6 TWO SEA-DYAK LEGENDS. 



Very early on the morning of the next day, Danjai started 

 after the tiger. The drops of blood which had fallen could 

 plainly be seen on the ground, and he had no difficulty in finding 

 out in what direction the tiger had gone. On and on he tracked 

 the blood till he came to a cave at the foot of a high mountain. 

 The sides of the cave were splashed with blood, so Danjai walk- 

 ed boldly in, determined to revenge the death of his wife. It 

 was not very dark in the cave. In the distance he could see an 

 opening and he hurried towards it. 



He came out on the other side of the mountain, and saw a 

 large plantation of sugar-cane and plantain trees. Beyond this 

 he saw a long Dyak house. 



"This," he said to himself, "is surely the abode of the Were- 

 Tiger, and soon I shall have an opportunity of revenging the 

 death of my wife." 



He planted two sticks across one another in the ground to 

 mark the opening in the mountain, so that he might not miss his 

 way on his return, and then he boldly walked towards the house. 



He followed a path through the sugar-cane plantation — still 

 tracking the drops of blood upon the ground — until he came to 

 the ladder leading up to the house. He was so anxious to at- 

 tack his wife's murderer, that he did not pause to ask — as is the 

 usual Dyak custom — whether he might walk up or not, but went 

 straight on into the house. Men sitting in the verandah asked 

 him, as he passed them, where he was going and what he want- 

 ed, but he did not answer them. His heart was heavy within 

 him, thinking of his dead wife, and wondering whether he 

 would be able to accomplish his task, and whether he would 

 succeed in leaving the house as easily as he came in. But he 

 was determined to avenge his wife's murder, and he would not 

 shrink from any difficulties in the way. 



He stopped at the room 'of the head of the house, and a 

 girl asked him to sit down, and spread a mat for him. He did 

 so, and the girl went into the room to fetch the brass vessel 

 containing the betelnut ingredients which the Dyaks love to 

 chew. As he sat down, he saw drops of blood on the fire-place, 

 and looking up he noticed a fresh head, still dripping with blood, 

 among the other skulls hanging there. He recognised it at a 

 glance — it was the head of his loved wife ! ! 



Jour. Straits Branch 



