art thou?’ To which the Golden Dragon made answer, saying, ‘I have no land nor country, I
have neither father nor mother, but I was incarnated from the hollow part of a bamboo!’ When
the Raja Naga heard this he sent for his spectacles (chĕrmin mata), and by their aid he was able
to see the real parentage of the Golden Dragon and all concerning him, and he at once told him
everything concerning his birth (usul asal ka-jadi-an-nya), and informed him that they were
close relations, since the Golden Dragon’s mother was a relative of the Raja Naga. Then the
Raja Naga kissed and embraced his nephew, and congratulated himself on having seen him
before his time came to die, and calling together all his people to feast, installed (tabal) the
Golden Dragon as king over them in his own place, since he was very old. Thus the Golden
Dragon continued to live in increasing state and prosperity at the Pusat tasek, and was greatly
beloved by his uncle, the Raja Naga; and in the course of time his horn (chula) split up and was
replaced by six other heads—making seven in all.”—Hikayat Raja Budiman, part ii. pp. 7, 8.
Publications of the S. B. of the Royal Asiatic Society, No. 3. ↑
15
“The Malays give the names ‘Bah Jantan’ and ‘Bah Betina,’ viz. the ‘male’ and the ‘female’
floods, respectively to the first rising of a freshet, and to the flood which sometimes ensues
after the waters have partially subsided. The latter is generally supposed to be more serious
than the former.”—Cliff. and Swett., Mal. Dict. s.v. Bah.
“‘If this be the likeness of the male flood, what will that of the female be?’ ejaculated my head
boatman. In common with other Malays, he held the belief that floods, like other moving
things, go in couples. The first to come is the male, and when he has passed upon his way the
female comes after him, pursuing him hotly, according to the custom of the sex, and she is the
more to be feared, as she rushes more furiously than does her fleeing mate.”—Cliff., Stud. in
Brown Humanity, p. 213. ↑
16
This neck of land was called “Pĕnarek Prahu,” or the “Place of the dragging (across) of
Boats.” ↑
17
“The belief (probably borrowed from the Hindoos) of a serpent devouring the sun or moon,
whenever they are eclipsed, and the weird lamentations of the people during the continuance of
these phenomena, are well known.”—Newbold, op. cit. vol. ii. p. 358. ↑
18
“During an eclipse they (the Malays) make a loud noise with sounding instruments to prevent
one luminary from devouring the other, as the Chinese, to frighten away the dragon.”—
Marsden, Hist. of Sum. p. 157. I have not yet met with the explanation given in this passage of