AN UNUSUAL GAME 247 



uses for her babe the same cradle in which she herself 

 was carried on her mother's back. It is of the usual Da- 

 yak pattern, and when it becomes worn or broken a new 

 one is provided, but the old one remains hanging in the 

 house. A cradle is never parted with, because of the be- 

 lief that the child's life would thereby be imperilled. 

 Should the little one die, the cradle is thrown into the 

 river. An unmarried man must not eat rusa nor fowls, 

 and a married man is prohibited from doing so until his 

 wife has had three children. Men should not touch with 

 their hands the loom, nor the ribbon which is passed 

 round the back of the woman when she weaves, nor should 

 a woman's skirt be touched by a man. These precau- 

 tions are taken to avoid bad luck in fishing and hunting, 

 because the eyesight is believed to be adversely affected 

 by such contact. Their sacred number is four. 



An unusual game played with large tops is much prac- 

 tised for the purpose of taking omens in the season when 

 the jungle is cleared in order to make new ladangs. The 

 top (bae-ang) is very heavy and is thrown by a thin rope. 

 One man sets his spinning by drawing the rope backward 

 in the usual way; to do this is called niong. Another 

 wishing to try his luck, by the aid of the heavy cord 

 hurls his top at the one that is spinning, as we would 

 throw a stone. To do this is called maw-pak, and hence 

 the game gets its name, maw-pak bae-ang. If the second 

 player hits the spinning top it is a good omen for cutting 

 down the trees. If he fails, another tries his luck, and 

 so on. The long-continued spinning of a top is also 

 a favourable sign for the man who spins it. With the 



