How The Moon Came To Be Shreyas Rajesh

How The Moon Came To Be Shreyas Rajesh

Translations and pronunciations obtained from Google translate. First two riddles obtained from Food for the mind. All images from River Life Around The World! First Published March 8th 2013 Shreyas Rajesh, 2013
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How The Moon Came To Be Shreyas Rajesh

Dedicated to my Family

A long time ago, when animals could talk, when gods spoke with humans, and when there was no moon in the sky, Malaysia was ruled by two kings. Bulan ruled peninsular Malaysia, and was kind and
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How The Moon Came To Be Shreyas Rajesh

generous to all his subjects. East Malaysia was ruled by Kechik, a cruel, overly ambitious king, whose greatest dream was to rule the world. One year, Bulan invited Kechik, his arch rival, to Kuala Lumpur. The Songkran festival was about to start, and king Bulan was eager to show off his city. Since the preparations had already began, the air smelt like rice and coconuts. All the huts were decorated with colored clothes, spinning in the breeze. On the streets, the dancers could be seen practicing for the three day ceremony that marked the new Buddhist year. Kechik could hear people singing, their voices lighting the city. Everywhere his horses rode, they were greeted by stunning colors, and joyful celebrations. When Kechik entered the palace, he saw Bulan waving him in. Selamat Datang*, Bulan called towards Kechik. When Kechik began walking towards Bulan, his eight foot tall body shook the ground. The celebrations in the palace made the outside streets seem dull. All the golden pillars were decorated with colors, and cheerful music was playing. Kechik followed Bulan onto a balcony. From there the music was less prominent, but the city looked like a sea of color, blues, greens, reds, whites, yellows, purples, oranges and pinks, all dancing a masterpiece together. The two kings made small talk about the festival, the food, the economy in both countries. As they continued talking, both kings pretended they didn't hate each other. Despite the two kings rivalry, It was clear that Kechik loved the festival. Suddenly, a large golden cloud, in the shape of a perfect sphere, appeared, floating through the sky. Growing and puffing, the cloud descended down towards the balcony where the kings were seated. The balcony glowed yellow and bright, and both kings were forced to close their eyes. When the light dimmed, a large man was sitting on a blue couch, facing away from the city, and looking at the two kings. The man was dressed traditionally, wearing a small piece of cloth around his waist, and extremely long pants. His golden silk shirt was the same colour as his eyes and the sun. His eyes were xraying everything, and seemed to running around in his head. "Lord Ahd." Bulan said bending down towards the ground. King Kechik followed his example. "Stand straight mighty kings, I am not here to punish you." Lord Ahd., the sun God, said, pulling a coconut from thin air. I have a problem which you two could help me solve, he said, munching on his coconut. "As you know, there is absolutely no light at night. I have seen the people suffer, and I wish to fix it. I have decided that one of

