22 HIKAYAT SERI RAMA. 
at the request of his defeated antagonist restored all the killed 
to life. Maharaja Duwana then returned to his own kingdom.* 
The monkey-prince was now fully acknowledged by Séri 
Rama-.and the Princess as their son and heir and there were 
great ceremonies at the palace. At his request, they despatch- 
ed a mission to the Court of Raja Shah Kobad to demand 
the hand of the Princess Renek Jintan in marriage of their 
son. The Téménggong was the ambassador, and the suit was 
favourably received. He returned with the answer that the 
marriage should take place on the very day that the monkey- 
prince should present himself in the kingdom of Tahwil to 
claim his bride. 
The royal family of Tanjong Bunga at once set out for 
Bandar Tahwil, the monkey-troops of the bride-groom clear- 
ing a road for them through the forest. They worked with 
such a will every night “from the hour of evening twilight 
until the rising of the morning-star and the light ofthe truedawn 
spreading slowly betokened that day was at hand’’—that in a 
very short time the new path was ready “like a mat spread 
out,’ not a single blade of grass to be seen on it. The marriage 
duly took place in the presence of all the Hajis, Lébais, Imams 
and Khatibs of the place. On the third night after the wed- 
ding, the Prince, on retiring to rest, came forth from his 
monkey-skin and appeared in human shape. He put the skin 
away carefully behind a large pillow, and resumed it in the 
morning. This did not escape the Princess, who, after this 
had happened on two consecutive nights, ordered the eldest of 
her women to stay awake and watch—using a round cocoa-nut 
as a pillow, so that her head would fall off it if she dozed. 
The betel-nut and sirih-leaf placed for the Prince’s refreshment 
were purposely selected so as to have a stupefying effect; on 
the third night he divested himself, as usual, of his skin, and 
chewed betel before going to bed, but he at once fell intoa 
sound sleep and the old woman jumped up and possessed _her- 
*The siege of Lanka properly ends with the capture of the town 
by Rama, the decapitation of Ravana, and the recovery of Sita. 
Jour. Straits Branch 
