TWO SEA-DYAK LEGENDS. 7 



The girl came out with the brass vessel of betelnut and 

 said : "Help yourself Danjai. We did not expect you to visit 

 us so soon. Please excuse me for a little while, I have to attend 

 to the cooking. But you will not be alone for my brother 

 will soon be back. He has only gone to the plantation to 

 fetch some sugar-cane." 



So Danjai sat on the mat by himself, thinking what he was 

 to do next and what he was to say to his wife's murderer when 

 he came in. Soon the Were-Tiger arrived, carrying on his 

 shoulder a bundle of sugar-cane. 



k 'I am very pleased to see you Danjai'' he said, "would 

 you like some sugar-cane? If so, help yourself." 



Danjai was so sad thinking- of his wife, that he did not 

 notice how curious it was, that they should know his name when 

 they had never seen him before. He did not feel at all inclined 

 to eat sugar-cane, but lest his host should think he had come 

 to kill, and to put him off his guard, he pretended to eat a 

 little. He heard the Were-Tiger say to his sister in the room, 

 that she was to be sure to have enough food cooked, as Danjai 

 would eat with them that evening. Then he left them and 

 went to the river to bathe. 



The sister came out of the room, and spoke to Danjai, who 

 was still sitting in the verandah, and asked him to come into the 

 room as she had something to say to him. 



"Yes, Danjai" she said to him in a kind tone of voice, "I 

 know of your trouble and I am sorry for you. However, if 

 you follow my advice, all will be well. You must be careful, for 

 my brother is easily put out, and has no scruples about killing any 

 who displease him. Even our own people here hate him, for 

 he is so merciless ; but no one dare attack him, for all fear him 

 greatly. Now listen attentively to what I have to say. When I 

 put outthe plates of rice in the room presently, do not take the 

 one he tells you to have : take any of the others, for the one he 

 wishes you to have is sure to contain some poison. Later on 

 when you retire to rest, do not spend the night on the mat 

 spread out for you, but sleep somewhere else, and put the 

 wooden mortar for pounding paddy on the mat in your stead : 

 and so again on the second night, place the wooden mill for 

 husking the paddy on your mat: and on the third night a roll of 



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



