SIDI, SIAMANG, ADUNADA. 9 



India was the home of Malay magical lore. Before and after 

 the days of Muhammad, India has been until comparatively recent 

 times, the source of nearly all Malay learning, science and art. 



SlAMANG. 



In a previous paper I drew attention to the fact that siamang 

 (Ilylobates syndactylus) may be derived from the Sanskrit sia- 

 manga ' black—bodied/" which by the bye is an epithet descriptive 

 of Budha i.e. the planet Mercury, son of Soma the moon. Now 

 on page 617 (CXI) of Skeat's "Malay Magic " I find the line 



Pergi-lah engkau ka-bukit siamang biru 

 and on page 672 (COLXXV) 



Nior manis, siamang bulan. 

 Is this last a paivang's cryptic equivalent for gelap bulan f 

 In Sanskrit siama means 'black, a cloud, shade, shadow, night:' 

 So that the yawang's metaphorical use of siamang would be an 

 extraordinary coincidence or survival. 



Adunada. 



On page 593 (XXVIII) of Skeat's " Malay Magic " the charm 

 against the Spectre Huntsman mentions a 

 Hantu boia Si Adunada 

 Menyandang pedang terbongkok-bongkok. 



Is Adunada perhaps a corruption of the Sanskrit anunaaa 

 ' echo ' ? An echo-spirit would be a not inappropriate follower of 

 the Spectre Huntsman. 



R. A. Soc, No. 81, 1920. 



