A PELANDOK TALE. 29 



The pelandok said, " Don't talk of eating me when I have 

 had orders from King Solomon to take care of his gong." 



The tiger said, " Is that really King Solomon's gong that 

 you are looking after ? " 



The pelandok answered," Are you deaf ? Listen care- 

 fully. Does not it sound by itself? When it is struck 

 its sound is wonderfully sweet. So delicious is it that perhaps 

 if you were to hear it you could neither eat nor sleep." 



The tiger said, " Hei Salam di Eimba, may I try and strike 

 it? I am very anxious to listen to the sound." 



The pelandok answered, " Ka Sang Rimau, you are 

 speaking like a madman. You are speaking as if it were my 

 own. Still I don't know. If you very much want to hear 

 it I will go and tell King Solomon. If he allows it, you may 

 strike. But mind you strike it when I say you may, and not 

 before." 



The tiger replied, " Very well.'' So the pelandok rushed 

 away. When he got some way off he said, " Ho Ka Sang 

 Rimau, King Solomon commands you to strike." When the 

 tiger heard that he struck it with his paw. The hornets stung 

 him all over his body. The tiger ran here and there in very great 

 pain. He threw his whole soul into his running. 



The tiger said, " Very good. I have not got hold of you 

 yet : but if ever I do meet you, there is not the slightest doubt 

 that I will eat you." 



After that the pelandok walked on very hungry and looking 

 for some food. Two or three days later he came across a very 

 large and extremely handsomely striped python. Its coils 

 were just like a very handsomely striped cloth. The pelandok 

 sat down by it. The tiger walked on in a rage looking for the 

 pelandok. At last he met him and said to him, " This time 

 your doom has overtaken you, Salam di Rimba." 



The pelandok said, " Don't keep on talking of dooms. 

 Look first. What is this ? Do you know its name ? " 



$. A. Soc, No. 48, 1907. 



