212 Journal of the F.M.S. Museums. [Vol. VII, 



following verses, which wish prosperity to the new house and 

 its inhabitants: — 



Tepong tawar, tepong jati ; 

 Tepong awal mult menjadi. 

 Dupat mas berkati-kati, 

 La^i hidup, sampai ka-mati. 

 Tepong tawar, tepong jati. 

 Surok bataug mali-mali. 

 Sa-lengkar daun pcgaga. 

 Salamat ambil-lah galah. 

 Mint a dayang sini. 

 Salamat puji bagi Allah. 



Why the Bear has no Tail r 

 (A folk-tale of the Pahang Malays obtained near Kuala Krau.) 



A very thin buffalo was once feeding in a meadow. To 

 him came a tiger, and said, " I am going to eat you. " The 

 buffalo, however, besought the tiger to wait for seven days, 

 "for," said he, "I am very thin, and if you wait for seven 

 days, I shall have an opportunity of growing fat. " To this 

 the tiger agreed. 



Now on the morning of the seventh day the buffalo was 

 wandering disconsolately along, when a crippled monkey, who 

 was sitting in a tree, called to him and asked him why he looked 

 so sad. So the buffalo related how he had promised to meet 

 a tiger, who wished to eat him. 



"Very well, I will see if I can't help you," said the 

 monkey, " but you must carry me on your back. " 



Thus they started in search of the tiger, with the monkey 

 sitting on the buffalo's back ; and before very long they met 

 him. 



Now as soon as the monkey saw the tiger, he began to 

 munch two brinjals, which he had brought with him, exclaim- 

 ing loudly as he did so, " My word, this tiger's head tastes 

 good ! " 



The tiger, who heard what the monkey said, became 

 frightened, and ran away as fast as he could. While he was 

 still running, he came upon a bear, and told him about the 

 monkey that ate tigers' heads. 



Then he tried to persuade the bear to go and investigate 

 the matter, but the bear replied that it was not his affair : still, 

 if the tiger wished it, they would go together. Then, as each 



i A variant of this story, translated by Mr. G. M. Laidlaw, in which the 

 mouse deer plavs the parts of both the buffalo and the monkey, is to be found 

 m the / A' A S..S B , No 48. pp 36 S 