How The Moon Came To Be Shreyas Rajesh

you will become that bright light, and become immortal. However, I only need one of you. You two will have to compete for the honor. Whats in it for us? Kechik asked, his brown skin heating up in the bright sun. Well for starters, youll only have to be a light during the night. The rest of the time youll be a god who can do whatever they want. Does that sound alright? he finished. Kechik nodded his large head. "Terima Kasih*, but with all due respect, why us?" Bulan asked, his black hair waving in the chilly yet warm breeze. King Kechik laughed, his dark body shaking, and his long brown hair acting like spaghetti in a shaking dinner bowl. "He obviously chose us, because we are amazing kings!" "No, I don't think that is it." Bulan responded, shaking his head. "I chose you two," Lord. Ahd. said, "because you both have silver eyes. Tomorrow morning you will wake up on the banks of Pahang. Every morning, the Pahang river goddess will rise from the river. Each day she will ask you a riddle, and each night one messenger will come to collect your respective answer. If you are right, the messenger will give you a piece of metal. You will need to collect a piece of metal every day. The person with the most metal pieces at the end of the contest, will become the great light at night. At the end, we will see if we need to have a tie breaker." When he finished his last word, there was a loud boom, and he was gone. "Wait, you can't just leave us like that! Come back!" Kechik roared and smashed his gigantic fist into the red fabric of the couch. "It's no use, he's gone." Bulan spoke sadly, stretching his arms, and rising from the posh blue couch he had been sitting on. "Today we party," he decided. "Tomorrow we compete. And may the best man win!" "May the best man win," Kechik agreed, and the two kings shuffled into the palace to enjoy the festival. The next day Bulan woke to the sound of Tapirs crying. When he opened his eyes, he saw that he was not lying on the wonderful bed he had slept on. Instead he was lying on a small traditional feather mattress, in the middle of a brown wooden circular hut. Thud! Bulan stood up, and placed his bare feet on the ground. He slowly inched his way towards the outside of the hut. Outside the giant tualang trees were rising from the ground, and spiraling upwards, their large green leaves blocking the sun. The muddy river banks were brown and silty. The rivers
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current jogged downhill, each wave making a loud sound. As the forest got deeper, large sun bears, black bears with golden patterns around their collars, could be seen nestling in the trees. Further up, huge tippers had there anteater type noses stuck into the dirt, looking for any snacks. There pig like black bodies were moving slowly and gracefully. The air was a fridge, and the ground felt like a block of ice. The only light came from the midday sun, glaring down on the earth, but failing to change the temperature. As Bulan walked across the river bed, carefully avoiding the Tapirs, he saw another brown hut. Outside this one, Kechik was staring into space. "Baik pagi*, Kechik. Has anything intresting happened?" Bulan asked, craning his neck and trying to meet the 8 foot tall man's eyes. "Tieda*! This contest is pathetic, and I'm getting bored!" The man shouted, his dark hair running through the wind. "This king is a fool," Bulan, the black haired man thought secretly. "If I dont have to fight him, I can win this thing!" Suddenly, as if by magic, a pale lady emerged from the river. Her white robes skipped in the wind, and her hair flowed down her back like a thousand rivers. She smiled at the two kings, but her eyes were tragic and sad, like the world had given up on them. "Hello, mighty kings," she said, her voice sounding like a million bells. "I am the goddess of the Pahang river. I will be the one providing you with the challenges. Every day, I will ask you a riddle. Every night, I will send my messenger to receive your answer. I wish you nasib baik* for the challenges ahead. However, before we start, I must warn you, my beloved buyas* devour those who enter my river. If you value your life, stay away from this section of the river. Understand?" she finished off. Both kings nodded their heads, and waited patiently. "Your first riddle is this:" she began, "While exploring the jungles, Dericko was captured by goblins. Lontoo, the chief of the goblins told him he was allowed one final opportunity to make a statement. If the statement he made was false, he would be boiled in snake infested in water. If the statement was true, he would be fried in a barrel of malaysian viper poison. Dericko made a statement that forced the goblins to free him. What is a statement he could have made to save himself?" As soon as she finished her last word, the waves of the river rose and devoured her up. "That's simple," Bulan thought happily. "I wonder if Kechik has the answer."

How The Moon Came To Be Shreyas Rajesh

Bulan studied his rival's face. He watched as the larger mans face grew redder, and angrier. Kechik's eyes turned into storms, and he grabbed a huge plant, and hurled it towards the river. Splash! Bulan, afraid for his life, sprinted through the silt all the way back to the hut. There he stayed until the night, waiting. Just as the sun went down, a man dressed in white appeared in Bulan's hut. His white eyes looked experienced and smart, but his mouth was as straight as ruler. The man placed his candle on the bed, and stared at Bulan. His eyes seemed to be saying, Challange Me. "Are you the messenger?" Bulan asked, staring into the man's eyes. The messenger nodded slowly, and responded "Yes, what is the riddle's answer?" Bulan didn't wait, "Dericko said: You will boil me in snake infested water. If Dericko is boiled in the snake infested water, it would make the statement true, and would mean the goblins were supposed to fry him in malaysian viper poison. If the goblins fried him in malaysian viper poison, it would mean that his previous statement was false, and that he should have been boiled in snake infested water. Am I right?" "You are much smarter than your rival! You are absolutely right!" the messenger exclaimed. He raised his wrinkled hand, and placed it in his robes. When his hand came out, it was holding two pieces of bronze. "Here," he said, placing the pieces of bronze in Bulan's hand. Spinning around, he then marched towards the door. "Excuse me, I'm hungry!" Bulan exclaimed, calling to the man. "Check your bed," the messenger spoke lifelessly, and then vanished, like fire in water. Slowly, Bulan turned his head towards the bed. Beside the golden candle, there were a pile of Malay kebabs, called satyas. Placing the bronze pieces carefully inside his pocket, Bulan grabbed a kebab, and swallowed it in three bites. "These are excellent satyas! They seem to be running across my tongue!" Bulan thought, the spicy peanut sauce dripping down his mouth. Bulan devoured the other 8 satyas, and washed it down with some water from the river. Placing the bronzes on the bedside, Bulan closed his eyes, and allowed the dream world to take him captive. The next morning, when Bulan awoke, he noticed one of the bronze pieces missing. "I wonder what happened. Doesn't matter, I still have one. Now I better get going, before I get late!" He thought, and began sprinting towards the river. Again, the greedy king was standing there, as still as a stone. When Kechik saw Bulan running, he

