Hikayat Indra Bangsawan. 
By -R. Of WiINSrEpr a) abr Oxon) 
There are six MSS. of this tale at Batavia (van Ronkel’s 
“Catalogue,” pp. 191-194), one of which has been published in 
Romanised Malay by the “ Commissie voor de Volkslectuur” and 
used by me for this paper:—it is, if I may say so, a defect of the 
“ Commissie’s” publications that they do not record from which 
Mss. their texts are printed.. There is another Ms. at Berlin 
(Koenigl. Bibliotheek, Collection Schumann V, 21). 
Lithographed editions were published in Singapore in 1310: 
and 1323 aed: 
There is also an Achehnese version (Snouck Hurgronje’s “ The: 
Achehnese,” vol. II pp. 145-7.) 
I give an outline of the romance with parallels from Indian 
tales :— 
Indra Bangsawan, ruler of Kobat Shahrial was childless. In. 
answer to prayers of the pious his consort Siti Kendi bore twins, 
Shah Pri and Indra Bangsawan. With the elder was born an 
arrow, with the younger a sword. The boys learnt religion from. 
Mua‘alhim Sufian and studied the arts of war. Their father fears 
jealousy and strife if he selects openly one of his sons to succeed. 
him. So he tells how he has dreamt of a magic bamboo instru- 
ment (buloh périndu) and how whoever gets it is fated to be king. 
The boys go on the quest and are parted in a storm. 
Shah Pri comes to a deserted bower and finding a drum beats. 
it. A princess hidden in the drum bids him refrain. He slits. 
the drum and out steps Princess Dewi Ratna Sari. She explains. 
how the country of her father Raja Asik-Asikin has been destroyed 
by a roc (géroda) and how she and her eight maids in a casket 
(chémbul) had been hidden in the drum. Shah Pri kills the roe 
with his arrow and weds the princess. 
Meanwhile Indra Bangsawan comes to a cave, enters it and 
finds a garden with a house inhabited by a demon (raksasa), who 
receives him hospitably. The demon tells him he is in the country 
Anta Beranta ruled by Raja Kabir but subject to a monster, 
Buraksa, who claims any child born to Raja Kabir. Nine princes | 
are suitors for Ratna Kemala Sari, the daughter of Raja Kabir, 
who will give her to him who ean slay Buraksa and brings as. 
evidence of his death the seven eyes and seven noses of the monster, 
The friendly demon gives Indra Bangsawan a magic garment 
which will change him into any shape, and a charm (tsharat) 
which will take him to Anta Beranta. He chooses the guise of a. 
Jour. Straits Branch 
