STORY OF THE BURONG GERUDA. Ill 



water, clinging to a loose plank alone in the wide sea, without 

 food, at the mercy of wind and waves. 



When Eaja Merong Mahawangsa had taken in wood and 

 water, he set sail to rejoin the Prince at day break. Presently 

 he came to the spot where the Geruda had destroyed the fleet. 

 There he found a few men still swimming about, these he pick- 

 ed up and learned from them what had happened. For many 

 days he searched for the Prince, then not finding him he sailed 

 on with his people till they reached the Islands named Seraya, 

 Jambul and Lada. A little further on lay the mainland for 

 with they steered. There the Raja landed and was welcomed 

 by the Genii and other supernatural inhabitants of that land. 

 They at length invited the Raja to become their ruler by reason 

 of his valour and the nobleness of his language. There they 

 built a palace and a fortress for him, and his people, with their 

 wives and families formed a kampong or village around. And 

 in a short time the kingdom thus founded became prosperous 

 and powerful. Many people came to settle amongst them and 

 from all lands to trade with them. 



In the meantime, the Prince was left swimming alone in 

 the sea on his plank. 



For several days he drifted, borne along by winds and 

 currents. He had neither food nor drink, the sun beat on him, 

 the waves buffeted him, his body became all covered over with 

 mussels and limpets. At last he was washed ashore on the 

 shore of Langka Puri. Lying in a cranny of the rocks, he was 

 too exhausted to speak or move, he could only groan. 



Now the Chinese Princess with her attendants had been 

 carried off to this very Island of Langka Puri by the Geruda, 

 and it happened that when the Prince of Rum was thrown upon 

 the coast, the Geruda was away finding food, while the Prin- 

 cess and her nurse had come down to the shore to look for 

 shells and crabs and coral ; suddenly they heard a noise of 

 groaning, and the Princess bade her nurse go and see wdiat the 

 noise was. She was terribly frightened when looking over 

 some rocks she saw a strange thing like a man, but with a body 

 all covered with sea weeds and limpet. She did not stay to 



r, a, Soc, No. 54. 1909. 



