SEA-DYAK LEGEND. 79 



the timber so that it might be set on fire and the land be ready 

 for planting on. 



One day Pulang-Gana's father-in-law said to him, " I hear 

 that your brothers have been busy cutting down the trees where 

 they intend to plant paddy this year. As they gave you the 

 earth some time ago to be your share of the property, it is 

 only right that they should ask leave from you before planting 

 on it. Since they have not done so, you must stop them from 

 -planting paddy there." 



"How can I prevent them planting paddy where they 

 like?" said Pulang-Gana in dismay. "Is it likely that they 

 will take any notice of anything I say ? " 



" Yes," said his father-in-law, Raja Shua, "they will have 

 to listen to what you say, for I will be on your side and will help 

 you. I am the god that rules the spirits that live in the under- 

 ground caves of the earth, and my wife Seregendah has power 

 over the animals and the spirits which inhabit the forests. As 

 your brothers have treated you so unkindly, and have given 

 you no share of the property, and have simply given you a clod 

 of earth to take back with you, my wife and I will punish them 

 and reward you by giving you power over everything that 

 grows on the earth. Before the land is planted upon, offerings 

 must be made to you, and invocations must be made to your- 

 self and myself and my wife Seregendah. Unless these things 

 be done, the ground will not be fruitful. 



"As your brothers have not done anything of the kind, 

 you must teach them a lesson and prevent them from going on 

 with their work. This evening at dusk you must go to the 

 newly cleared forest and cry aloud : i Come here all you who are 

 the servants of Seregendah and Raja Shua ,' and name 

 all the wild beasts of the forest. They will come to you in large 

 numbers. Then you must ask the^n, as well as the invisible 

 spirits, who will be present too, to help you and put up all the 

 trees that have been cut down." 



And Pulang-Gana did as his father-in-law advised him 

 He went at dusk to the part of the jungle where his brothers 

 had been cutting down the trees and called to the animals in 



R. A. Soc, No. 45, 1905. 



