centuries after the first Muslim king). But the motivation behind the fabrication is still unclear. Some people believe that the king or one of his advisers raped the girls for sexual pleasure and killed them afterwards. This can be true as only virgin girls were selected by the king or his advisers for the sacrifice. See also Rihla Xavier Romero-Frias, The Maldive Islanders, A Study of the Popular Culture of an Ancient Ocean Kingdom. Barcelona 1999, References Myths of the Maldives Jinn Conversion to Islam Islam in the Maldives Sea monsters