60 PA SENIK AND HIS SON-IN-LAW AWANG. 



that his father-in-law sometimes poured the gravy of his curry 

 on his rice and that sometimes he sucked it up. So he said, 

 " The more gravy the more he sups it up. Yet he is not strong 

 enough to set a fish trap for himself." 



His father-in-law said, " What did you say, A wang ? " 



" I was just thinking that you are most fortunate and that 

 you are indeed skilled in searching for a livelihood. You have 

 no need to pay court to religion." 



" What you say is very true indeed." 



Now the real reason that A wang had invited his father- 

 in-law to dinner was that as long as ever he had lived there 

 next his father-in-law, his father-in-law had never given him a 

 single banana. And yet though he wanted to ask for one, he 

 was ashamed to do so. 



Some time later Awang one day went again into the 

 jungle to look for some fish and he found a certain pond 

 which was very deep. By the edtre of the pond there was 

 a very big tree. Awang began fishing. He caught quite a 

 lot of fish. At last he had caught as many as he could carry. 

 Then he came home. His fatber-in-law saw him come nome 

 so heavily laden and asked him where he had got the fish. 

 Awang answered, " I went into the jungle and found a pond 

 which I fished." 



" What bait did you use ? " 



" A golden banana which was quite ripe." 



" [ would like to go and fish to-morrow for I have never 

 yet fished in all my life." 



"Very well: but you had better wait a bit till I have 

 cleared the road a bit and it will be easier walking for you." 



The next day Awang made a very crooked trail but his 

 own was quite straight. After that his father-in-law set off 

 to go fishing and took with him two whole combs of golden 

 bananas. Awang carefully counted the number of ths bananas. 



After this his father-in-law set off. Awang pointed out 

 the very crooked road but he himself set off on the straight 

 one and reached the pond first. He got into the pond and 

 waited for his father-in-law to arrive. In a little while he 

 turned up. He uncoiled his line and baited it with a golden 

 banana. But Awang snatched his father-in-law's line and 



Jour. Straits Branch 



