The following tale told by Mesak, Selwadu, late 1972:

(Please scroll down for English translation)


Potria Luqi Lalen.

The Princess of the Attic.

Yako la dohi Abunawas.

I will tell of Abunawas.

Abunawas da defo, nax kepeq sa moo.  Jadi da safe gula bu da te safe tu ii sa
moo, da safe hala bu da te safe tu ii sa moo.  Pe tuu da ptea dii, nax fikiraq
dii, da leli sakik.  Lebebae da iko egu dodeso wihin la da iko dadik.  Jadi
riq fikiraq dii fen nax lalet fi aki dii yaq da prepa fen da dadik dodeso, da
hama qei fafu, da hama qei mejaqan.

Abunawas was living without any money.  He had nothing with which to buy even
sugar or rice.  Gradually his thinking changed.  Perhaps he should take some
cords and set civet cat snares, and hunt for pig and for deer.

Aa jadi riq dadik nax dodeso dii, da dadik eta da dufa raman utun telo.  Da
dufa dodeso raman utun telo, da seka fafu, da seka mejaqan, pe tuu da loa
dendeq.  Da loa dendeq, pa d maqi.  Dendeq dii da isah tu sasi pa d maqi eta
da maqi sepo, pe tuu da toho paa da kfilik.

So he set civet cat snares, and caught 300 civet cats.  He also speared pigs
and deer.  He salted and dried the meat, and made jerky, and this he took to
the coast to market.

Da toho paa da kfilix dii, da loa nak huma breu-breut saa taqada tuu Bapa Raja
nax huma.  Jadi riqe ekfilix nax dendeqor dii, gebar safe.

On the coast, he built a tiny house right across the street from the house of
Bapa Raja.  There he sold his jerky, and people bought it up.

Eta da kfilix dendeq baa di Bapa Raja nax samena dii lalenor telo, Bapa Raja
ptea paa da pikir: "Akeba!  Geba naa da kfilix dendeq taru-taruus naa, do da
dufa tu tenix naa?"  Da kalax riqe.  Da kalax riqe fen, "Kae jaga kfilix
dendeq eta xdeme-xdemex naa, doo kae dufa i har naa tu tenik?"

When he had sold jerky three times in front of Bapa Raja's house, Bapa Raja
sat thinking: "Wow!  How does this fellow get allt his jerky?"  So he called
him.  "How do you get all this jerky you sell?" asked Bapa Raja.

Fen, "Yako kfilix dendeqor naa exdeme-xdemex naa tu ya naq asu.  Naa yako naq
asu msian baa.  Nake esnaqax wahan na ta."

"I am able to sell all this jerky because of my dog.  I have only one dog.
All this is the fruit of his hunting prowess."

Jadi riqe eprepa la Abunawas fene, "Kalo gamdii, do bisa yak pinjaq ka nam asu
pi moo?"

"In that case," said Bapa Raja, "would it be possible for me to borrow your
dog?"

Fene, "Beta moo, Bapa Raja.  Kalo ka pinjaq ya naq asu, dii ya naqu xnaat tu
naqu npakex dii haqsiak ya harapan fidi naq asu rahek."

"Impossible, Bapa Raja," said Abunawas  "This dog is all I have to provide me
with food and clothes."

Jadi Bapa Raja prepa fene, "Mohe.  Ku bara mtako, tuu yax pinjaq, kalo asu
mata pii, difux pii, yax silih."

"Don't worry," said Bapa Raja, "If your dog gets killed or lost, I will pay
for it."

Riqe prepa fene, "Jadi mox.  Biar kae silih, tetapi yako kaspinjaq kae tu naq
asu mox.  Ku sohix baa la ya naq asu saqa majaqan tu du saqa fafu, yax puna
dendeq, la yax toho rahex, la yako xfilix la kae."

"That won't work," said Abunawas.  "Even if you pay for it, I will not lend
you my dog.  Just wait here until my dog takes a deer or a pig, and I will
make jerky, and bring it, and sell it to you."

Riqe prepa fene, "Mohe.  Kalo eta yako safe taru-taruus fidi kae, ya naq kepeq
sepuh, jadi musti yako kaspinjaq ro-roin.  Ku eruk la yako kaspinjaq la yako
tu negrii oso la kami maqusir.  Jadi kam oso la kam maqusir dii, bu ramax tu
yak sewa fidi kae.  Ku kaba sewa lea taun emsian pila."

"No," said Bapa Raja, "If I continue to buy from you like this, I will spend
all my money.  Allow the villagers and I to borrow your dog and enter the
forest to chase.  Just tell me how much you want per day."

Riqe naa da ptea paa da pikir: "Moh.  Yako tewa kaspinjaq beta asu moox."

