Love on Broken Wings

Was quite impressed with ‘Puteri Gunung Ledang’ when I first watched it on VCD(original, selling at S’pore night market) last year, especially the exchange of ‘flowery’ old classic Malay and poetry. They should have let us watched such movies back then when we were struggling with Malay literature during SPM rather than reading those short random passages which we had to decipher. Imagine the many budding thespians they would have produced.

Ah Hock : Siti sayang, boleh pinjamkan kanda buku latihan Sejarah adinda. Kanda tak sempat salin nota dari papan hitam tadi.

Siti : Aduhai sedapnya suara kakanda bila nak mintak tolong. Padan muka kakanda kerana tadi asyik je cakap bila cikgu mengajar.

Anyway, in the movie, the ones between the Javanese princess (Gusti Putri) and Hang Tuah were the stand-outs. Here’s part of the script.

(GP = Gusti Putri or later known as the Princess of Gunung Ledang;
HT = Hang Tuah, the Laksamana or Army Chief of Melaka.)

Scene : By the river in Java.

GP : Akhirnya dia datang juga padaku.

HT : Kanda bertemu cinta di negeri Jawa.

GP : Setiap orang punyai impian. Impian itu yang bisa meneruskan hidupan. Impian dinda adalah untuk mendapatkan cinta sejati. Kakanda ?

HT : Impian Kanda ? Impian Kanda kalau ada akhirnya. Kanda ingin menetap di Gunung Ledang.

GP : Di Gunung Ledang ?

HT : Ya. Buminya suci. Di situlah bermulanya segala-galanya buat Kanda. Tetapi seluruh nusantara Kanda mencari ketenangan, Kanda bertemu cinta di bumi Jawa.

GP : Sekecil burung kedidi. Adinda terbang ke hati kakanda. Mengharapkan cinta yang menggunung.

HT : Jika patah sayap Rajawali. *Betul gencuh kanda kemari.

GP : Adinda anggap sebagai janji.

(selepas mencuci kaki)

GP : Kita sudah saling berikat jika adat mencucikan kaki ini kita lakukan.

HT : Setapak melangkah. Dua langkah ingatkan kanda pada dinda.

GP : Adinda bersumpah. Jikalau Kakanda tidak kembali, Adinda akan menyusur kakanda. Menginjap pada tanah yang sama. Bernafas pada udara yang sama.

HT : Belayar berbelok-belok. Sauh di bongkar di tempat yang tenang. Yang tinggal hati tak elok. Yang pergi hati tak senang. Bila sampai waktu, kita akan bersama.

(* A little unsure of the correct words here)

The English Translation from the movie:

GP : Finally, he comes to me.

HT : I have found love in Java.

GP : Everyone has a dream. That dream helps us to carry on living. My dream is to find true love. And you, my love?

HT : My dream? My dream, if it may be fulfilled is to live on Mount Ledang.

GP : Mount Ledang?

HT : Yes. A place so pure, untouched. That is where it all began for me. I have traveled far and wide to find peace. Instead I found love on the isle of Java.

GP : This humble nightingale flies to your heart in search of a mountain of love.

HT : Broken may be the wing of the phoenix. In swathe and staff, I’ll heed your call.

GP : I shall take that as a promise.

(after washing of feet)

GP : We are now bound together by this feet-cleansing ritual.

HT : Every step away from you brings my heart two steps closer to you.

GP : I solemnly vow. Should you not return, I will come to you. To walk on the land you walk on. To breathe the air you breathe.

HT : Set sail on a winding trail. Cast anchor in the heart of calm. Heavy is the heart that stays. Sad is the heart that strays. But when the time does come, we will be as one.

*******

The Se7en Bethrothal Gift
Bridge of gold and silver from Melaka to Gunung Ledang.
Seven Trays of Mosquito Hearts.
Seven trays of the hearts of mites.
SA vat of water from dried areca nuts.
A vat of tears of virgin maidens.
A cup of the Sultan’s blood.
A cup of his son’s blood