He immediately caught hold of both of them, lifted them up and
brought them down with force upon the rough floor of the hut, and both
died. Pahit saw that places had been made for three men to sleep, and
knowing that there must be another man coming he decided to wait. The two
bodies he placed under the hut, on the ground. After a while Mohaktahakam
came, carrying pig, deer, rhino, wild ox, and bear, and threw it all down
near the drying fish, to cook it later. He was tired, having walked all
day, and went up into the hut to smoke tobacco. Pahit saw this and went
after him. He caught hold of the man to throw him down, but could not lift
him. Mohaktahakam, very angry, caught Pahit by the arms, lifted him up,
threw him against the floor and killed him. "Pahit spoke of being strong
and brave, but I am stronger," he said.
Mohaktahakam then made his brothers come to life again, and they cleaned
all the animals they had caught and placed the meat on a tehi to dry and
smoke. Then they cooked meat in bamboo and ate, afterward going to sleep.
During the night one of them at times mended the fire, which was kept
burning. In the morning, after eating, they went home to the kampong,
carrying bags full of meat and fish.
NOTE. - Tehi, a framework for drying fish or meat, is called in Malay,
salai.
13. THE MAGIC BABI BONE
(From the Saputans; kampong Data Laong)
Dirang left the kampong to hunt for heads, with three prahus and many men,
armed with parangs, shields, sumpitans, and spears, and they also carried
some rice for provisions. After a while the people who remained behind
became very hungry, and one day Inyah, the wife of Dirang, went out to
look for bamboo shoots to eat. She met a small babi (pig), caught it, and
brought it home. In the kampong she asked the men to help her make a shed
for it.
The babi, which was male, grew bigger and bigger. It was very strong, and
when dogs, cats, or hens came near the shed it would kill and eat them. It
was fierce and angry because it had not enough to eat, and finally it
turned the shed over and killed and ate all the people. No one escaped but
Inyah, who fled to another kampong, where she asked for help and the
people permitted her to remain there.
Shortly afterward the babi arrived. All the people heard the noise it made
as it came through the utan, breaking the jungle down. They said to Inyah:
"You would better run away from here. We are afraid he may eat us." Inyah
went away, trying to reach another kampong.
