130 MENGAP, THE SONG~OF THE DYAK HEAD FEAST. 



Nda nyaut sa-leka inuknt. 

 Nda nimbas sa-leka bras. 



" Does not answer a grain of bran, 

 " Does not reply a grain of rice," 



(tliat is to the extent of a grain, &c.) The lady is displeased 

 and declares she would rather be divorced from him than be 

 treated in that way. This brings Singalang Burong into 

 the room which is described as 



Bilik baik baka tasik ledong lelinang. 



"A room rich like the wide expanse of glistening sea." 



It appears that Antu Eibut does not speak and tell the 

 purport of her message, for they still have to find it out for 

 themselves, which they do by taking a "tropong"* (teles- 

 cope) to see what is going on in the lower regions. They 

 see the festival preparations there, the drums and gongs, 

 and thus they understand that they are invited to the feast. 



Before Singalang Burong can start he must call from the 

 jungle his sons-in-law, who are the sacred birds which the 

 Dyaks use as omens. These are considered both as spirits 

 and as actual birds, for they speak like men and fly like 

 birds. Here will be observed the reason why the festival is 

 called Gawe Burong (Bird feast). Singalang Burong the 

 war-spirit is also the chief of the omen birds. The hawk 

 with brown body and white head and breast, very common in 

 this country, is supposed to be a kind of outward personifica- 

 tion of him, and probably the king of birds in Dyak estima- 

 tion. The story of the feast centres in him and the inferior 

 birds who all come to it ; hence the title Gawe Burong. To 

 call these feathered sons-in-law of Singalang Burong to- 

 gether the big old gong of the ancients is beaten, at the 

 sound of which all the birds immediately repair to the house 

 of their father-in-law, where they are told that Antu Eibut 

 has brought an invitation to a feast in the lower world. So 

 they all get ready and are about to start, when it comes out 

 that Dara Inchin Temaga, one of Singalang Burongs 1 

 daughters and the wife of the bird Katupong, refuses to go 

 with them. On being questioned why she refuses, she 

 declares that unless she obtains a certain precious ornament 

 she will remain at home. She is afraid that at the feast she 

 will appear less splendidly attired than the ladies Kumang, 

 and Lulong^ and Indai Abang. 



* This must be a later addition to the story 



