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

282 THREE HYAK LEGENDS
the while what could have happened to all the people in
the house, for not long before he had heard many voices.
self.
"This seems to be a strange house," he said to him-
the house,
" When I was bathing, and when I walked up to
it seemed to be well inhabited, but now that T
come in, I see no one and hear no voice."
When Siu reached the light he sat down on a mat.
Presently he heard a woman's voice in the room say :
" Sit down, Siu ; I will bring out the pi?iang* and sirehf
to you."
Siu was very pleased to hear a human voice. Soon a
young and remarkably beautiful girl came out of the room
with the chewing ingredients, which she placed before
him.
" Here you are at last, Siu," she said ;
" I expected you
would come earlier. How is it you are so late ?"
Siu explained that he had stopped at the well to have a
bath, as he was hot and tired.
'
You must be very hungry," said the girl ;
" wait a
moment while I prepare some food. After you have
eaten, we can have our talk together."
When Siu was left to himself, he wondered what it all
meant. Here was a long Dyak house, built for more than
a hundred families to live in, and yet it seemed quite
deserted. The only person in it appeared to be the
beautiful girl who was cooking his food for him. Again,
he was surprised that she knew his name and expected
him that day.
'
Come in, Siu," said the voice from the room ;
"
your
food is ready."
* Pinang, 1>otel-nut.
t 8ireh, a kind of pepper-leaf which the Dvaks are fond of eating
with betel-nut.