78 A PELANDOK TALE. 



on a big trunk that had fallen down by the edge of the 

 river. They both got on board the raft and shoved it off 

 across. It was the tiger that did the shoving, the pelandok 

 did nothing. When they got near to the bank, the pelandok 

 sprang on shore and left the tiger on the raft drifting down 

 stream. The pelandok said, " Hai hulubalang, you will die 

 now when you are caught by the crocodiles. I finished that 

 smoked meat of yours last night, and put some gentong bark 

 in its place." 



The tiger became angry and said, " Just you wait, Sang 

 Dirimba, and I'll eat you." He then sprang on to the bank 

 began looking for the pelandok. But the pelandok had and 

 walked on. In a short While the pelandok came across a hornets ' 

 nest in some lalang and sat down near it. When it was nearly 

 evening the tiger met him there and said to him, " Now I 

 have found you, I will eat you. You cheated medid you?" 



The pelandok said, " Dont eat me, for I have been ordered 

 by King Solomon to look after his gong, Don't you see it ? '' 

 Where is it ? " 

 This : listen to it humming." 



" May I strike it ? " 



" Don't. Are n't you afraid of King Solomon ? " 

 Let me strike it : just a little." 



Wait then till I go and lay your request before King 

 Solomon ? " 



After that the pelandok ran away from the place where 

 the nest was as far as his voice could be heard. Then he 

 shouted out, " Hit it, hulubalang." 



When the tiger heard that he lifted his paw and struck 

 it. Then the hornets swarmed out over the tiger, who ran 

 away roaring and with his body and his face all swollen. 



When the pelandok heard the tiger roaring like that he ran 

 away for a long distance. When night fell he stopped by a 

 large tree trunk and nestled in between the buttresses round 

 the stem. He was quite frightened of the tiger since he had 

 been guilty of cheating him so many times. He got no sleep 

 that night for he wanted to find some other stratagem by which 

 he could again punish the tiger. All that night he pondered. 



Jour. Straits Branch 



