Pagan races of the Malay Peninsula - Sabrizain.org

1 68 MUSIC, SONGS, AND FEASTS part hi
The songs hitherto given are more or less definite
compositions recognised by all the members of the
tribe ^
;
I will now give a specimen of what I believe
to have been an actual improvisation, and which
certainly possessed no recognisable metre :
Song of the Monkey-hunters.
Go now forth into the forest,
Taking with you a blowpipe,
A poison-case, and seven darts,
For shooting young coconut-monkeys.
One has been shot, struck to the heart,
And has fallen to the ground.
Cut a creeper wherewith to bind it.
Bind it on to your back and carry it home.
On reaching home, singe off its fur.
And poke off its skin.
Quarter it and give a portion to everybody.
And go craving for cooked meat no longer.
Put not in the ' asam kelubi ' fruits, for they are poisonous.
Put in ' kulim ' leaves, turmeric, ginger,
' Kayu-k'lat ' leaves, and spices, and ' kesom.
Take a rice-spoon and skim off into a palm-leaf.
And let eveiy one eat together, each taking a little.
And go craving for the coconut-monkey's flesh no longer.
After eating your fill, rise and get cigarettes.
And when you have finished them, lie down and rest.
And when you have rested, sleep.
Mantra.—We are informed by Logan that the
musical instruments used by the Mantra were the
' salong,' -^
and
the bamboo '
guitar
' or ' keranting.' ^
The tambourine (' rebana ') and drum (' gendang ')
were, however, also employed by them, and their only
were certainly in the main a colony from interpolations and omissions, and also
the Rio-Lingga (Johor) region, whereas occasionally by alteration in the order
the N. Sembilan, Naning, and Rembau of the lines, the general tenor and
Malays came over directly from Suma- form of these songs does not appreciably
Ira (Menangkabau, etc.). vary.
'Juanda' (retainers) is a Jakun per- - .S'iV=' suling '
version of Mai. Beduanda, which is to -^
(?).
On this latter instrument, Mr.
this day the name given to the mixed Blagden informs me, a special tune
descendants of the Malays and the was played by the Mantra of Malacca
Jakun in the state of Rembau, the to attract their game. Similarly the
tradition being thus ara])ly corrobor- Jew's harp ('rcngoin') was used for
atcd. imitating the note of the ' chcbau
' Although somewhat modified by bird.