120 
A NANING RECITAL. 
Notes. 
1. Lines 9-10. There may be a hidden reference to the ‘dark’ 
bridegroom and the ‘ fair ’ bride : compare lines 294-302. 
2. Line 32. The Muhammadan hours of prayer. 
3. Line 35. The cycle of eight Muhammadan years (and the 
method of computing it) is described in The Achehncse, Vol. 
1, page 197. 
4. Line 41. Under Menangkabau exogamous custom the bride- 
groom on marriage enters into the tribe of the bride, is subject 
to her family, lives in her house, and tills her fields. On 
divorce the children of the marriage remain with her, the 
husband removes his personal property, joint earnings or debts 
are divided. 
See Waning Proverbs (Journal No. 67), and A Xaning 
Wedding-speech (Journal Xo. 72). 
3. Lines 42-44- The meaning is: a stranger entering a Menang- 
kabau country or colony must attach himself definitely to some 
clan that will ‘ support ’ him by going surety for his debts and 
provide a ‘mooring’ where he may be found. Only then can he 
be accepted in marriage by another exogamous clan. Without 
such ties he is called ‘a stroller’ or ‘a drifter’ ( dagang iva- 
yang, dagang hanyut). 
6. Lines 40-43. These lines (of which there are several versions) 
are very difficult. Mr. I. H. Burkill, Director of Gardens, 
S. S., has in reply to inquiries sent me the following note 
which supports the translation given : 
“The Nail, or Kabong (Arenga saccharifera), certainly 
dies downwards. It does not flower until it is aged and then 
it sends out bunch after bunch of flowers from dormant buds, 
commencing at the top and exhausting itself with the lowest. 
The Pulai (Alstonia scholaris), like most forest trees, 
when it dies .... dies first at the top.” 
Mr. A. Caldecott in his Jelebu Sayings (Journal Xo. 78) 
gives : 
Pulai nan pangkat naik, 
Manusia berpangkat turun, 
and translates, 
The pulai tree broadens as it goes up, 
Family trees as they descend. 
A similar text is given in Kitab Kiliran Budi, Xo. 627; 
both readings seem defective. 
Jour. Straits Branch 
