Heart wrenching and tragic love stories from the rice stalks region of the world, South East Asia. Stream down the momentous and moving plots from the Asean’s countries as NOR HIDAYATI MOKHTAR compiled and dished up the best of the legendary tragic love saga. Prepare your tissue!
Bolkiah and Laila
Brunei’s story of honourable love
Laila's tomb
It was a love at the first sight when Sultan Bolkiah met her during his cruise. The very beautiful Laila Menchanai appeared from the bubbles drifting on the ocean. Love tied them both when they got married.
As how love was still strapping, Laila was sewing with Sultan resting on her laps until he fell asleep. As she was so moved by the Bolkiah’s love, accidentally she stuck in the golden needles into his finger and sent him to death. So shattered because of her loss love, Laila stabbed herself with the keris of the Sultan. And they were buried just beside each other at the infamous Makam Selarong in Kota Batu.
As how love was still strapping, Laila was sewing with Sultan resting on her laps until he fell asleep. As she was so moved by the Bolkiah’s love, accidentally she stuck in the golden needles into his finger and sent him to death. So shattered because of her loss love, Laila stabbed herself with the keris of the Sultan. And they were buried just beside each other at the infamous Makam Selarong in Kota Batu.
Tum and Teav
Cambodia’s story of sacrifices
Tum was a monk who travelled to Tbaung Khmum to sell bamboo rice. There he met with beautiful palace singer, Teav and they fell in love. But her mother has promised Teav to marry the powerful governor of the province, Archoun. When Teav was singing, an emissary, Rama fell in love with her and the King promise to marry them. Seeing that, Tum sang a song boldly to profess his love for her. Rama was so touched and allowed them to marry.
But when Teav’s mother learnt about it, she feigned her illness as a ruse to lure Teav back so she could marry Archoun. When Tum knew about this, he made proclamation that Tum was her wife. Archoun was so enraged that he commanded his guards to kill Tum and he was beaten to death under a Bo tree. Grief-stricken, Teav slit her own throat and collapsed on Tum's body. Thus, for love sometimes, people tend to sacrifice everything.
But when Teav’s mother learnt about it, she feigned her illness as a ruse to lure Teav back so she could marry Archoun. When Tum knew about this, he made proclamation that Tum was her wife. Archoun was so enraged that he commanded his guards to kill Tum and he was beaten to death under a Bo tree. Grief-stricken, Teav slit her own throat and collapsed on Tum's body. Thus, for love sometimes, people tend to sacrifice everything.
Rama and Sinta
Indonesia’s story of trust
Indonesia’s story of trust
Rama was a King of Ayodya and he won the Princess Sinta’s hand of marriage in fight organized by her father to find for her husband. They fell in love with each other but Rahwana also wanted her. After they got married, Sinta saw a deer in front of their house and requested Rama to get it for her. So he went out to hunt the deer, without knowing that the deer was actually Rahwana’s trick. So Rahwana came to kidnap Sinta to make her his wife.
Sinta was very devoted to her husband and refuse Rahwana. With the help of a garuda, Jatayu Rama knew that his wife was taken by Rahwana. They fight each other and Rahwana got killed. However when everything was well, Rama became curious of Sinta’s virtuosity and asked her to jump into the fire to prove it. Due to her love and determination, she jumped into it and survived with the help of the Fire God. Rama then believed in her and they live happily ever after.
Malong and Bacheng
Laos’ story of obsession
Laos’ story of obsession
Bacheng, a great army for Laos was deeply in love with the pretty princess Malong. Malong hated him because he was not charming at all, and went to the forest to meet her lover. When the King proclaim for their marriage, Malong escaped with his lover. Bacheng went all the way to find her, and asked why she hated him so much. But Malong did not answer. Bacheng was so mad and tried to kill her lover but accidentally, he struck his sword upon Malong.
Malong and Bacheng mountains
Looking at her condition, Bacheng was too hurt and guilty and he slain himself. Malong was touched by the obsession Bacheng showed her, and she drew Bacheng’s sword to kill herself. Malong could have lived with her lover but why did she kill herself? This is how loving someone without any reasons, lead to true love. Their love was then monumentalized with two alongside mountains named Malong and Bacheng.
Malong and Bacheng mountains
Looking at her condition, Bacheng was too hurt and guilty and he slain himself. Malong was touched by the obsession Bacheng showed her, and she drew Bacheng’s sword to kill herself. Malong could have lived with her lover but why did she kill herself? This is how loving someone without any reasons, lead to true love. Their love was then monumentalized with two alongside mountains named Malong and Bacheng.
