Sisters' Islands
| Sisters' Islands | |
|---|---|
| Name transcription(s) | |
| • Chinese | 姐妹岛 |
| • Pinyin | Jiěmèidǎo |
| • Malay | Pulau Subar Laut, Pulau Subar Darat |
| • Tamil | Sakotharigal Theevu |
As seen from Saint John's Island
|
|
| Country | Singapore |
Coordinates: 1°12′54″N 103°50′00″E / 1.21500°N 103.83333°E
Sisters' Islands are two of the Southern Islands in Singapore and are located to the south of the main island of Singapore, off the Straits of Singapore.
Big Sister's Island, about 39,000 m2 (9.6 acres) in area and also known as Pulau Subar Laut in Malay, faces the open sea, while Little Sister's Island, about 17,000 m2 (4.2 acres) in area and also known as Pulau Subar Darat in Malay, faces the mainland. The two islands are separated by a narrow channel. Currents through this channel can be very dangerous to swimmers and divers.
Legend tells of a poor widow who had two pretty daughters, Minah and Linah, who were very close to each other. After their mother died, the sisters left the village to live with a distant uncle.
One unfortunate day, Linah met a group of pirates while she was fetching water from a well near the sea. Frightened, she ran home while the pirate chief gave chase. At the uncle's home, the pirate brandished a dagger and made known his wish to marry Linah. That night, the two sisters wept bitterly in each other's arms. When dawn broke, the pirate chief and 16 of his men came to take Linah away. Clinging to each other, they were torn apart by the pirates and Linah was forced to leave with the pirates. Just then, the sky turned dark and a storm broke out. Desperate, Minah swam after the boat but drowned. On seeing this, Linah freed herself from her captors and jumped into the sea to join Minah.
The storm subsided but nowhere could the sisters be found. The next day, the villagers were shocked to see two islands at the spot where the two sisters had drowned.
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Wikipedia