colour of which was like gold of ten touch (amas sapuloh mutu), and its leaves
like silver. All the trees which grew near bent in its direction, and it looked like a
state umbrella (payong manuwangi^5 ). The Mantri and people chopped at it, but
as fast as they cut down a branch on one side, a fresh one shot forth on the other,
to the great astonishment of all the Rajas, Mantris, and warriors. Puspa Vikrama
Jaya hastened back to King Dasaratha and laid the matter before him. The latter
was greatly surprised, and declared that he would go himself the next day and
see the bamboo cut down. Next day he set out on a white elephant, attended by a
splendid train of chiefs and followers, and on reaching the spot ordered the
bamboo clump to be cut down. Vikrama Puspa Jaya pointed it out, shaded by the
other forest trees. The king perceived that it was of very elegant appearance, and
that an odour like spices and musk proceeded from it. He told Puspa Jaya
Vikrama to cut it down, and the latter drew his sword, which was as big as the
stem of a cocoa-nut tree, and with one stroke cut down one of the bamboos. But
immediately a fresh stem shot forth on the other side, and this happened as often
as a stroke was given. Then the king grew wroth, and getting down from his
elephant he drew his own sword and made a cut with it at the bamboo, which
severed a stem. Then, by the divine decree of the Dewatas, the king became
aware of a female form in the bamboo clump seated on a highly ornamented
platform (gĕta), her face shining like the full moon when it is fourteen days old,
and the colour of her body being like gold of ten touch. On this, King Dasaratha
quickly unloosed his girdle and saluted the princess. Then he lifted her on to his
elephant and took her to his palace escorted by music and singing.’”^6
I myself have heard among the Selangor Malays similar legends to the above,
which, as already pointed out, are common in Malay romances. A parallel myth
is described in the following words:—
“Now, the Perak river overflows its banks once a year, and sometimes there are
very great floods. Soon after the marriage of Nakhodah Kasim with the white
Semang,^7 an unprecedented flood occurred and quantities of foam came down
the river. Round the piles of the bathing-house, which, in accordance with Malay
custom, stood in the bed of the river close to the bank in front of the house, the
floating volumes of foam collected in a mass the size of an elephant. Nakhodah
Kasim’s wife went to bathe, and finding this island of froth in her way she
attempted to move it away with a stick; she removed the upper portion of it and
disclosed a female infant sitting in the midst of it enveloped all round with