PA SENIK AND HIS SON-IN-LAW AWANG. 61 



took the bait off and ate it. Then his father-in-law lowered 

 the line again and Awang eat the bait once more. And so 

 it went on till there was only about one banana left. Then 

 Awang snatched hold of the line and his father-in-law fell 

 sprawling into the pond. Awang seized him and kept on duck- 

 ing him under the water and saying, 



" Pa Senik, why don't you give Awang some bananas ? If 

 you don't give him some I will really kill you." 



" Let me go. And when I get back to the house I will 

 give Awang ever so many bananas." 



So Awang let his father-in-law get out and climb up on to 

 the bank and go home. But he ( Awang) went home direct and 

 got home first. He sat down at the door of his house and 

 waited for his father-in-law. 



" Well, did you get many fish ? " 



" You have cheated me, Awang." 



" How have I cheated you ?" 



" There is a very big evil spirit in that pond. I never 

 got a single fish. But I kept on lowering my bait till it was 

 nearly finished. And then just when I had got to the very 

 last piece, my line was dragged and I fell into the water, and 

 then I was duckei down under the water again and again 

 while he said to me, ' Why don't you give Awang some 

 bananas ? ' Then I promised to give you some." 



Then Awang said, " Had you not better give me them 

 quickly as you have vowed ? Otherwise perhaps to-morrow or 

 the day after you may fall ill. You will feel rather stupid 

 later when you are pitied by your children." 



Then his father-in-law took all sorts of bananas and gave 

 them to Awang. Then he ate them very vulgarly, saying, 

 " Ahum, ahum, now I've got some one else's bananas." His 

 father-in-law said, " What are you saying, Awang ? " 



" Nothing, Sir. I was only saying that you had made a 

 vow and that Heaven had mercifully spared you." 



" Pray for me Awang, pray for me." 



Then he added, " Do you want any more bananas, Awang ? 

 Eat until you have had quite enough." 



And Awang answered, " To-morrow I would like some 

 more, sir." 



R. A. Soc, No. 46, 1906. 



