110 STORY OF THE BURONG GERUDA. 



da with missiles and arrows. These, as before, were of no 

 avail. When the Raja Merong Mahawangsa saw that the 

 Geruda was coming down on them, he took his third bow, 

 whose name was Perasa Simpani Gambera, and putting one of 

 his flame tippe:! arrows to the string he said " O Perasa Sim- 

 pani Gambera, go forth and destory the Geruda." Then the 

 arrow flew -through the clouds and straightway a troop of Jins 

 and Shaitans appeared to assist against the Geruda. But the 

 bird cared not for them nor was his heart daunted. Swooping 

 down he carried off many ships in his beak and claws, either 

 plunging their crews into the sea or dashing them down 

 amongst the lofty forest trees, so that their bodies were scat- 

 tered in fragments and utterly destroyed. 



At this great was the anger of the Raja Merong Maha- 

 wangsa. With another arrow he shot at the Geruda, and the 

 sky and sea were filled with a noise like rolling thunder. This 

 time the arrow took the form of the bird Jentaigu, rushing to 

 attack the bird Geruda. Now ensued a desperate struggle, the 

 birds fighting with beak and talons. At last the Jentaigu was 

 overcome by the flames breathed out by the Geruda, and, as 

 an arrow, returned to the quiver of Raja Merong Mahaw T angsa. 

 Thus night fell and the fleet was for a time left unmolested by 

 the bird Geruda. And in the morning seeing that the Geruda 

 did not come, they weighed anchor and sailed on. And after 

 sailing for several days they arrived at Pulau Selaug. In the 

 meantime the Geruda had retired to a lofty mountain and was 

 planning how to destroy the whole fleet, for he feared Raja 

 Merong Mahawangsa, who was indeed the bravest and most 

 skilful chief of his time. 



Now when the fleet had reached the Island of Selang, they 

 stood in need of wood and water and Raja Merong Mahawang- 

 sa was deputed by the Prince to land and fetch it, while the 

 rest of the fleet sailed on. And sailing on they came to the 

 Island of Langka Puri. There, during the night time, they 

 were attacked by the Geruda who had no longer to fear Raja 

 Merong Mahawangsa. The fleet was utterly destroyed. The 

 Prince how 7 ever, survived. He found himself floating on the 



Jour. Straits Branch 



