Page:Journal of the Straits Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society (IA journalofstra85861922roya).pdf/94

 styled Ratna Dewi. She bore a daughter Nila Kesoma. The merchants from Anta Beranta brought fans, water-kettles, shoes, shields, creeses, spears, saddles and umbrellas. Incited by the jealous ruler of Anta Beranta lying astrologers tell Maharaja Indra Angkasa that his two children will work his ruin. They are driven into exile, with no possessions save a ring, a magic stone (gĕmala) and seven bundles of rice, the parting gifts of their heart- broken mother.

After the departure of the two children, Puspa Sari is com- sumed by fire and its ruler with his consort left poor and homeless again in the forest.

In his exile Marakarma learns magic (kĕsaktian) from genies, botas, raksasas, dragons and snakes. The children come to a re- volving hill where dewas play, and they sit down under a waringin tree. The boy catches a bird for his little sister. She wants it roasted. Her brother hearing the crowing of cocks goes in search of a house where he can get fire. The householder mistaking him for a thief, boats the young prince and throws him bound into the sea.

Now the land to which the two children had come was Pelinggam Chahaya. Its ruler Raja Puspa Indra and his queen had a son, Mengindra Sari, who refused to wed. Hunt- ing, Mengindra Sari finds Nila Kesoma under the waringin tree, weeping and holding a wild bird in her hand. His parents adopt her and call her Princess Unfolding Palm-blossom (Mayang Mĕngurai). Finally she marries Mengindra Sari, There is a dramatic passage describing how in his wooing the infatuated prince teases his young mistress over permission to enter his garden.

One day the young princess laments the loss of her brother Marakarma. In vain they search for him. Cast into the sea he had been borne by the tide to the shore of a land where a Raksasa and his wife lived in a house of hair and bones and batu hidup. This Raksasa had carried off Chahaya Khirani, daughter of Maha- raja Malai Kisna, and was keeping her till she should grow big enough to cat. Three months at a time the demon travelled in search of food; three months at a time he abode in his hut. During his absence Chahaya Khirani finds Marakarma on the shore, and revives him. He woos her and promises to slay her demon captor. They bandy love verses (pantun). When the demon returns, Marakarma hides under his mistress' bed. The demon declares he can smell man but the captive princess denies it. The Raksasa lights a fire as big as a burning town, pours rice on to a mat 300 feet wide, and eats it along with spiders, centi- pedes, lizards, rats, flies and mosquitoes which overcome by the steam drop into the rice. He drinks a well of water, hiccups like