290 A SEA-DYAK TKADITION OF THE DELUGE. 



and thus man got padi after the flood. Simpang spread his 

 handful of padi upon a leaf and set it upon a tree-stump to dry, 

 "but a puff of wind came and away went padi, leaf and all. Sim- 

 pang was enraged at this, and set off to inflict a fine upon the 

 Spirit of the Winds, and to demand the restoration of the padi. 

 Going through the upper regions, he passed the houses of Pun- 

 tang Eaga and Ensang Pengaia, who ashed Simpang to inquire of 

 the Wind Spirit the reason why one plantain or sugar-cane planted 

 in the ground only grew up one single plant, never producing any 

 further increase. After this Simpang came to a lake who told 

 him to ask the Wind Spirit why it was it had no mouth and could 

 not empty itself. Then he came to a very high tree whereon all 

 kinds of birds were gathered together and would not fly away. 

 They had taken refuge there at the deluge. The tree sends a 

 message to the Wind Spirit, " Tell the Spirit to blow me down ; 

 how can I live with all these birds on my top baulking every effort 

 to put forth a leaf or branch in any direction ? " On goes Sim- 

 pang until he arrives at the house of the Spirit ; he goes up the 

 ladder and sits on the verandah. " Well, " says the Spirit, " and 

 what do you want r " "I am come to demand payment for the 

 padi which you blew away from the stump on which I had set it 

 to dry." "I refuse," replies the Spirit, " however let us try the 

 matter by diving." So they went to the water, the Spirit and his 

 friends, and Simpang and his friends. Simpang's friends were 

 certain beasts, birds, and fishes which he had induced to follow 

 him on the way. Simpang himself could not dive a bit ; but it is 

 allowable in such a case to get a substitute, and Simpang persuaded 

 a fish to act for him, who dived, and beat the Wind Spirit. But 

 the Spirit proposed another ordeal. " Let us jump over the 

 house," says the Spirit. Simpang would have been vanquished 

 here had not the swallow jumped for him, and of course cleared 

 the Spirit's house. "Once more," says the Spirit, "Let us see 

 who can get through the hole of a sumpitan." This time Simpang 

 got the ant to act for him, and so held his own against the Spirit. 

 But as each performed the ordeal required, the matter was not 

 yet decided, and the Spirit declared he would not make any com- 

 pensation. " Then," says Simpang in a rage, " I will burn your 

 house down about your ears." "Burn it if you can," says the 



