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

THREE DYAK LEGENDS 309
1
Yes," said Pulang-Gana ;
" my brother Bui-Nasi did
give me something, but I am ashamed to tell you what
it is. Here it is." And he took out from his bag the
lump of earth his brother had given him, and handed it
to his father-in-law.
When Rajah Shua saw what Pulang-Gana had received
from his brothers, he said joyfully :—
'
They have given you the most valuable gift
it is
possible to imagine. You are now a person of great
importance. The earth is yours. Whoever wishes to
plant on it must first make offerings and sacrifices to
you, and pray to you to give him a good harvest. It is
in your power to make the earth fruitful or barren, and
to give mankind a good or a bad harvest as you
will."
A few months after, the brothers of Pulang-Gana, at
the advice of Bui-Nasi, decided on the site where they
were to plant paddy that year. It was a large forest
some distance away from their house. First they cut
down the smaller trees, and then they felled the large
trees, and when all this work was done they rested for
some weeks, waiting for the sun to dry up the timber, so
that it might be set on fire and the land be ready for
planting on.
One day Pulang-Gana 's father-in-law said to him :
hear that your brothers have been busy cutting down the
trees where they intend to plant paddy this year. As
they gave you the earth some time ago to be your share
of the property, it is only right that they should ask
leave from you before planting on it. Since they have
not done so,
there."
you must stop them from planting paddy
" How can I prevent them planting paddy where
" I