Sometime during the 13th or 14th century, in the court of Palembang (in modern Indonesia), there lived a prince called Sang Nila Utama (who was also called Sri Tri Buana).
It was a time of peace and joy. The prince spent his days merry-making and hunting wild game. Bored and tired of the usual routine, he decided to set sail for the nearby islands in search of new adventures.
One day, during a hunting expedition, Sang Nila Utama saw a distant island. When told that it was the land of Temasek, he made plans to sail to the island. Along the way, he encountered a great storm which threatened to destroy his fleet. The ship's captain ordered all heavy cargo to be thrown overboard, hoping that a lighter vessel would help stabilise the ship.
It was to no avil, and the ship appeared doomed to a watery grave. In desperation, the captain begged Sang Nila Utama to throw overboard his heavy gold, bejewelled crown which he was wearing. This seemed to work and the ship and indeed the whole fleet was able to survive the storm.
The young prince eventually set foot on the island of Temasek, and he was pleased. The beach was beautiful and white. There were also many birds, plants, and bright and colourful flowers of all kinds.
Suddenly, he saw a strange creature in the jungle, an animal that he and his party had never seen before. It was larger than a stag, had a black head, a reddish body and a white chest. It was fierce and swift of foot. It was simply magnificent
When told that he had just seen a lion, he decided to name the island Singa Pura, or the Lion City after the magnificent animal he saw and declared himself the ruler. |
