Page:Journal of the Straits Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society (IA journalofstrai9101882roya).pdf/239

 await his return, when she had carried out his wishes, he went to the female sun, and by representing that the moon had swallowed her husband and children, induced her to swallow completely her hus- band and child—the other two suns. having thus gained his end, returned to the moon, and told her she could release her husband and children, which she did flinging them out into the sky again.

As soon as she discovered this deception practised on her, the solo remaining sun waxed very wrath, and withdrew in dudgeon to the other side of the heavens, declaring that when the moon came across her path she would devour her, a promise which she carries out at the time of eclipses.

It was from this time, this separation between the sun and moon, that the division between day and night, and the rule of the moon and the stars over the latter took place.

Till the time of Bâtin men used not to drink, no water was to be had, and the sensation of thirst was unknown. It came about in this way. One day shot a monkey with a blow- pipe, and made a fire, and cooked and ate the monkey, after which he became sensible of a desire to imbibe something, and went about in search of water, but could find none, not even an "akar" (water- giving liane, monkey-rope). The "akar" did not produce water then. At last he came upon an old jĕlôtong (a "gětah") stump, and through a hole in it heard the sound of water trickling down below; he fastened a "rôtan mânau” (a variety of rattan of which walking sticks are made) above outside, and then let himself down into the hole by it till he reached the water, and there he slaked his thirst. He then made his way out again by the "rôtan," and when leaving the spot he saw a large white lělâbi or lâbi-lâbi (a sort of turtle) issue from the hole with a vast body of water, and begin chasing him, he ran for his life, and called to the clephant for help, but they were driven away by the water; then met a tiger, whose help he likewise begged, the tiger accordingly attacked the head of the lělâbi, but could do it no harm.  continued his flight till he met a sělâdang, whom ho implored to come to his rescue, and the sělâdang (a sort of bison) trampled on the lělâbi, but to no purpose. He next begged the aid of the rhinoceros, but