Journal of the Federated Malay States museums - Sabrizain.org

204 Journal of the F.M.S. Museums. [Vol, VII,
arc occupied by spirits who look like human beings. The
kemoit (ghosts of the dead) live in the region above while, like
men, some are blind and some are lame. Possibly they may
also be thought to inhabit the underworld, but I omitted to
make enquiry with regard to this point. The mat papal tujoh
are said to be btket (hot) and therefore die : the mat papal a?iam
are senam (cold) and do not die.
Another story makes the souls of the dead go to the Island
of Fruits (Pulau Bah) where the dttrian and other fruit-trees
are in bearing all the year round, and where men. when they
are old, again become children, and again grow up. I am, however,
rather inclined to think that this legend mav have been
borrowed from tribes further to the south.
The Behrang Sakai believe in grave-ghosts, Dana Rubor
(equivalent to the Malay Bantu Rubor) besides the Kemoit.
It used to be customary to desert a settlement when a
death occurred, but Katil told me that this is now not usual.
The reason given for the desertion was that the survivors
thought, since one of their relations had died there, that the
locality must be haunted by spirits. Katil made it plain that
they were not frightened of the ghost of a friend, but of the
evil spirits which had attacked him (or her) and caused his
last illness.
A curious little story having some reference to death is
given below. It was told me by Katil.
"When anyone dies, the people of settlements distant from
the place sometimes get to know of the death in this way.
Two spirits, which are known as Baleh Busud (Virgins of
the " Ant "-hill) and look like little girls, sit on a "male" 1
nest of the termite. One of them is heard to laugh as she rolls
the dead man's skull down to the mound, and the other savs to
her, " Leuk jik,jangan chikak" ("Don't "colic" my food!").
Folk-Tales.
The Behrang Sakai have a large number of folk-stories,
of which I obtained several. Two of these I give below. I
have chosen those which seemed to me most likelv to be trulv
indigenous, and not borrowed from the Malays.
Folk-stones, Katil informed me, should be told at night,
as this brings good luck in hunting animals in the jungle. A
man who told folk-stories during the day-time would, he said,
hurt his foot against.a stump. I gathered, however, that this
latter was a popular saving rather than a strong belief. It
may be remarked that it is always the voungest-born son
(Bonsu) who is the clever man in these Seiini tales.
The " male" nests are those which are Ions and pointed.