Page:Journal of the Straits Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society. (IA mobot31753002412044).pdf/346

 Maka sa-kejap dia melanggar ibu babi berkubang di-dalam semak; bunyi-lah babi 'Hor-hor-hor.' Pada pikiran hantu bunyi manusia itu. Kata dia, "Di-mana awak menyurok? Kita makan juga nyawa awak malam ini." Dan babi itu di-gomul di-balun oleh hantu mati selalu.

Maka waktu hantu-hantu tengah membunoh babi itu, lari-lah si Debus pusing jauh-jauh, tiada berhenti sakali pun sampei tiba ka-rumah mak bapa.

Kemudian dia cherita kepada mak bapa hal ahual hantu hantu itu. Kata bapa-nya, "Nanti hari siang, kita panggil orang ramai, kita pergi ka-ladang buleh tanam sakali." Dan malam itu tidor- lah dia ke-semua-nya.

Hari dah siang berpakat pakat sapuloh lima-belas orang pergi ka-ladang. Tiba ka-pondok naik-lah di-tinjau maiat; kain selubong habis berklabong di-kreja hantu. Maiat pun tertiarap, kepala men- giring tangan-nya simpang perenang, habis lebam-lebam badan-nya di-isap hantu.

Mengangkat-lah maiat itu membawa ka-kubor lalu tanamkan. Ladang itu pun di-tinggal selalu; sampai sekarang siapa-siapa pun tiada berani membuat ladang di Sungei Chemerka itu.

Once upon a time there lived in Pahang a man Jenal with his wife Debus and one boy called Mat Dong; and one day Jenal spoke to his wife. "Let us look for a place to make a clearing and plant padi."

So they set out and found a good place for a clearing on the bank of the river Chemerka. They felled the big timber and cleared the scrub, burnt it off and fenced it and built a hut in the middle of the clearing. Then they planted their plantains and padi with gourds and sugar-cane and lived there, the three of them, guarding their crops from the attacks of pigs and deer.

Months pass and the padi ripened; they reaped it and stored it in their hut. But soon Jenal fell ill; he could not rise or take food; and every day the sickness increased upon him.

Then Debus called her son, "Go and call your grandmother from the kampong, bring her here at once for I fear your father will die." The boy ran off at once and when he reached his grand- mother's house, he gave her his mother's message but she replied. "Night is coming on, how can we start at once? You must sleep here and we will start together early to-morrow morning."

So Debus and her husband were left there in their hut in the clearing; and as the hour of his death approached, a grey tinge spread over his body and his breathing was laboured. His wife was troubled in her heart. "Why does not the boy return?"