TWO SEA-DYAK LEGENDS. 3 



I should like' to bring you a human head as a token of my love, 

 so that you may not be ashamed of your husband. And as soon 

 as I return, we will have the wedding feast." 



And though his wife was sorry that her husband intended 

 leaving her, still she did not oppose his wishes, for she wished 

 him to come back covered with glory. 



So a council of war was held, and Danjai told the assem- 

 bled Chiefs what he intended to do, and it was decided that all 

 should begin at once making war-boats, which were to be ready 

 in two months' time. 



Danjai assisted by his slaves and followers, had been at 

 work at his boat for several weeks, and it was nearly finished. 

 It was a beautiful boat made out of the trunk of one large tree, 

 and Danjai was proud of his work. He was so anxious to fin- 

 ish his boat, that one day he started very early in the morning, 

 before his breakfast was ready, and he .asked his wife to bring 

 his food to him later on to the part of the jungle where he was 

 working at his boat. 



So Mrs. Danjai cooked the food and then ate her own 

 breakfast. Then she made up small bundles of rice and also put 

 together some fish and salt, and placed all in a little basket to 

 take to her husband. She had never been out in the jungle by 

 herself before, but she was not afraid, for her husband had told 

 her the way, and she could hear the sound of his adze as he 

 worked at his boat not very far off. She hung her basket over 

 her left shoulder and, holding her small knife in her right hand, 

 went cheerfully on. Presently she came to the stump of a tree 

 on which was placed a bunch of ripe rambutan fruit. They 

 looked so tempting that she could not help eating some of them, 

 and as they were very nice, she put what remained in her 

 basket, saying to herself, " Perhaps Danjai forgot to take these 

 fruits with him and left them here. I will take them to him 

 myself, he will no doubt be glad to eat these ripe fruits after his 

 hard work." 



Now there was in that land a Were-Tiger, that was much 

 feared by all who lived around. He had the appearance of a 

 man, but at times would transform himself into a tiger, and 

 then he would attack human beings and carry off their heads as 

 trophies to his own house. But he never attacked any unless 



R. A. Soc, No. 40, 1903. 



