Pagan races of the Malay Peninsula - Sabrizain.org

CHAP. Ill SAVAGE MALAYS OF SELANGOR 69
parties change their names after the birth of their
first - born child, whose name they take. Thus Pa'
Bijan, Ma' Bijan, or " Father of Bijan," " Mother of
Bijan," were the actual names of a married Blandas
couple whose eldest-born child was called Bijan.
Besisi.—Upon one occasion when I inquired of the
Besisi in Kuala Langat how a man would address
a woman whom he wished to marry, and who was not
unwilling to accept him, one of them repeated as a
specimen, the following address.^ It took the form
of an imaginary dialogue, which ran as follows :
Man. Are you willing to take me, say ?
Woman. What mean you ? I merely follow you. How can I refuse ?
Man. I wish that too.
Wo/natt. How can I refuse ? It is the man with whom it rests. I merely
follow you, since I am but a woman. As I am a woman, I merely follow you.
iMan. If that is truth, so be it. 1 will be father and mother to you, rest
assured.
IVoinan. What mean you ? I follow you for a single day, but not for long.
3/an. That is also my desire.
Wotnati. If you are savage, overbearing, harsh-spoken, if you are like that, if
you are like a hornet, I shall be unable to endure it beyond to-morrow.
Here the man, after pushing the betel-stand to-
wards her, says :
" I desire to seek somewhat of yours, a stand for betel ;
I am looking for a filly, yearning greatly to obtain her ;
I am looking for a sea-canoe.
If it have no mast, I will supply a mast for it,
If it have no sail, I will supply a sail for it,
I have sought it by sea till now, but have not found it.
I have now reached your land, I have scented a blossom,
I have scented it thus far oversea.
Weary am I indeed with roaming so far.
But here verily is such a blossom, and such scent has reached me, that I
follow it.
Pick it up ? I will indeed pick it.
Is it still to seek ? I will indeed seek it.
Desired I not its fragrance, I had not sought it
But my craving for its scent is very great, I ask but to own it.
Should I find it not, I will seek— yea, until I find it.
Great is my yearning— yea, even if in a month I find it not, I will not return
Until you grant me my Heart's Desire."
1 In ordinary cases the man's request as among the Malays themselves. Cp.
would be addressed to the girl's parents, Malay Magic, pp. 364-365.
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