RAJA DON AX. 259 



her affections. The bird presented herself before Raja Do- 

 NAN, and graphically described the love-lorn condition of the 

 Princess. He explained that he was unable to accept the invi- 

 tation at once as he was on his way to Gedong Batu to keep an 

 appointment with another Princess, but he promised to come 

 back within three years three months and ten davs. With 

 this message, Mak Tongang flew back to the skies, and Raja 

 Doxax continued his journey. At last he came in sight of a 

 large fortified town which was evidently thickly inhabited, and 

 he stopped under a large pulai tree to think what he should 

 do. Having made up his mind, he invoked the assistance of 

 dewatas, and forthwith the trunk of the tree opened, and when 

 he had bestowed inside it carefully all his rich raiment and 

 the things he was carrving, it closed again. He then trans- 

 formed himself unto a Semang, or wild hill man, with all the 

 skin diseases and sores which disfigure those unhappv people 

 (kena tokak, kena takik, kena sawan kambing, bisa kit nip I n~ 

 song, kurap pakau, kurap hi/kit, kudls buta, tiada ter-mnat 

 di badan badan-nia) . Entering the town, he found Raja 

 PlAKAS and some of the nobles engaged in matching cocks 

 at a cock-pit, and he approached the place and took a seat. 

 From this he was summarily ejected by the attendants, who, by 

 the orders of RAJA PlA AS struck, kicked and abused him. 

 The Semang, under this treatment, roared and howled a good 

 deal more than was necessary and infused into his voice a magic 

 power intended to have an effect on the Princess whose palace 

 was at no great distance. Hearing cries of some one in pain, 

 she was seized with compassion, and indignantly sent her wo- 

 men servants to bring the sufferer tu her. The old nurse 

 who went returned with such a shocking description of the 



state of the Semang that all the maids of honour crowded out 

 to see, and the noise attracted the attention of the Raja Ban- 

 DAHARA MAXGKU Bumi, who in his turn went out to the balei 

 to see the Semang, a wild man being an unusual spectacle in 

 his capital. The Princess joined him at the balei, and ordered 

 the Semang to be brought upstairs. The latter refused, 

 pretending to be afraid that evil would befall him if he ven- 

 tured to approach people of rank [takut menulah). At last he 

 allowed himself to be induced to enter and went up hesita- 



