80 A PELANDOK TALE. 



is about as large as a cat's eye, and when it is ripe it is sweet. 

 Now the pelandok was very fond of eating this fruit. But 

 he did not know how to get across the river for the current 

 was swift and the water deep. He saw that there were a lot 

 of crocodiles in the river. So he went to look for a cocoanut 

 shell and when he had got one he held it in his hand and went 

 and stood on the bank of the river and called to all the croco- 

 diles like this, " Hai, all you Si Eangkaks, come together here 

 for King Solomon has ordered me to make a census of you." 



When the crocodiles heard that they all came to the top 

 of the water. Then the pelandok ordered them to arrange them- 

 selves in a line right across the river. When they had put 

 themselves in position the pelandok got on to the head of the 

 first crocodile and then struck the head of the crocodile with 

 the cocoanut shell saying, "One two thr ee," (crick), " small 

 head big head " (crack) ' One two three," (crick), " small head 

 big head "(crack). 



And so on until he had got across the river. Then he 

 got up the bank and said, " Hai, all you Si Eangkaks, I 

 wanted to get across this river to eat this chadong fruit, so I 

 said that King Solomon had ordered you all to float. Now I 

 have knocked all your heads with this coconut, aren't you 

 clever you stupids ? " 



When the crocodiles heard that they were very angry with 

 him, and said, " It will be impossible for you to drink any 

 water now, for if you drink the water of this river or of any 

 other we will catch you." 



" I can go away from the river, to the swamps and the 

 ponds and the buffalo wallows and the puddles, what is to stop 

 me ? " t 



1 Wherever there is water, we will be there. Don't you 

 make any mistake about that." 



Hai, is that so ? If you are clever you will catch me, 

 but if I am clever I will not die." 



Then the pelandok began to eat the chadong fruit. But 

 the crocodiles had a council together, those from the sea and 

 from the river and from the swamp. They all laid themselves 

 in wait for him. The pelandok went on eating the chadong 



Jour. Straits Branch 