Abunawas sat mumbling, "No, I cannot lend out this dog."

Jadi sirua plawan.  Sirua plawa-plawa-plawano naa, Bapa Raja da prepa fen,
"Mohe.  Yako a sewa ka nam asu tu satu juta."

So they argued on and on.  At last Bapa Raja said, "I will hire your dog for a
million rupiahs."

Da prepa, "Jadi moox!    Ka sewa tu ya naq asu tu satu juta jadi moox.  Skaraq
kalo ku iqin ya naq asu, nam sukah butul-butulu dii, do nake esnaqax wahan dii
kita rua bageh."

"No," said Abunawas, "one million won't do.  If you really want this dog, then
we will share the spoils of the hunt."

Bapa Raja bina, "Boleh.  Kalo eta kae tu yako bage asu nax noro bole saja.
Asa beton pila yako sale asu ba naa?"  Bapa Raja prepa qei riqe fene, "Sudah.
Beto rua dii yako sale aso ba naa yako naqu huma lalen."

"Okay," said Bapa Raja, "we will share the spoils.  When can I expect your
dog?  Can you bring it here in a couple of days?"

Aa jadi Abunawas naa da pikir: "Kalo beto rua baa berarti riqe dufa asu sa
moh."  Riq bina, "Sudah.  Bara beto rua.  Yako laqgar kae.  Beton lima.  Beton
lima dii yako pahux asu."

"In two days I will have no dog," thought Abunawas.  "I'll have it here in
five days," he told Bapa Raja.

Eh.  Sirua pes sar faha sepo, Abunawas oli fadae, da iko egu eblafen duman.
Blafen duman dii pa da da dadix dodeso.  Da dadix dodeso oto kaku xnitan, oto
kamyoho na mbuan-embuan.  Da dadix oto mbuan dii, da holik emsian.  Holik
emsian gamaqnaa, da hapuh.  Hapu eta da hapu sepuh.  Hapu fifin, da hapu
kadan, hapu fahan.  Da sgerah.

They shook hands, and Abunawas returned to the hills.  There he got some
cuscus scent glands with which to bait his civet cat snares.  He set civet cat
snares on the ridges, where he found droppings, and managed to snare one
animal, which he tied up completely.  He tied its snout, tied its hind legs,
and tied its forelimbs.  Then he carried it to Bapa Raja's house in his arms
like a baby.

Da suba lawe Bapa Raja, da bina, "Bapa Raja, asu haix.  Ya kadux tu asu na
haix.

Reaching Bapa Raja's house, he said, "Here's the dog!  I am here with the
dog!"

"Jadi ya naq asu naa, Bapa Raja, da tewa ine beta pa rahe moo.  Asu naa musti
geba sgerah.  Halae.  Dan asu naa, bara holix takaruaq riqe moo.  Biasa yako
geba duan jua tetapi ya iko na musti yax hapu riqe, tu yax suba oto binataq
wahan baru yak holix gos-gosa, baru ya lapaas.  Aa yako caan dii, hine cuma
fafu pii--da dufa fafu pii--da dufa majaqan pii, caan iqan dii da keha saja.
Kalo da laun, yax taga sekah.  Jadi yako perhatikan kae, Bapa Raja, kalo ka
loa ilaq ya naq asu, pi kae exmata ya naq asu, tetaap kae silih mampu moo,
sebaap ku toux rahek, fi na beton pila sa lalen naa ka safe majaqan taruus, ka
safe fafu taruus, karena asu naa nake esnaqax wahan."

"So this dog of mine, Bapa Raja, cannot sleep on the ground," Abunawas said.
"It must be held in human arms.  Take heed!  And this dog must not be released
except at certain times.  Even I, its master, had to keep it tied up like this
to bring it here.  Whenever I release it, I just wait to hear the cry of a pig
or a deer.  When I hear this, I approach to thrust in my spear.  So I will be
watching you, Bapa Raja.  If you lose my dog, or if you kill my dog, you will
be unable to pay for it, for as you have seen, over the past several days you
have been buying deer and pig meet because of the hunting prowess of this
dog."

Jadi Bapa Raja da flali tuba.  Bapa Raja flali tuba, da kumpul rayat haqsiak,
da bina, "Skaraq yako pinjaq Abunawas nax asu, halae.  Beto taun emsian gebar
polo geran rua du defo la du sgera asu.  Saa sgerah eta pei fahan, da tuke
sakix laha geba dikat.  Saa sgerah eta pei fahan, tuke sakix laha geba dikat.

So Bapa Raja beat the drum, called all the people together, and said, "Now I
have borrowed Abunawas' dog.  Take heed!  All this night twelve men will sit
here to hold this dog in their arms.  One will hold it until his arms ache,
then pass it to the next, and so on.

