Badang the Strongman
Badang is the legendary Malay strongman from ancient Singapura (pre-colonial Singapore) whose feats of strength are celebrated in the Malay Annals (Sejarah Melayu). Originally a slave, Badang gained superhuman strength after consuming the regurgitated vomit of a river spirit — a grotesque but powerful magical substance he had declined to eat before being tricked into it. His strength became legendary: he could lift boats single-handedly, uproot trees, and hurl massive boulders. The Raja employed him as the royal strongman, and he famously defeated a champion from India in a strength contest by