RAJA BERSIONG( KEDAH’S LEGENDARY FANGED
KING)
The ancient Malay booj Hikayat Merong
Mahawangsa narrates how during the time of early kingdom on the
Malay Peninsula, there was a Raja or King named Ong Maha Perita Doria in the
state of Langkasuka ( today’s Kedah) . He was an ill-tempered and cruel king
who terrified everybody. His realm was believed to be at Kota Aur near the foot
of sacred Mount Jerai, near Gurun district.
One day, his food was not ready when the
Raja was already hungry. And a hungry Raja is an angry king. He furiously
scolded the palace cook. In his haste to prepare the royal meal, the cook
accidentally cut his finger and blood trickled into the ingredients. Alas, he
was too sacred to waste time washing the blood.
When the King ate the food, it was
amazingly tastier. He was so fond of it that he summoned the cook demanding to
know his secret.Fearing for his life, the cook admitted the incident.
Thereafter, the King decreed that all his meals must have blood in it. The King
became addicted to human blood and after a while, his incisors grew longer and
became distinctly like fangs! He became known as Raja Bersiong or the Fanged
King.
As his greed for blood continued to
intensify , he ordered his guards to capture villagers for their blood. Local
legend recounts they were kept in Gua Penjara or Prison Cave near today’s
Pantai Merdeka beach town, before being brought to the royal kitchen.
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