44 HIKAYAT SI-MISKIN OR MARAKARMA. 
young husband to carry her. The royal party set out tor Puspa 
Sari in glass sedans (mongkor kacha) and on horseback and are 
met on the plain Tinjau-maya (island): Maharaja Indra 
Dewa fearful lest the importance of Puspa Sari eclipse that of 
Anta Beranta attacks Marakarma. Marakarma invokes the aid 
of seven genies, whom in his early exile he had met at lake Indra 
Semandra,—Raja Mengindra Dewa, Dekar Agas Pri, Raja Kisna 
Indra Dewa, Raja Mengerna Lela, Raja Chindra Lela and his 
wife’s brother Raja Bujangga Indra. A great battle ensues. 
Raja Gerdan Shah slays Raja Berma Gangga. Raja Rum Shah 
is captured and put to scorch in the sun, whereupon firing an 
arrow that brings rain and mist Raja Shah Pri releases him and 
ties Raja Bahrum Dewa in his place. The hero causes a town with 
fort and palace to arise by virtue of a magic stone given to him 
by Maharaja Dewa Angkasa on the revolving mountain. He en- 
counters his jealous rival, the ruler of Anta Beranta. Each shoots 
arrows, that turn to fire and to rain that dout the fire, to dragons 
and to countless demons that devour the dragons. ‘‘ Thunder 
rumbled and crackled faintly in the distance; a rainbow stretched 
across the heavens; stormy sunset clouds arose everywhere; rain 
drizzled ; scale-like clouds were in the sky; the rain-bow was hard- 
ly visible; a breeze blew softly; the sunlight was yellow, and 
lightning now and again streaked the sky; black clouds gathered : 
portents all of a great prince’s death.” Maharaja Indra Dewa, 
ruler of Anta Beranta, fell slain, charging the victor with his last 
breath to have mercy on his daughter, Nila Chahaya. His wife 
and daughter and their women hurry on to the field. The wife 
stabs herself on her husband’s body. Nila Chahaya is married to 
Raja Bujangga Indra and the young couple rule Anta Beranta. 
“Where are we going now?” asks Ninek Kebayan. “'To marry 
you to a vizier,” laughs her mistress. “* Well,” croaks the old dame, 
“T did dream last night I was bitten by a snake.” 
Raja [Bujangga Indra takes his sister and Marakarma and a 
royal party to visit his father, Maharaja Malai Kisna, in the land 
Merchu Indra. The Maharaja takes his daughter and son-in-law 
seven times round the country on a seventeen-tiered throne (pancha- 
pérsada). Marakarma becomes Sultan of Merchu Indra. 
Mengindra Sari becomes ruler of Pelinggam Chahaya. 
The episode of lying astrologers is paralleled in the Hikayat 
Jaya Langkara, and the folk-tales Raja Budiman and Raja Denan. 
The episode of two children exiled, separated under a tree, the 
girl being found and married by a hunter prince and reluctant to 
tell of the loss of her brother until after her wedding, is found in 
a Sinhalese tale (Paker’s “ Village Folk-Tales of Ceylon,” vol. I, 
No. 155 (a) ), though details and conclusion differ. A packet of 
cooked rice is commonly a parting present to a banished child or 
prince in Sinhalese tales (1b. I, No. 7; II, 146 (a) ). The incident 
of a prince incognito marrying a girl and taking her on a ship, be- 
Jour. Straits Branch 
