hikayat

A hikayat is a type of romance, found in both verse and prose, that emerged in Malay and Javanese literature during the pre-European colonial period. These narratives often drew from native myths and legends, and some were adapted to incorporate Islamic themes after the arrival of Islam in the region.1

A notable example is the Hikayat Abdullah, written by Abdullah bin Abdul Kadir in the 19th century. This work is considered a significant departure from earlier courtly literature, offering a more colloquial and descriptive account of events and people, and is seen as a progenitor of modern Malay literature.2