TWO SEA-DYAK LEGENDS. 21 



"Nanga Niga Bekurong Bebali nyadi Tekurjorig Mqbong," 

 (The mouth of the hidden Niga stream changed into the Mabong 

 snail),* was the reply. 



They were astonished at her answer ! They had never 

 heard of such a country. They asked her of her people, but 

 she would not say anything more of herself or speak about her 

 people. 



Everybody admired the great beauty of Siu's wife. No 

 more questions were asked of her, as she seemed unwilling to 

 answer. Her parentage remained a mystery. 



In process of time Siu's wife bore him a son whom they named 

 Seragunting, He was a fine child, and as befitted the grand- 

 son of Singalang Burong, he grew big and strong in a miracul- 

 ously short time, and when he was three years old, he was taller 

 and stronger than others four times his age. 



One day as Seragunting was playing with the other boys, a 

 man brought up some birds which he had caught in a trap. As he 

 walked through the house, he passed Sin who was sitting in the 

 open verandah. Sin forgetting the promise he had made to his 

 wife asked him to show him the birds, and he took one in his 

 hands and stroked it. His wife was sitting not far off, and saw 

 him hold the bird and was very much vexed that he had 

 broken his promise to her. 



She get up and returned to her room. Site came in and 

 noticed that she was troubled and asked her what was wrong. 

 She said that she was only tired. 



She said to herself : — "My husband has broken his word to 

 me. He was done the thing he promised me he would never 

 do. I told him he was never to hold a bird in his hands, and that 

 if he did such a thing, I would leave him. I cannot stay here in 

 this house any longer. I must return to the house of my father 

 Singalang Burong." 



She took the water vessels in her hands, and went out as 



if to fetch water. But when she came to the well, she placed 



the water vessels on the ground, and disappeared in the jungle. 



In the meantime Seragmiting, tired with his play came back 



in search of his mother. She was very fond indeed of him, and 



* The Dyaks are fond of rhyming names, which often have no 

 Special meaning. 



R. A. Soc, No. 41, 1903. 