Abunawas naa da kaa tuha da ino dii--du loa ixnaan gosa-gosa qei riqe, jadi
riq kaa eta uhan-uhan.  Da janji qei Bapa Raja, "Halaek yako naq asu ilaq beta
moo."  Jadi Abunawas naa riq da loa bodo Bapa Raja naa, tewa moo nax suka Bapa
Raja nax ana fina mhuka msian rete loqin lalen.

That night they prepared good things for Abunawas, who ate and drank his fill.
"Make sure my dog doesn't get lost," he charged Bapa Raja.   But all this time
Abunawas was deceiving Bapa Raja because he wanted a daughter of Bapa Raja's
who was up in the attic.

Aa jadi supan-supan sira iko.  Du iko eta du suba ax mehe kakun emsian, da
bage nake geba roito dii pa du jaga boli-boli.  Riqe da kerek oto kaku xnitan
dii, oto binataq wahan, baru da kerek pa da holik.  Holix leux kamyoho nii
fahan, bisu da holix kadan, baru da holix fifin, baru da lapaas!  Jadi kita
hansiak ma tewa kamyoho naa, ien dii bukan ien mahut.  Dii i emlahat.  Da kita
beta geba, da heka eta laha da mdao nax diri!  Jadi Bapa Raja holix gamaqnaa,
kamyoho dii laqsuq da loso mua dii, da loso taruus!  Da loso taru-taruus!

So in the morning they left.  They went until they reached a grassy slope, and
Bapa Raja divided his men up to stand guard all round while he took position
on the ridge, where the animal tracks were.  Then Bapa Raja released the civet
cat.  He untied its forelegs first, then its hind legs, then its snout, and
then he released it.  Now we know that civet cats are no tame things.  They
are wild.  And if they happen to see people, they flee with such speed as to
endanger their very lives.  So when Bapa Raja released it, the civet cat
bolted straight into the forest and disappeared forever.

Jadi Bapa Raja naa da sohi-sohi-sohi-sohi, ei! Fafu saa da laun moo, majaqan
saa da laun moo.  Nax geba roito jua bu du sohi et-et-etaa lipoton bisur
et-et-etaa kolino dii murex-murek!  Hah! Du leli taga Bapa Raja.  "Gamdoo?
Asu naa da saqa moo!"

So Bapa Raja waited and waited, but alas, no pig or deer squeeled in the
forest!  His men also waited and waited until the blazing sun turned their
skins blue.  Frustrated, they returned to Bapa Raja.  "What's going on?" they
asked, "this dog isn't biting."

Bina, "Tuqgu!  Yako a sgaeh riqe oto fafu wahan, majaqan wahan, ha jadi
tunggu!"

"Wait," said Bapa Raja.  "I released him among the pig tracks and the deer
tracks, so just wait!"

Sira tuqgu-tuqgu-tuqgu-tuqgu eta lea da oso kaku.  Heh!  Kasiaq!  Du bina,
"Kasiaq kae, Bapa Raja, karna naa Abunawas nax asu naa di eta difuk ma mampo
silih moo."  Dae, sira oli.

They waited and waited until the sun sank below the hills.  What a pity!  Then
they said, "Too bad for you, Bapa Raja, because if Abunawas' dog is now lost,
we will not have enough money to pay for it."  And they all went home.

Du oli suba ax huma, Abunawas (da tewa haix!) da defo sohi haix.  Serta
Abunawas da kita, da bina, "Bapa Raja, gamdoo ya naq asu?  I ha fidoo?  Yako
mau pakah."  Riqe basgerak ixnaan tuha piriq.  "Yako naq asu fidoo?  Yako mau
pakah."

Back at Bapa Raja's house, they found Abunawas waiting.  As soon as he saw
him, he said, "Bapa Raja, how is my dog?  Where is it?  I want to feed it."
He was cradling a plate of food in his arms.

Bapa Raja di bina, "Asu difuh haix."

"The dog is lost," said Bapa Raja.

Da bina, "Kasiaq, Bapa Raja!  Yako tewa naq asu difux moo.  Yako naq asu dii
ta oto.  Yako harap naq asu ta oto.  Yako ekrei, ya bina kae egu ya naq asu
moo.  Tapi kae bina kae egu asu, kae taqguqjawab.  Jadi yako a tarima kepeq
moo, a tarima ien dikat sa moo.  Skaraq yako naq asu holik."

"Alas, Bapa Raja," said Abunawas, "I refuse to believe that my dog is lost.
My dog is still here.  I trust that my dog is still here.  I told you not to
take my dog, but you said that if you took it, you would be responsible.  So I
will not accept money, or anything else.  I want my dog."

