Page:Christiaan Snouck Hurgronje - The Achehnese Vol II. - tr. Arthur Warren Swete O'Sullivan (1906).djvu/143

 grows up he develops vicious tendencies. He strikes his grandmother and by this act causes a rupture between her and her daughter-in-law. One day whilst at play Ahmat brings to light his mother’s upper garment, which his father had carefully hidden. Putròë Bungsu takes it from him, and, weary of domestic strife, flies away with her child to the airy realms.

Malém Diwa, who spent nearly all his time in the cock-fighting arenas, was not at home when this took place, but a little later he saw his wife soaring in the air with her child and had just time to receive her last admonition at the "gate that leads to the skies". "After three rice-harvests", she said, "you must come and fetch me, else I shall become another's wife". Meanwhile go to Nata (Natal) and there you shall wed the princess Alōïh; but beware lest you fall victim to a passion for the Putròë Meureundam Diwi.

Malém Diwa undertook the journey to Nata with the aid of Dalikha and her heroic spouse Malém Panyang. Peuduka Lila, the king of that region, was compelled to succumb to the courage and magic power of the three. But Putròë Alōïh remained still unconquered. Over against the window of her chamber there stood an areca-palm of fabulous height, on the top of which hung two betelnuts, one of gold and the other of suasa. The hand of the princess was the destined reward of him who should succeed in plucking these fruits. Already no less than ninety-nine princes had made the attempt at the cost of their lives; for no sooner had they climbed to a level with the princess's window and beheld her, than they swooned at the sight of her marvellous beauty, and so fell down and were killed. Malém Diwa, however, was assisted in his task by a squirrel (tupè), a number of white ants (kamuë), a swarm of walang sangit (geusòng) and a kite (kleuëng), all of which creatures he had taken with him by the advice of Putròë Bungsu. Dalikha also spread a bed of tree-cotton at the fort of the areca-palm by way of precaution.

So Malém Diwa wins his princess and spends happy days at Nata. He is however warned in a dream that Putròë Bungsu is in danger. Mounted on a buraʾ which awaits him, he ascends into the upper air, and betakes himself disguised as a beggar to the kingdom of the sky. Here he becomes acquainted with Ahmat (his own son) who informs