Seventeen years among the Sea Dyaks of Borneo; a ... - Sabrizain.org

DYAK FOLKLORE 253
about Rajahs and their adventures are probably derived
from Malay sources in more recent times.
The exploits of the mythical heroes of the Dyaks are
also related. The greatest hero is Klieng, who is not a
god, but supposed to belong
to this world of ours. He is
not now visible to human eyes, but his help is often
invoked in times of war, and offerings of food are often
made to him. Tradition savs that he had no father or
mother, but was found in the knot of a tree by Ngelai,
who brought him up as his brother. As he grew up, he
developed a restless spirit, and would not apply himself
to the regular Dyak pursuits. He was wayward and
capricious, and would disappear for long periods, often
being given up for dead by his sorrowing friends. Then
he would suddenly reappear in his own home, to the
surprise and joy of his friends. He is represented as
handsome and brave, and always successful in expeditions
against his enemies. He had a wonderful power of metamorphosis,
and, when necessary, could transform himself
into an animal or anything else. On one occasion he is
said to have changed himself into the fragment of a
broken water-gourd, and was carried by Ngelai
in his
basket to the battle. The enemy were too powerful for
them, and Ngelai and his friends were being defeated, when
the basket was placed on the ground, and Klieng revealed
himself in his true character of a great warrior, and in a
very short time routed the enemy.
Klieng married Kumang, the Dyak Venus. Many
stories concerning them are set to native song. These
kana are sometimes sung by some Dyak singer, who lies
on a mat or sits on a swing in the dim light of the covered
veranda of the long Dyak house. His audience sit or he
around and listen to him, very often till the small hours