he know that it was just a copy. Feeling troubled, he made up his mind to leave China. He had the feeling that people would find out that he was actually the one who was behind the actual events.
“ I don’t want there to be trouble between Wee Ping and I,” he thought.
With a heavy heart, he made the necessary preparation and early one morning, set sail. Where he was going, he had no idea. The sadness was heavy in his heart and he just allowed himself to drift, letting the winds decide where he would go.
“A prince of China has arrived at Kuala Timur with many followers?” the Sultan of Brunei said thoughtfully.
“Demong Sari, my brother, go and welcome him and his followers.”
The Sultan did not regret his decision. Wee San and the Sultan took to each other like brothers. Gifts were exchanged and for many days and many nights, feast, songs and dances abounded.
Wee San was happy. He liked the Brunei and the Sultan. He knew that he could stay there happily. As time went by, the Chinese prince and the Sultan developed a warm friendship and grew even closer.
They were to be even closer when Wee San married the Sultan’s daughter. The Sultan, over the years, found that he liked Wee San more and more. He was very wise in all the things he did. When he was faced with difficult circumstances, Wee San showed great patience and courage. That was why one day, the Sultan named Wee San the successor to the throne of Brunei.
But sometimes, as happy as he was, something troubled Wee San. His thoughts would turn to China and he would gaze at the hand-made pearl that his father, the Emperor had given him.
“Is that my brother?” he wondered. He seemed to see his brother looking out to sea, a sad look on his face.
In some ways, he felt sorry for Wee Ping. Wee San had not the real pearl but had found happiness. Wee Ping had gained it but had brought him only misery. But though a few thousand miles and the ocean stood between them, the love between brothers is worth more than all the pearls in the world and they always thought kindly of each other.
Adapted from: Myths and Legend Malaysia.
(By Pugalenthi) Page: 59 - 7
(Courtesy from: www.sabah.edu.my)
Clara Chassany
ReplyDeleteFrench
France
clarachassany at yahoo.fr
http://www.proz.com/translator/1515511
3ème PARTIE
Ils avaient gagné. Les hommes étaient remplis de joie et Wee San naviguait vers son pays. « J’ai construit un cerf-volant et pris la perle du dragon. Et il est tombé dans mon piège ! Il a avalé le boulet de canon et en est mort ! »
Des murmures d’admiration traversaient la salle. Mais Wee San était silencieux. Pourquoi donc son frère racontait-il tout comme s’il était le seul à avoir vaincu le dragon ? Tout le monde le croyait.
Lorsque s’acheva le festin organisé par l’Empereur en l’honneur du retour victorieux de ses fils, Wee Ping lui demanda la permission de garder la perle dans sa chambre.
Mais l’Empereur était indécis. Son plus jeune fils était étrangement silencieux. Peut-être Wee Ping n’avait-il pas remporté la perle tout seul. Et ce n’était pas tout. Il avait la sensation que Wee San avait joué un rôle non négligeable dans cette aventure, ce qui expliquait qu’il soit aussi silencieux.
C’est pourquoi il ordonna au meilleur artisan du pays de fabriquer une copie exacte de la perle volée au dragon.
« Prends cette perle et garde-la. Souviens-toi toujours que l’amour entre frères vaut plus que toutes les perles du monde. »
Wee San pris poliment la perle et remercia son père. Il la regarda. Elle ressemblait comme deux gouttes d’eau à l’originale. Mais il savait que ce n’était qu’une réplique. Troublé, il décida de quitter la Chine. Il avait le sentiment que le peuple découvrirait que c’était en fait lui qui se trouvait derrière ces évènements.
« Je ne veux pas de soucis entre Wee Ping et moi », pensa-t-il. Le cœur lourd, il effectua les préparatifs nécessaires et pris le large le lendemain matin. Il n’avait pas la moindre idée où aller. Il avait le cœur gros et il se laissa guider par les flots, laissant les vents le transporter.
« Un prince Chinois vient d’arriver à Kuala Timur avec une suite nombreuse ? » dit le Sultan de Bruneî d’un air pensif.
« Demong Sari, mon frère, va et souhaite lui la bienvenue ainsi qu’à sa suite ». Le sultan ne regretta pas sa décision. Wee San devint comme un frère pour lui. Ils s’échangèrent des présents et célébrèrent, mangèrent et dansèrent durant des jours et des nuits.
Wee San était heureux. Il se plaisait à Bruneï avec le sultan. Il savait qu’il pouvait y rester tranquillement. Avec le temps, le prince chinois et le sultan devinrent amis intimes.
Leur amitié se trouva renforcée lorsque Wee San épousa la fille du sultan. Le sultan appréciait Wee San de plus en plus au cours des années. Il était très intelligent, et faisait preuve de beaucoup de patience et de courage lorsqu’il était confronté à des difficultés. C’est pourquoi, un jour, le sultan désigna Wee San comme son successeur pour le trône de Bruneï.
Mais parfois, malgré son bonheur, Wee San était préoccupé. Il pensait à la Chine et regardait la perle artisanale que son père l’empereur lui avait offert.
« Est-ce mon frère ? » se demandait-il. Il avait l’impression de voir son frère contempler la mer, avec un air triste.
D’une certaine manière, il était désolé pour Wee Ping. Wee San n’avait peut-être pas la vraie perle, mais il avait trouvé son bonheur. Wee Ping avait gagné la perle, mais elle ne lui avait apporté que de la misère. Mais bien que des milliers de kilomètres et l’océan les séparent, l’amour fraternelle vaut plus que toutes les perles du monde, et ils avaient toujours une pensée affectueuse l’un pour l’autre.