Malay belief.
The following tale, which is entitled Charitra Mĕgat Sajobang, and is told by
Selangor Malays, will serve as an illustration of the idea of Human Origin:—
“There was a married Sakai couple living at Ulu Klang, and they had a son
called Mĕgat Sajobang. When he grew up he said to his mother, ‘Mother, get me
a passage, I want to go and see other countries.’ She did so, and he left Ulu
Klang; and ten or twelve years later, when he had grown rich enough to buy a
splendid ship (p’rahu), he returned with his wife, who was with child, and seven
midwives, who were watched over by one of his body-guard with a drawn
sword. His mother heard the news of his return, and she made ready, roasting a
chika (monkey) and lotong (monkey), and went with his father on board their
bark canoe to meet their son.
“As they approached they hailed him by his name; but he was ashamed of their
humble appearance, and forbade his men to let them on board. Though his wife
advised him to acknowledge them, ‘even if they were pigs or dogs,’ the unfilial
son persisted in turning them away. So they went back to the shore and sat down
and wept; and the old mother, laying her hand upon her shrivelled breast, said,
‘If thou art really my son, reared at my breast, mayest thou be changed into
stone.’ In response to her prayer, milk came forth from her breast, and as she
walked away, the ship and all on board were turned into stone. The mother
turned round once more to look at her son, but the father did not, and by the
power of God they were both turned into trees of the species pauh (a kind of
mango) one leaning seawards and the other towards the land. The fruit of the
seaward one is sweet, but that of the landward one is bitter.
“The ship has now become a hill, and originally was complete with all its
furniture, but the Malays used to borrow the plates and cups, etc., for feast days
and did not return them, until at last there were none left.”