Datang hantu musangThe pole-cat fiend has arrived
Ayam sa’ekor t’ada. And not a fowl is left.As soon as this rhyme is finished the two outside boys make off as fast as they
can, pursued by the “pole-cat,” who is allowed to give a really good bite (in the
arm) to the first person he overtakes.
Main Tunggul.—This game I saw played with four boys a side. A boy was
selected to represent the tunggul or stump, and took up his position at a little
distance (about half-way between the two parties as they stood facing each other
a few yards apart). Up to the stump (tunggul) a boy from each of the sides
alternately ran and whispered the name of a boy belonging to the opposite party.
This whispering was continued until the names of the two boys selected
happened to agree, the tunggul then making a gesture, at which the boys of one
of the sides crossed over and carried back on their shoulders the boys belonging
to the opposite side.
Kuching (the Cat Game) was a mere guessing game. The “guesser,” or witness
(saksi), stood at a little distance with his face turned away whilst another boy
was selected to play “puss,” and yet another boy was permitted to twitch him on
the ear or wherever else he might prefer. Then the “witness” was told to turn
round, and going up to the “cat” he made his guess.
Sorok-sorok is merely the Malay equivalent of our hide-and-seek, with the
exception that whereas hide-and-seek may be played by day as well as by night,
the game of sorok-sorok should properly be played at night alone.