The Many Deaths of Hang Jebat — Author's
Notes
The Many Deaths of Hang Jebat — Author's
Notes
A truncated form of this story appeared in Esquire Malaysia, for which even the original title was too long. (The Esquire version was re-titled Jebat Dies.) This is, of course, a Five Things story, and a more traditional title would be Five Times Hang Jebat Died.
The source material is the legend of Hang Tuah, which every Malaysian knows. Hang Tuah, Melaka's most esteemed warrior, is wrongly accused by his enemies of conspiring against the Sultan, so the Sultan orders his execution. The Prime Minister, being wiser than the Sultan, doesn't execute Tuah, but hides him away. But Tuah's BFF Hang Jebat doesn't know that, and in revenge he rebels against the Sultan and takes over the palace. The Prime Minister then produces Tuah and the Sultan asks Tuah to kill Jebat. Tuah obeys.
I wrote this to submit to Esquire Malaysia because it's hard to follow unless you know the canon. But my dad read it three times and still didn't get it, so I don't know if this story works for anyone!
Go to next story: The Fish Bowl