Page:Journal of the Straits Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society (IA journalofstra85861922roya).pdf/96

 young husband to carry her. The royal party set out for Puspa Sari in glass sedans (mongkor kacha) and on horseback and are met on the plain Tinjau-maya. Maharaja Indra Dewa fearful lest the importance of Puspa Sari eclipse that of Anta Beranta attacks Marakarma. Marakarma invokes the aid of seven genies, whom in his early exile he had met at lake Indra Semandra,—Raja Mengindra Dewa, Dekar Agas Pri, Raja Kisna Indra Dewa, Raja Mengerna Lela, Raja Chindra lela and his wife's brother Raja Bujangga Indra. A great battle ensues. Raja Gerdan Shah slays Raja Berma Gangga. Raja Rum Shah is captured and put to scorch in the sun, whereupon firing an arrow that brings rain and mist Raja Shah Pri releases him and ties Raja Bahrum Dewa in his place. The hero causes a town with fort and palace to arise by virtue of a magic stone given to him by Maharaja Dewa Angkasa on the revolving mountain. He en- counters his jealous rival, the ruler of Anta Beranta. Each shoots arrows, that turn to fire and to rain that dout the fire, to dragons and to countless demons that devour the dragons. "Thunder rumbled and crackled faintly in the distance; a rainbow stretched across the heavens; stormy sunset clouds arose everywhere; rain drizzled; scale-like clouds were in the sky; the rain-bow was hard- ly visible; a breeze blew softly; the sunlight was yellow, and lightning now and again streaked the sky; black clouds gathered: portents all of a great prince's death." Maharaja Indra Dewa, ruler of Anta Beranta, fell slain, charging the victor with his last breath to have mercy on his daughter, Nila Chahaya. His wife and daughter and their women hurry on to the field. The wife stabs herself on her husband's body. Nila Chahaya is married to Raja Bujangga Indra and the young couple rule Anta Beranta. "Where are we going now?" asks Ninek Kebayan. "To marry you to a vizier," laughs her mistress. "Well," croaks the old dame, "I did dream last night I was bitten by a snake."

Raja Bujangga Indra takes his sister and Marakarma and a royal party to visit his father, Maharaja Malai Kisna, in the land Merchu Indra. The Maharaja takes his daughter and son-in-law seven times round the country on a seventeen-tiered throne (pancha-pĕrsada). Marakarma becomes Sultan of Merchu Indra.

Mengindra Sari becomes ruler of Pelinggam Chahaya.

The episode of lying astrologers is paralleled in the Hikayat Jaya Langkara, and the folk-tales Raja Budiman and Raja Denan. The episode of two children exiled, separated under a tree, the girl being found and married by a hunter prince and reluctant to tell of the loss of her brother until after her wedding, is found in a Sinhalese tale (Paker's "Village Folk-Tales of Ceylon," vol. II, No. 155 (a)), though details and conclusion differ. A packet of cooked rice is commonly a parting present to a banished child or prince in Sinhalese tales (ib. I, No. 7; II, 146 (a)). The incident of a prince incognito marrying a girl and taking her on a ship,