How The Moon Came To Be Shreyas Rajesh

turned his head and gave him a warm smile. However, Kechiks eyes told the real story. A story of hatred. Did you find the answer to the riddle? Bulan asked, wondering if Kechik would tell him the truth. Yes, the mountain of a man muttered. He lies, Bulan thought. The messenger gave me two pieces of bronze, mine and his. He has absolutely no chance of winning! At that moment, the water parted. Out came the river Goddess , her white hair jogging down her back like a thousand snakes. She smiled, and sounding like a thousand bells, said Hello kings. Today your riddle is this: Ten pirates find a buried treasure of 100 pieces of gold. The pirates have a strict ranking in their group: Pirate 1 is the lead pirate, Pirate 2 is second-in-command, Pirate 3 is the third most powerful pirate, and so on. Based on this ranking, the pirates decide on a system to determine how to split up the 100 pieces of gold. The lead pirate (Pirate 1) will propose a way to split it up. Then all the pirates (including the lead pirate) will vote on that proposal. If 50% or more of the pirates agree on the system, then that is how the gold will be shared. However, if less than 50% of the pirates vote for the proposal, then the lead pirate will be killed. The next-most powerful pirate will then become the lead pirate, and they'll restart the process (Pirate 2 will suggest a way to split up the gold and it will be voted on by the rest of the pirates). This will keep going on until finally a proposal is agreed upon. All of the pirates are very smart and very greedy. Each pirate will vote against a proposal if they know that they would end up with more gold if that proposal were to fail. A pirate also will never vote for a proposal that gives him 0 pieces of gold. You are helping Pirate 1. You must come up with a proposal that will give him as much gold as possible, without getting him killed. Keep in mind that the rest of the pirates all know that if your proposal fails, then Pirate 2 will succeed at coming up with a plan that benefits him the most while not getting him killed. What do you suggest to Pirate 1 ? Again, just as the last words were said, the mighty river Goddess was swallowed by the waves. This one is harder, Bulan thought, But it is not hard enough! If becoming the moon was any easier, even a common street beggar would have a chance. Satisfied that he knew the answer, Bulan walked back to the hut to await the great messenger.

