258 RAJA DON AN. 



drawn and that the wound would heal up the minute the knife 

 was withdrawn. Then Raja Donan went down in procession 

 to the river and remained there soaking himself, while the two 

 Princesses in the palace soaked their ringers and toes in a jar 

 of water, * and on his return to the palace the rite was perform- 

 ed. As the mudin had promised, only three drops of blood 

 were drawn and the wound was healed at once. The old man 

 was rewarded with a present of one hundred dollars and a 

 buffalo, a pair of slaves and a knife. RAJA DONAN also un- 

 derwent the ceremonies of filing the teeth (her-asah gigi) and 

 of blackening them (ber-baja) . 



One day Raja Donan sounded the alarm bell and sum- 

 moned all the chiefs and people together. He then made 

 over the charge of the kingdom to the former, enjoining them 

 that if during his absence an enemy should attack the country 

 from seaward they were to resist with all their force, but that 

 if an attack should be threatened from the land-side no un- 

 easiness need be felt for he would repel it. He then started 

 on foot for the country of Gedong Batif, taking with him the 

 magic flute, a tail-less cock (a yam dugil) , and his trusty sword. 

 Crossing hills and mountains, and successively passing through 

 plains and forests, he at last reached one day an open plain, 

 in the middle of which grew r a beringin tree with spreading 

 branches, beneath which there was no vegetation whatever, 

 the ground there being as smooth as if it were polished (lichin 

 lichau set parti di-gilap) . Here he stopped to rest. 



Now there was a certain Princess named LiNGGAM CHAH- 

 VA, who dwelt in the heavens. She was the daughter of RAJA 

 PlNANG LUMUT, and it was her custom to descend to the 

 earth for amusement and to play about with her attendants 

 under this very tree. One day when she was about to start 

 for the earth she looked out and saw an exceedingly hand- 

 some youth already there, and she forthwith fell in love with 

 him. Calling a favourite bird of hers, named Mak Tongang, 

 she despatched her to fetch the mortal on whom she had set 



* Bathing is customary before circumcision as cold water causes contract- 

 ion of the parts. Members of the family of both sexes bathe with the boy 

 who is about to undergo the rite. Young women and girls who do not appear 

 in public, bathe indoors as a sign of co-operation or solicitude. 