Uda and Dara
Malaysia’s story of between two status
Malaysia’s story of between two status
This was originally from famous Malaysian’s poet, Usman Awang’s Gadis di Kuburan. In this tragic love story across the status, Uda fell in love with the daughter of a landlord the beautiful Dara. Because Uda was so poor, he swore to find wealth to marry her and left the village. When he came back as a successful man, Dara’s father, Alang claimed Uda is no a blue blood man and deny him.
Malays are judged because of their sense of responsibility to fulfill their promise, So due to the oath he made upon himself, Uda determined to fight for Dara and he ended up died in Dara’s arms after being stabbed by Alang. Upon the killing, Dara lived in despair and wept to death.
Badoy and Agueda
Philippines’ story of reminiscence and regrets
As Don Badoy Montoya visited his old home at Intramuros, Manila, memories of his youth came back. There was a myth about asking the mirror on a midnight about the look of the future husband. So when Agueda was reciting, she was surprised to look at Badoy’s face in it, as it turned to be that Badoy was actually standing behind her. Unexpectedly they got married. After the bitter marriage on May 1847, they were quarreled and separated.
May Day Eve was a short story by Nick Joaquin that turned into Philippine’s classic. So many years passed and Badoy learned from his grandson that he was described by Agueda as ‘devil’ and Don Badoy told his grandson that every time he looks at the mirror, he only sees a ‘witch’ (Agueda). The tragedy of the story is that Badoy’s heart forgot how he loved Agueda in the past. They were not able to mend their broken marriage because they thought they love was a futile.
Well, we can always save our love if we are determined to do so. But, not all’s well, ends well and at the end of the day, there is nothing more but rue and regrets.
May Day Eve was a short story by Nick Joaquin that turned into Philippine’s classic. So many years passed and Badoy learned from his grandson that he was described by Agueda as ‘devil’ and Don Badoy told his grandson that every time he looks at the mirror, he only sees a ‘witch’ (Agueda). The tragedy of the story is that Badoy’s heart forgot how he loved Agueda in the past. They were not able to mend their broken marriage because they thought they love was a futile.
Well, we can always save our love if we are determined to do so. But, not all’s well, ends well and at the end of the day, there is nothing more but rue and regrets.
Thailand’s story of forbidden love
Even death can’t deny love. Thai’s famous legend about Maenak is not a usual love story. When Peemak left her for war without knowing his wife was pregnant, she waited for Peemak in devotion. When Peemak was back to her arms, Maenak was already given birth.
But the villagers told Peemak that his wife already dead when giving birth.
But the villagers told Peemak that his wife already dead when giving birth.
Too hate to admit, Paemak peeped Maenak when she was cooking and he saw Maenak longed her hand to get a lemon from the ground. Paemak was too sad to know his wife is already a ghost, but so touched for the enduring love of his wife. Thus he united all the strength he got to advice her to rest for reincarnation.
Although he could not imagine what life would it be for him without her, he did not want Maenak to be ‘living’ like that. So with the promise to meet again in the life after, Maenak obeyed him and they dispersed in the tearful separation.
Von Hong Phu
Vietnam’s story of the restraining hope
Vietnam’s story of the restraining hope
A long time ago in a small village there was a young woman whose husband had gone to do business. Thus she stayed home and raised her son alone. When the son was four, he always asking for his father, where he was and why he was not at home. To make her son happy, the woman pointed to her shadow and told the son, "There, that is your father." From that day on, the son looked to his mother's shadow as his father. Every time he was sad he would talk to the shadow as if he was talking to his father.
One day, the husband returned and he was so eager to play with his son. But the son refused to acknowledge the husband as his father. The son said, "You're not my father. My father is the one that always follows my mother." After hearing that, the husband thought his wife had an affair with another man. Angry at the betrayal of his wife, he left the family.
The woman, not understanding why her husband left again, bore her child to the top of a mountain. And there she stood waiting for her husband to come back until she was set into stone.
And that was the legend of the Von Hong Phu, meant "the stone waiting for her husband".
One day, the husband returned and he was so eager to play with his son. But the son refused to acknowledge the husband as his father. The son said, "You're not my father. My father is the one that always follows my mother." After hearing that, the husband thought his wife had an affair with another man. Angry at the betrayal of his wife, he left the family.
The woman, not understanding why her husband left again, bore her child to the top of a mountain. And there she stood waiting for her husband to come back until she was set into stone.
And that was the legend of the Von Hong Phu, meant "the stone waiting for her husband".
Von Hong Phu (Milky Way in Vietnam)
P/S: this article I wrote for the ASEAN bulletin during my course in Brunei/Indonesia. the bulletin, ASEAN Insights was aimed to highlight on ASEAN countries. well, for these stories, I think I love Thai's the most.
