CH. X MYTHOLOGY OF TEE MINAHA8SER8 261 



such an undertaking could not be heedlessly begun. First 

 of all they must carefully train their hero, and give him the 

 fat of the land. Day by day Tomalun waxed stronger and 

 braver, and joyfully anticipated the combat. He swore tO' 

 humiliate the giant and set his people free. 



' Now followed proofs of the hero's strength and agility .- 

 First he struck at the soft banana tree, and with one blow 

 his swift and glittering blade cleft through the stem and 

 buried its point in the ground. Then they selected 

 another pisang tree, smaller in size bu± of harder wood. 

 This Tomalun with gigantic force also cleft in twain, and 

 his sword once more was buried in the earth. Next they 

 chose the seho tree, whose wood is as hard as that of 

 any tree. With breathless anxiety the people watched 

 this proof of his strength, and great was their joy and 

 admiration when the sword went again through the stem, 

 and the seho tree came tumbhng to the ground. 



' Lastly, he had to cleave a bamboo filled with the gumutu 

 of the seho tree, a feat which was to be the crown on his 

 former exploits, and a sign for the people to go to war. 

 This, to the astonishment of everyone, he successfully 

 accomplished, and the people felt prepared to face the 

 enemy. 



' The crowds shouted at every proof of Tomalun's strength 

 and agility, the gongs sounded, and copious dra,ughts of the 

 divine sagoweer wine raised their spirits to enthusiasm. 



' It was then determined to commence the war, the field 

 of battle was chosen, and the people anxiously awaited the 

 result. It was agreed that it was better to let the war be 

 decided by a duel between Parepej and Tomalun than to 

 fill the battlefield with dead bodies and with blood. 



' The night hung heavily on the slumbering earth when 

 gongs and drums announced the commencement of the 

 battle. Parepej the strong, dreaming only of victory, 



