Page:Christiaan Snouck Hurgronje - The Achehnese Vol II. - tr. Arthur Warren Swete O'Sullivan (1906).djvu/279

 struments, but also chime in and now and then relieve the dancing-girl of her singing part.

In the neighbourhood of the capital these performances are only known by the rare visits of travelling companies. They are also to be met with in certain other parts, especially in the coast districts of the XXV Mukims, but with this modification, that the place of the singing woman is taken by a young boy in female attire.

It so chanced that during my residence in Acheh such a company came from the XXV Mukims to the capital. In the illustration on p. 261 will be a representation of such an orchestra with a boy in dancing posture. I took down from the lips of the dirty, opium-smoking musicians a great portion of their répertoire of pantōns. These people were less concerned for the voice of their adòë ("younger brother") than the sadati players. I attended a performance one night, and found that as a matter of fact the task of the boy was principally limited to dancing. He joined to some extent in the choruses but the recitation was mainly performed by the four musicians, and especially the violinist, who officiated as conductor of the orchestra. This appears to be frequently the case, and sometimes they dispense with the boy altogether, whereby a great "rock of offence" is removed.

The pantōns are in the form of dialogues between an older and a younger brother; the first represents the lover, the second his beloved.

In many of these pantōns it is not clear whether the object of the love is male or female, or whether the passion is lawful or unchaste; the expressions used are metaphorical or general, so that the hearer can apply them as suits his fancy. Occasionally however the language used is characteristic of a shameless intrigue, as in the following example where I denote the aduën, abang or dalém by the letter D and the