Page:Christiaan Snouck Hurgronje - The Achehnese Vol II. - tr. Arthur Warren Swete O'Sullivan (1906).djvu/261

 The VII Mukims belong to Acheh; they are the property of Panglima Pòlém (the panglima of the XXII Mukims of Acheh).

In Bramòë is Pòchut Siti, along the sea-board is Teungku Siah Kuala.

On the banks of the salt-water creek is established one who is said to be invincible; he is known as Teuku Nèʾ of Meurasa.

In Pidië they have Teungku Pakeh, in Acheh we have our lord the King.

The XXVI Mukims (of Acheh are subject to) Panglima Chut Ōh the XXV to Siah Ulama.

The XXII under Panglima Pòlém; they are subject to our lord the King.

There is no fixed rule as to the number of kisahs to be recited in succession by one party; this is left to the performers' own choice and gives rise to no differences of opinion between the two sides. When one party gets tired, the other is always ready to take its turn, but as long as they like to do so they may continue. Ordinarily speaking, however, the first party plays its ratéb dòng right through before allowing the other to commence its recital; and the ratéb dòng of the one side will often last until five o'clock in the morning (ʿòh tōt sambang, "after the falling of the morning shot"). Before the opposing side begins, the first performers add some further nasib such as that of which we have already given examples in our description of the ratéb duëʾ.

The opposite party then take the stage and follow essentially the same programme as that which we have just described—fragments of verse, covert allusions, quasi-learned questions, little sneering gibes at the rival party—all sung by the sadati and accompanied by the chakrum or refrain of his daléms.

I shall give but a brief abstract of some few more kisahs in common use in sadati performances, which I took down from the lips of a skilled reciter; they differ too little in character from those given above to lay claim to reproduction in full.

In one of these, which is in dialogue form, the insatiable desire of