How The Moon Came To Be Shreyas Rajesh

Just as the sun was setting, and the air was turning colder than anything, Bulan began to smell coconuts. As the aroma drifted through the hut, and against his will, Bulan began longing for home. Just as the final smells were drifting away, the messenger appeared. What is your answer Bulan? he asked kindly, his smile never failing. You should keep 96 pieces of gold for yourself, and give 1 piece of gold each to Pirate 3, Pirate 5, Pirate 7, and Pirate 9. Explain the messenger asked, keeping his cool smile. Pretend there are only two pirates, and you're the lead pirate. Your proposal would be to give yourself all 100 pieces of gold. Pirate 2 would vote against this and you would vote for it, giving you 50% of the vote and letting it pass. And you would get 100 pieces of gold. Assuming there were three pirates, and you were the lead pirate, the answer changes. Pirates 2 and 3 know that if your solution fails, then they will find themselves in the situation described above for 2 pirates, in which Pirate 2 will get all the gold, and Pirate 3 will get none. Pirate 2 would love this situation, but Pirate 3 would hate it. So you just propose to give Pirate 3 one piece of gold, while giving Pirate 2 no gold. Pirate 2 will vote against this, but Pirate 3 will vote for it because he knows that if this proposal fails, he'll get no gold. So your proposal will pass, you'll get 99 pieces of gold, and Pirate 3 gets 1 piece. If there are 4 pirates, the situation is the same again. Pirates 2 and 4 would love your proposal to fail since they know that with only 3 pirates, they'll both get gold, whereas Pirate 3 will get none. So you just give Pirate 3 one piece of gold and keep the other 99 for yourself, and you will win 50% of the gold. You can use this logic all the way up to 10 pirates, where you give one piece of gold each to Pirates 3, 5, 7, and 9, and keep the rest for yourself. You know these four pirates will support your proposal because they know they'll each get 0 pieces of gold if you fail. Pintar! Sangat Pintar*! The messenger said, handing two pieces of silver to Bulan. Keep these safe, you will need them soon. Finishing his sentence, the messenger turned, and was just about to leave the hut when Bulan called Excuse me, whats that smell? Its your dinner! the white robed man exclaimed, and vanished into the chilly breeze. Bulan turned and was shocked to see that todays meal was even more extravagant than yesterdays. Rice filled a bowl like water in the sea. A coconut lay in the center, its rich aroma screaming Eat me! Eat me please. The chilli sauce was pouring down the entire thing like lava on a mountain.
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As his mouth watered, Bulan thought, Nasi Lemak! It appears they are trying to bring the celebration food here. Bulan placed his silver pieces next to his marble piece on the bedside table that had appeared the night before. He then began his dinner, and fell asleep with a filled stomach. The next morning, Bulan woke when the sun was not in the sky. Slowly, he stretched his legs, put on his sandals and grabbed his mettles. Remarkable. First a piece of bronze vanishes, and now a piece of silver. What could have possibly happened? Bulan questioned himself, placing the two, metal pieces carefully inside his pocket. This time, Bulan walked slowly towards the river spot outside Kechiks hut. Watching the sun bears dance in the morning light, Bulan waited for the river Goddess . When the sun was high in the sky, Kechik emerged. He nodded towards Bulan, but they didnt speak. After a few more minutes crawled away, the river split in half. Out emerged the goddess, her white skin paler than ever in the bright, golden summer light. Your riddle is this: she began, failing to keep the impatience out of her voice. It is more powerful than God, yet worse than the devil. The poor have it, the rich do not. What is it? The goddess disappeared, and Bulan, confused but eager to solve the riddle, sprinted back towards his mud hut. Oh! Look at that bed! Bulan thought randomly. It seems as though its trying to talk to me. Trying to lull me into sleep. Well, maybe for a little bit... When Bulan woke up, the sun had disappeared from the skies. There was no light, no sound, and no smell. Suddenly, the messenger appeared. He glowed bright white in the darkness, and his face shone brighter than a torchlight. When seeing Bulan awake, he asked What is your answer? Shamed, Bulan lowered his head, and replied, I have none. The look of startlement on the messengers face could have burned down an entire estate. How can this be? he asked, his voice soft and crisp. I fell asleep, Bulan whispered. This is very tragis*, but oh well well. The answer was tiada apaapa jua*. Keep your mettles safe, you will need them tomorrow. Enjoy your meal. Goodnight. Just as the last word left his mouth, the messenger vanished the same way a mouse does.

