Fables and Folk-Tales from an Eastern Forest

[1] Ship-Master Ragám was the master of a Malay merchant-vessel, and one day he sailed from Jering [2] taking with him his beautiful wife Che Siti of whom he was very fond. On the way she was annoyed by her husband's incessant embraces and warned him to be more careful, reminding him that she was sewing, and remarking how unlucky it was to indulge in such gallantries at sea. Such was his infatuation however that he paid no heed to her warnings, and as he was attempting once more to embrace her, she pricked him to the heart with her needle so that he died.

When she saw that her husband was dead she was alarmed, and shut up the dead body in the deck-house, and whenever any of the crew asked questions, she said, "The master has fever."

But when they reached Jering, she buried the remains at Bánggor, [3] and the spirit of Nakhõda Ragám entered the body of an old crocodile.

That is why it is still the custom, whenever a big crocodile appears in these parts, for folk to say, "Nakhõda Ragám, your grandchildren beg leave to pass," when he will immediately disappear beneath the surface.

[1] There are many versions of this story in various parts of the Peninsula, this particular one being told me in Patani. Nakhõda is a Persian word (meaning Ship-master) which has been borrowed by the Malays. "Nakhõda Ragám," it appears, was the familiar name of one "Sultan Bulkeiah" of Borneo, described in Bornean traditions as a great warrior and a great navigator, he having voyaged to Java and Malacca, and conquered the East Coast of Borneo, Luzon and Suluk. His wife, called Lela Men Chanei, was a daughter of the Batara of Suluk. – Hugh Low on the Selesilah of the Rajas of Brunei, J.R. A.S., S. B. no. 5, p. 7 (notes).

[2] Jering is the name of the District of which Jámbu (v. supra) is the chief town.

[3] Bánggor is a name given to any knoll of rising ground or low eminence near a river, and in this case it probably refers to the site of Jámbu village.