SCRIPT: The Legend
Scene 1
[Shadow puppets]
Narrator: Once upon a time, in a small island called Singapura, there lived a quick-tempered king named Paduka Sri Maharaja. He was a Raja that people feared of as he often abuses his power. Those who fell into his bad books were severely punished, often unjustly.
Narrator: Soon after, a magician from Pasai came to Singapura, along with his two friends. Having heard so much about the island, he was eager to explore it.
Scene 2
[Scene B: Half village, half palace]
[Magician walks in, looking around]
Narrator: As he was exploring around the area, something caught his eye!
[Magician stops beside palace, saw the queen]
Narrator: It was the Queen! She happened to look out of the window just as the magician was passing by.
Magician: Whoa, what a beauty! Well well, I shall show her some magic tricks!
Narrator: With that, the Magician turned around to the palm tree behind him. He swung his hands around and a bolt of lightning struck the palm tree, neatly splitting it into two!
Queen: Oh my! Look at the tree! It just…
Narrator: The Queen was so amazed that she became speechless. Just then, the Raja came along.
[Lights focus on King and Queen, lights off at Magician]
King: I thought I heard some noise in here. Anything happened?
Queen: Oh look! Look at the palm trees! The man over there turned it into two! Isn’t it amusing?
King: Hmmm. Alright, I can see that My Lady is pretty delighted to see that man. Who is this man and what is he to you?!
Queen: No, King! He’s just a traveler! He is ignorant of our ways! Please, do not concern yourself over such a trivial matter!
[Shadow puppet]
Narrator: But it was no use. The jealous Raja ignored the Queen’s pleads. He immediately ordered the arrest and execution of the helpless
magician.
Scene 3
[Scene D: Half village, half execution scene]
Narrator: At the place of execution, all the villagers were there to witness another unjust event of the Raja.
[Magician on floor, Executioner preparing to chop]
Narrator: Just as the Executioner laid his hands on the Magician,
[Lights off, immediately shadow puppet]
Narrator: the Magician’s blood spilled onto the ground and his body vanished! The villagers were shocked. No one could explain this strange
occurrence.
Scene 4
[Scene A: Palace]
Narrator: Some time later, the island was plagued by an unusual phenomenon…
Servant: Your Majesty, your majesty! The swordfish attacks are scaring all the villagers!
King: What do you mean?! How can swordfishes terrorize an entire village? That’s absurd!
Servant: The swordfishes attacked people on the shore, piercing them with their sharp snouts! The villagers were so frightened that no one
went out to sea this morning!
King: This is ridiculous! Those fishermen must be spreading rumors so that they won’t have to work! I’ll put a stop to this nonsense!
[Shadow puppet]
Narrator: The King was furious! But the villagers were not exaggerating. Along the shore, there was chaos as the unusually high tides brought the swordfishes farther inland.
Servant: Your Majesty, your majesty!
King: What is it this time?!
Servant: The swordfish attacks are getting worst! The villagers plead for immediate action to be taken place! Your Majesty, please!
Scene 5
[Scene C: Village]
[Shadow puppet]
Narrator: The situation was becoming desperate! Yet the Raja was still unconvinced. He decided to take a trip to the village. When he reached
there, he saw hundreds of villagers lay dead on the shore.
King: Move closer.
[Elephant moves closer. Servant got attacked]
[Swordfish attacks King, tore a piece of his garments]
King: Ah! Men! Men!
[Voices of ‘Raja! Raja!’ can be heard]
King: This is an extremely dangerous situation. The villagers must be protected at all costs! Guards, we must prevent the fish from venturing
farther inland! Form a human barricade along the shore now!
[Shadow puppet]
Narrator: The men obeyed but suffered terribly as the swordfishes attacked them nevertheless! Soon, many were dead…
King: This cannot go on! We need a better solution! But it will take some time. Villagers, I need all of you to stay in your house and do not
go near the shore.
[Shadow puppet]
Narrator: The villagers heeded and no one dared to go near the shore. In the meantime, the Raja racked his brains for a solution. He strolled
along the beach, desperate for answers. Suddenly…
[Boy comes in]
Boy: Your majesty! I know how to deal with this problem!
King: Oh hoho, really? (stoops down) Well then, let’s hear your idea, little boy.
Boy: We could make a barricade using banana stems! When the fish attack, their snouts will get stuck on the stems! Then, your men can go into
the waters and kill them!
King: Hmmm, sounds like a great idea! It may just work. Men! Hurry!
[Shadow puppet]
King: Chop down as many banana trees as you can find! Line their trunks along the shore!
Narrator: His men did just so and soon…
[Swordfishes got their snouts stuck to the trunks]
Villagers: Hurray! Hurray! All hail the boy! Hurray!
Narrator: The little boy became an instant celebrity. Everyone praise him and give him tokens of appreciation. However, never did they know
that the Raja was becoming jealous of the boy’s popularity.
[Lights focus on Raja]
Scene 6
[Scene A: Palace]
Narrator: That night, he called a secret meeting of his most trusted guards.
King: The boy is too smart for his own good. He might grow into a powerful wizard and destroy us one day! I want you to… [King goes closer to 3 men]
Men A: You mean…
Men B: You want us to…
Men C: Kill the boy…?
[King nods]
Narrator: The 3 men couldn’t believe their ears! The Raja displayed a look of sadness and patriotic concern as he cannot afford letting his
men find out his hidden motive or else he would surely be ousted from his position.
Scene 7
[Scene E: Boy’s house]
[Shadow puppet]
Narrator: Under the cover of darkness, the 3 men made their way to the boy’s little hut even though they were deeply troubled.
[3 men violently opens door]
Boy: Ah! Who are you! What’s happening?!
Grandmother: Oh my… Who are these people? What are you guys trying to do?!
[Man A grabs Granny, Man B grabs Boy in front of Man C]
Man C: We are deeply sorry.
[Shadow puppet]
Boy: Ah!!!
Narrator: The walls of the hut were covered with blood and soon, the hill was covered with the little boy’s blood too… The next morning…
Scene 8
King: What do you mean the boy’s body couldn’t be found?! What about my men?!
Servant: I’m sorry Raja, it seems like none of them could be found either.
Narrator: The Raja was mystified by this strange incident. He walked into his balcony and it started raining. As he was pondering over the
incident, a bolt of lightning struck him!
King: Ah!!!
Narrator: The Raja lay lifelessly on the ground as his men surrounded him.
Servant: The Raja is dead!!! What should we do?
Narrator: His men were bewildered as the Raja was dead so suddenly. Soon, the news spread around the village. Many villagers believed that the
sudden death of the Raja was heaven’s punishment against the Raja’s rash decisions which led to his unjust actions.
