PATERFAMILIAS: Ada kueh? (Have you any cake?)CAKESELLER: Ada. (I have.)
P.F.: Buleh aku b’li? (Can I buy some?)C.: Buleh. (Yes.)Here the Cakeseller hands a ball of earth to Paterfamilias, who passes it down
the line of children to the youngest child at the end of the row. The conversation
then recommenced—
CAKESELLER: Aku minta’ duit. (I want my money.)
P.F.: Duit t’ada, anak kunchi tinggal di jamban. (I have got no money, I have mislaid
the key.) Kalau mahu ambil budak, ambil yang di-b’lakang. (If you wish to take one
of my children, take the last.)Here a desperate effort was made by the poor Cakeseller to dodge past
Paterfamilias and get at the boy, whom he eventually succeeded in carrying off.
Main Tul is a game somewhat resembling our own “Puss in the corner,” but with
only one “home.” The “home” consisted of a stake planted upright, and the first
“Puss” (orang tul) was selected by a species of divination depending upon
repetition of the same formula as is used to select the blind man in Blind Man’s
Buff (Main China Buta). There was (as I have said) only one home in this game,
from which the players sallied forth to taunt the orang tul, and which they were
obliged to touch in order to save themselves when closely pursued.
Main Sĕladang (Wild Bull game) is an excellent game for children with the
shoeless feet of the East. A “wild bull” having been selected by repetition of the
Ping hilang formula, went upon all fours, and entered into the following
conversation between himself and one of the other players specially selected for
the purpose. The latter opened negotiations with the clearly non-committal, if
not very lucid remark, “Tam tam kul” to which the “Bull” replied, “Buat apa
guna bakul” (What are you going to do with your basket?)
BOY: Mĕngisi arang. (To hold charcoal.)BULL: Buat apa guna arang? (What will you do with the charcoal?)