The Origin Story of Pulau Brani

Once upon a time on Pulau Brani, there was a family living in a small kampong near the waters between Brani and Sentosa. The father was a fisherman, and he had a loving wife and a young son. They cherished their simple life together, surrounded by the serene beauty of the southern islands of Singapore.

The fisherman would sail his sampan into the calm waters daily. With his sturdy net, he cast into the sea, hoping to catch fresh fish to feed his family. One day, however, something unusual happened. Despite his best efforts, no fish were caught.

Curious and frustrated, the fisherman tried once more. This time, his net felt heavy. With hope rising in his heart, he pulled the net up, only to find a large, glistening egg. Disappointed and puzzled, he threw the egg back into the sea and cast his net again.

Once more, his net caught the same peculiar egg. Refusing to return empty-handed, the fisherman decided to take the egg home. He presented it to his wife, explaining his fruitless day. Intrigued, his wife boiled the egg for their meal. They shared the unusual feast, unaware of what was to come. Their son, still asleep, remained untouched by the strange egg.

That night, the fisherman and his wife went to bed but awoke to a terrifying change. Red, shiny scales covered their skin. Tails had grown from their bodies. They had transformed into dragons! Horrified, they fled their home and dove into the waters between Pulau Brani and Sentosa.

Under the moonlight, they encountered a majestic white dragon in the sea.

“Ha! You ate the egg I planted for you,” the white dragon sneered. “For years, you’ve taken the fish from my waters. That egg is enchanted—whoever eats it becomes like me. Now you can see what it’s like to live as a creature of the sea!”

Furious, the fisherman confronted the white dragon. A fierce battle broke out in the waters. But before joining the fight, the fisherman pleaded with his wife.

“Go back to the kampong! Warn our son not to eat the egg. Tell him what has happened to us,” he said.

The fisherman’s wife swam swiftly to their home. There, she found her son crying, frightened by the absence of his parents. Upon seeing her dragon form, the boy froze in fear.

“Don’t be afraid, my child,” the mother said gently. “It’s me, your mother. Your father and I have become dragons because we ate the egg. Please don’t eat the egg on the table, or the same will happen to you.”

Before leaving, she warned him, “Watch the waters between Brani and Sentosa. If you see the waters turn white, it means your father and I have defeated the white dragon. If they turn red, it means we are gone.”

She then returned to the battle.

The boy waited by the shoreline for days. Finally, he saw the waters turn white. Shortly after, his dragon parents appeared from the sea.

“We’ve won,” the fisherman said, his voice tinged with sorrow. “But we cannot return to you, my son. We must remain here in the waters forever. We will always watch over you from below.”

With that, the red dragons disappeared beneath the waves.

To this day, the people of Pulau Brani and Sentosa believe the dragons still guard the waters. Fishermen tell tales of red and white dragons swimming between the islands, and whenever a dragon appears, they say it signals the arrival of heavy rain or a great storm.