22 TWO SEA-DYAK LEGENDS. 



he expected her to come to him as soon as he called out to her. 

 But he was disappointed. No one answered his call, and when 

 he looked in the room, she was not there. He asked his father 

 where his mother was, and he told him that she had just gone 

 to the well to fetch water and would soon be back. 



Hut hour after hour passed, and she did not return to the 

 house. So Seragunting began to be anxious, and asked his 

 father to accompany him to the well to look for her. At first 

 his father refused to do so, but when he saw his son crying for 

 his mother, he went with him to the well. They found the 

 water vessels there, but saw no signs of her. 



"Your mother is not here, Seragunting" said Shi* "Perhaps 

 she has gone to the garden to get some vegetables for our 

 dinner. Let us go back to the house. If your mother is not 

 back, early to-morrow morning, we will go and look for her." 

 So they both returned to the house, taking back with them the 

 water gourds which Shi's wife had left at the well. 



Early the next morning, Seragunting and his father went in 

 search of her. They took with them only a little food, as they 

 expected to find her not very far off. But they wandered the 

 whole day and saw no signs of her. They spent the night under 

 a large tree in the jungle. Early the next morning, they were 

 surprised to find a small bundle of food, wrapped up in leaves, 

 near Seragunting. This food was evidently meant for him 

 alone, as it was not enough for two, but he gave some of it to 

 his father, who ate sparingly of it, so that his son might not be 

 hungry. They wandered on for several days, and every night 

 the same strange thing occurred — a bundle of food was left near 

 Seragunting. Sin suggested to his son that they should return; 

 but Seragunting, who during the journey had grown up into a 

 strong lad with a will of his own, would not consent to do so, 

 as lie was determined to find his mother. 



They wandered on for several days, deeper and deeper 

 into the jungle; but could find no signs of her whom they 

 sought. At last they came to the sea-shore. Here they rested 

 for some days, in the hope that some boat might pass. Still, as 

 before, each morning a bundle of food was found by Seragunting. 

 If it were not for this food, they would have long ago died 

 of starvation. On this food they managed to live, waiting 



Jour Straits Branc 



