Sang Nila Utama

A Legend from Singapore.
Twice-discovered Singapore, the Lion City, came quite close to getting its first lion in the second last year of the 13th Century.

Like so many others who cross the face of the Sea in search of home, Sang Nila Utama, a Prince from the Victorious Buddhist Kingdom of Fortuna in old Sumatra (Sri Vijaya), knew with certainty that he had to pay tribute for the journey to come. When it came time to set off, the Prince was meticulous in checking that he had the right gifts in his gold-leaf banana stem vessel.

Three days into his journey, the Sea came to collect her due. The Prince offered her jewelry and song; silk from the Middle Kingdom; spices from Riau; and the sweetest mangosteens from Kadaram*. But the Sea was thirsty for none of his gifts and grew tempestuous. Reluctantly, the Prince threw his crown into the Sea, hoping that this would pacify her.

"No more of your trinkets," the waves swashed menacingly against the sides of his vessel.

"I have nothing more to give," the Prince cried. But in his heart the Prince finally knew the Sea's desire. The only other thing on board was his Lion — red of body and gold of mane — his companion from childhood.

The First Kangaroo

Indigenous Australian Dreamtime Legend.

When the world was young and the hills shook in their sleep, the Sky was still mourning for her lover. Days would turn dark as she screamed, searching for him — her hair a shrieking wind that trailed after her as she ran and kicked up red dust.

In this land, a party of hunters had stopped to find a new trail when the Sky wailed past them. Caught in the storm of her wake, they cowered as the wind tore up the earth; the grass roaring as it scarred the bruised clouds above. In her agitation, the Sky tore at her hair and clumps of it mixed with the red dust and grass to form curious animals that swirled in the storm above. Never had the hunters seen such animals — their small heads and tiny arms, large bodies and tails flailing in the wind.

The animals tried to reach the ground but they were constantly swept away by the force of the storm and the fury of the Sky. The animals, weeping, tucked their children in the seams of their bellies as they sought a way down to the Red Dirt. Their tails grew large to stabilise them; their legs grew long and massive as they stretched to reach the ground — but still, the wind took them.

Pan-Gu (盘古)

Chinese Creation Myth.

At the start of time, Atrophy and the Universe found themselves in a black egg. Within this egg was a slumbering giant who awoke and cracked the egg.

The Universe was first to escape the egg, and in her joy, she gave birth to the Tortoise - who knew the secret to immortality; the Qilin* - who was curious and just; and the Dragon - who was a shaking infant with the strength of thunder.

But then Atrophy emerged from the egg and he chased after the Universe, desiring her. He picked off pieces from her dress - pieces that withered and knew death. The giant, Pan-Gu, saw this from his cracked egg and pushed down on his feet, creating land from the shell of his egg so that the Universe could find her footing. But Atrophy was persistent and he caught the Universe, consuming worlds and bringing death.

In her agony, the Universe gave birth to the Phoenix, who saw the Afterlife and returned for her mother. The Universe leapt on the back of her daughter and they flew away. Pan-Gu saw all this and pushed up with his hands, and the upper half of his shell became the sky, allowing the Universe and her daughter Phoenix to out-fly Atrophy. And as Pan-Gu pushed the sky from the land, he grew and grew and they swung themselves further into the beyond.