The Putri Gunong Ledang
This short note by R. J. Wilkinson records the Malay legend of the Putri Gunong Ledang (Fairy Princess of Mt. Ophir), as told to him by a local informant.
Summary
The note describes the fairy princess who is said to inhabit Gunong Ledang (Mt. Ophir), accompanied by a sacred tiger that sits half-way down the mountain as her sole guardian. It also mentions a superstitious belief among the uneducated that a plant growing near the fairy’s house yields leaves that, when eaten, grant eternal youth and immortality; many ancient people of Malacca reportedly lost their lives attempting to obtain these leaves (p. 214).
Wilkinson then recounts the origin of the legend: a Malay woodcutter, separated from his companions in the forest, was attacked by a tiger and fainted. He was carried to the fairy, who, noting that he was a worshipper, treated him well and instructed him to carry home lumps of saffron. The bag grew heavier as he walked, and he discarded some of the lumps; upon reaching home, the saffron had turned to gold. Wilkinson notes that this story is believed by both the Malays and the Straits Chinese in connection with Mt. Ophir (p. 214).