315 A translation of the keddah annals. 
assist him in his agricultural labors. The peasant consented, 
but without knowing the rank of the applicant, for the 
Raja’s tusks were at this time on a level with his other teeth, 
[our author should have here observed that they were never 
seen of a greater length, so that the existence of tusks was a 
mere conjecture and fable, if common sense did not convince 
Mm] So Bersiyong set to work in the farm without any 
further instructions and was only called for daily by the 
peasant to receive his meals; after which he worked until 
the evening. All the profits arising from his labour he gave 
up to the man and his wife. 
Now this peasant had a daughter by the wife who then 
lived with him, and she was so lovely and graceful that no 
one could look upon her without falling in love with her. 
Her neck was .slender and graceful, her complexion white 
mixed with yellow, and her teeth were like the black and 
polished wings of the elephant beetle, her waist was delicate 
and slender, and her ancles were like stalks of paddie. Her 
like could nowhere be found. Her lineage was that of the 
Beapari [fairies] and her father was a Raja of inferior note. 
He was offended with his people and had left them to live 
with his wife and daughter in the forest at the source of the 
Kedda river (the Muda). So the pair went to a distance 
from the crowd to cultivate rice thus far up the Kedda river. 
It so happened that as the man and his wife were often ab¬ 
sent at their grain field, the daughter had to supply the Raja 
with his meals, and thus these two were left at home to cul¬ 
tivate and water the betel vines and other fruit trees. The 
Raja thus became enamoured of the girl, while she'reciproca- 
ted his love. So she became his wife without the knowledge 
of her parents. But after seven months they naturally became 
aware of the fact. Her father then said to his wife, that he 
thought it just as well that the girl had selected the stranger, 
because he was very useful and attentive in his household, 
and his manners were excellent. His wife remained silent. 
In time Bersiyong’s wife had a son who greatly resembled 
his father, and it was brought up as if it had been a pea¬ 
sants child. 
Unluckily for Birsiyong be was seen by some one who knew 
him, and when the circumstance was reported to the four 
ministers they despatched a hundred men with orders to seize 
the Raja, and to put him to death if he should resist. When 
Raja Bersiyong saw the party approaching he threw down 
his spade, and fled into a thicket of the bambu called buluh 
biltong. The pursuers surrounded the brake but could not 
find the Raja. Now none of them were aware of the marriage 
