xvii MYTHS, LEGENDS, STORIES 151 



by the shoulder-basket, which he has put right 

 round its stem, and his legs going up and down. 

 ** Hello ! what are you up to now ? " says the father. 

 "■ Why, I'm carrying away the whole tree to save 

 trouble," says Saleh, ** and I'm watching the clouds 

 up there to see how fast I'm walking with this tree 

 on my back." 



A Story with a Moral 



We conclude this chapter with an example of 

 a fable which points a moral. It is told by the 

 Barawans of their neighbours, the Sebops (both are 

 Klemantan tribes), who, they say, put off every 

 task till the morrow. 



One wet night Kra, the monkey, and Raongy 

 the toad, sat under a log complaining of the cold. 

 ** Kr-r-r-h " went Kra, and " Hoot- toot-toot " went 

 the toad. They agreed that next day they would 

 cut down a kumut tree and make themselves a coat 

 of its bark. In the morning the sun shone bright 

 and warm, and Kra gambolled in the tree-tops, while 

 Raong climbed on the log and basked in the sun- 

 light. Presently down comes Kra and sings out^ 

 '* Hello, mate ! How are you getting on .^ " " Oh ! 

 nicely," says Raong, ** Well, how about that coat 

 we were going to make ? " says Kra, " Oh ! bother 

 the coat," says Raong, " we'll make it to-morrow ; 

 I'm jolly warm now." So they enjoyed the sun- 

 shine all day long. But, when night fell, it began 

 to rain again, and again they sat under the log 

 complaining of the cold. '' Kr-r-r-h,'' went Kray 

 and " Hoot-toot-toot " went Raong. And again 

 they agreed that they must cut down the kumut 

 tree and make themselves a coat of its bark. But 

 in the morning the sun was shining again warm and 

 bright ; and again Kra gambolled in the tree-tops 

 and Raong sat basking in the sunshine ; and again 



VOL. ir L 



