Page:Christiaan Snouck Hurgronje - The Achehnese Vol II. - tr. Arthur Warren Swete O'Sullivan (1906).djvu/162

 My attention has been drawn by Dr. Brandes to the fact that some of the special features of this story reappear in popular tales of Hindustan. In the story of Prince Ape we find a beautiful prince, who originally appears as an ape; and in that of the Boy with a moon on his forehead and a star on his chin, we meet with six brethren-in-law who are constrained to let themselves be branded in the forest by the lover of one of the seven princesses. Both these appear in the collection of Maive Stokes.

A similar story of branding is to be met with in the Hikayat Indra Bangsawan (XXVI) and another in the Contes Kabyles of A. Mouliéras, "les Fourberies de Si Jehʾa", p. 152 et seq. (N° L).

Indra Bangsawan (XXVI).

This story is a fairly faithful reproduction of the Malay one of the same name, of which there are three copies at Batavia and one at Berlin. In respect both of its style and subject it may be classed among the more entertaining kind of native fiction.

Indra Bungsu king of Chahrilah after praying and waiting for issue for years, at last begets twin sons. The first born Chahpari comes into the world with an arrow, the second, Indra Bangsawan, with a sword. The question is, which of the two is to be the Crown Prince? The king dreams of a magic musical instrument (bulōh meurindu) and decides that whichever of the two procures him this, shall succeed him on the throne.

The brothers go on their travels together, but are soon separated by a storm.

Chahpari comes to a city whose inhabitants have all been eaten up