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Bulan ate the rice in the dark, the sticky pieces annoying him terribly. He spent the entire night staring at the silver and bronze pieces, wishing he had not fallen asleep earlier that day. The next morning was happy. Birds were singing, and tapirs were growling. The river could be heard flowing smoothly. The sun was shining brighter than ever before, and for the first time, Bulan discovered he was not cold. The trees were swinging the cool and light breeze, and they seemed to be saying Look at us. We are so happy today! When Bulan was walking to Kechiks hut he noticed the ground was soft and loose, not hard like earlier. When Bulan reached Kechiks hut, he saw the reason the river was happy today. A man was levitating above the river, his golden eyes ex-raying everything. Lord Ahd. Bulan said, bending down towards the ground, next to Kechik. Kechik shot a cruel smile at Bulan, the kind that seemed to say I am so much better than you. Naik* The sun God commanded, and his wishes were instantly obeyed. Present your metals! he barked. Bulan reached out into his shirt and pulled out his piece of bronze, and then a piece of silver. Bulan noticed Kechik doing the same thing. He is much smarter than I predicted. It seems he managed to solve the riddles after all. Still, I wonder why he couldnt solve the last one. It was easier than the other two. Bulan thought. Hmmm, the sun God continued, It seems we have a tie. You both have only two metals. The only way to solve this is to have a fight to the death! You have all day. Begin. The sun God disappeared and the temperature dropped. The birds stopped singing, and the wind got stronger, blowing the trees every which way. Kechik, the man mountain, began sprinting towards Bulan. He is stronger, so I must be smarter. Bulan thought, and began to formulate a plan. Hey Kechik, how did you solve all the riddles? Bulan asked, knowing that Kechik, or any other king, would love to boast. Kechik laughed like a tornado, and replied sharply, I didn't solve any riddles! I just stole your metals at night while you were sleeping. Huh, Bulan said confused, but remembering his plan he continued. Hey Kechik, I'm going to beat you easily, you want to know why? Kechik, the foolish king replied, Why? Because I swam in the Pahang river. The water makes you invincible! Bulan explained, knowing that his plan was working.
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Aren't there dangerous crocodiles in that river? Kechik asked, pointing his muscular arm towards the Pahang. Of course, they are the guardians of the river. They protect the sacred air*. Bulan replied, desperately trying to keep his voice steady. He knew that if he said something wrong, his plan would fail, and Kechik wouldnt believe him. Kechcks hair was blowing in the wind. His fist was clencenched, and he was trying to figure out if Bulan was lying or not. The tension in the air was so hot, you could have fried chicken on it. The tapirs had stopped digging in the ground, and were watching the scene. Slowly, Kechik turned towards the river. He took one step, then another. Finally, Kechik dove into the river. Menipu! Bulan thought. Almost immediately, the crocodiles approached. They circled Kechik, like dogs do, when they fight for a bone. Their slimy green skin reflected the eerie light. They circled Kechik, then froze. Suddenly, together, they dived. Bulan turned as the first screams began. An hour later, Bulan approached the river, and fished out the only thing left of his adversary. A yellow scarf. You did well, Bulan. A soft voice said breaking the silence. Bulan turned, and bowed. You are my equal now Bulan. You have become the son in the night. Every night, a white shape will rise in the heavens, and give a small amount of light to the people on earth. That light shall be known as Bulan. But what about him? Bulan asked, pointing to Kechik. We all knew he was cruel, and violent. It is better for his kingdom that he is dead. What about my kingdom? Bulan asked, his voice shaking. Leave that to me. Lord Ahd. replied. Fine! Bulan snapped. Good, now close your eyes.... Bulan allowed the sun God to lull him into sleep. When Bulan awoke, he saw mountains, and rivers, and clouds right by him. Bulan stared at his glowing skin, and noticed that he was providing light for the people below. He saw the gelombangs reaching towards him. As Bulan felt himself soaring through the sky, he saw his old city, Kuala Lumpur. Bulan remembered the good times in Kuala Lumpur, but was eager to continue on. As he kept flying above, he thought I am the light at night. I am Bulan!

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How The Moon Came To Be Shreyas Rajesh

THE END
Glossary of Malay Words and Phrases Used in the Story

Selamat Datang (Sell-a-mat Dat-ang) Terima Kasih (Tear-ee-ma Kas-e) Baik Pagi (Bike-Pa-gee) Tieda (Tee-eh-da) Nasib Baik (Nas-ebe Bike) Buyas (Boo-yas) Sangat Pintar (San-gat Pin-tar) Tragis (Tra-gis) Naik (Nake) Air (A-ir) Menipu (Men-ee-pu) Fool Trajic

Welcome Thank You Good Morning No Good Luck Crocodiles Very Smart

Tiada Apa-Apa Jua (Tee-eh-da Ae-pa Ae-pa Ju-a) Nothing Rise Water Moon

Extra: Bulan (Boo-lan)

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