Was It a Lion or a Rock That Prince Sang Nila Utama saw?

Sang Nila Utama, the legendary prince from Palembang (Sumatra), might have mistaken this lion-like rock


Picture is (C) copyright to EARTH

As we know it, lions do not occur in S.E. Asia, and how it got into our popular folklore is anybody's guess. At least, the 'lion' should mystify and excite impressionable young history learners and cause them to wonder what other animal it could have been that Sang Nila Utama saw, or whether it was an animal at all. However, none of this folklore is as incredulous as our modern-day fabrication of the

Merlion - which is truly laughable. Even if necessity dictates the evolution of an iconic folklore to bring in the extra tourist dollar, I think we could have been more sophisticated in tale-spinning, and give Singaporeans greater credence for creativity on the world's stage. Folk history can do with a huge dose of inspiration from the vibrant natural history still found in Singapore. And we can take a lesson from this lion-rock.

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