Bapa Raja ptea, da helahaih.  Jadi Bapa raja ptea naa, da pikir, da tewa kaa
beta moo, da tewa ino beta moo.  Nax finhaa da nei ixnaan, tapi jadi moo.
Lalen takaruaq tu Abunawas nax asu.

Bapa Raja sat down, sighed deeply, and lapsed into thought.  He could not eat
or drink.  Even when his wife set food before him, it wouldn't work.  His mind
was in turmoil over Abunawas' dog.

Aa supak-supak paha tuba, geba utun telo keha hamah.  Hama asu eta du hamah,
eta lea di da oso pao kaku, dufa asu moo.  Oli.

In the morning he beat the drum, and three hundred people went up to look for
the dog.  They searched and searched till the sun sank into the hills, but
found no dog.  Then they went home.

Bina, "Abunawas, skaraq kami dufa asu moo, jadi kae nam suka tenix?  Coba ku
kabah pa sepe bisa kami silih, sebap memaq yako tewa kae nam asu da saqa.
Fafu, majaqan--yako safe taru-taruus fidi kae.  Memaq yako tewah.  Kae nam asu
memaq kae nam keuntuqan, kae nam untuq.  Nam hidup dii da newe oto kae nam
asu.  Skaraq kae kaba tenik?"

"Abunawas," said Bapa Raja, "now we cannot find the dog, so what would you
have?  Please tell us, so that if we can, we will pay it, because I know for a
fact that your dog was an excellent hunter.  Pork, venison, I have purchased
them repeatedly from you.  I know that this dog was your profit and gain.
This dog was your very livelihood.  Now what will you demand?"

Riqe bina, "Bapa Raja, skaraq yako a sale kepeq moo, a sale harta moo.  Skaraq
yako a laha fen naq asu oli saja.  Sebap kepeq, harta, kae nam baraq mati,
tapi ya naq asu ya naq baraq mati.  Jadi skaraq da oli la ya naq asu oli
saja."  Jadi riqe eprepa la Bapa Raja, "Bapa Raja, kasiaq!  Kalo kae xdifu ya
naq asu, berarti ya naqu xnaax susah, naqu npakex susa, jadi a tarima kae nam
kepeq moo, ya tarima kae nam harta moo, sebap harta kae namu baraq mati, kepeq
kae nam baraq mati, jadi skaraq ya lahak naq asu oli, supaya bara loa susa
yako moo, yax bara loa susa kae moo."

"Bapa Raja," he said, "I will now accept neither money nor goods.  I ask only
for my dog.  Your money and your goods are dead things.  My dog was alive.  So
it all comes back to my dog.  Alas, Bapa Raja!  If you have lost my dog, it
will be hard for me to get food and clothes.  So I will not accept your money
or your goods, which are dead things.  I ask you to return my dog, so that I
will not trouble you, and you will not trouble me any more."

Bapa Raja da ptea dii, da pikir.  Da bina, "Mohe, Abunawas, skaraq kalo kae
nam suka kepeq tiga juta, berarti yako sili asu kepeq tiga juta."

Bapa Raja sat there thinking.  "Never mind, Abunawas," he said, "If you would
like three million rupiahs, then I will pay you three million rupiahs for this
dog."

Abunawas da bina, "Mohe, Bapa Raja, kalo eta kepeq tiga juta, yako a krei
butul-butuluh.  Yako a lahak asu saja."

"No, Bapa Raja," said Abunawas, "I would definitely not accept three million
rupiahs.  I ask only my dog."

Bapa Raja da defo lear telo betor telo, da lomo Abunawas tu asu filin.
Etatetaa Bapa Raja da toma mohe.  Bapa Raja da bina, "Sudah, Abunawas, skaraq
kae ekrei kepeq, kae ekrei harta, skaraq yako a sili kae nam asu mhei tu yako
naq ana fina msian.  Ka kitah haix pi mohede?"

Bapa Raja sat pleading with Abunawas about the price of the dog for three days
and nights.  Unable to come to an agreement, at last he said, "All right,
Abunawas, you have rejected money and you have rejected goods, now I will pay

for your dog with my one daughter.  Have you seen her?"

Aa Abunawas naa da loa pura-pura Bapa Raja.  Abunawas da bina, "Mohe.  Skaraq
kae nam ana fina, tetapi da dufa mejaqan moo, kae nam ana fina dufa fafu moo,
la ya kaa moo.  Jadi lebae yako kasmakaq kae nam ana fina bole, tapi ya dufa
fafu moo, ya dufa majaqan moo.  Jadi yax laha asu oli."

But Abunawas kept up his pretence to Bapa Raja.  "No," he said, "your daughter
cannot bring deer or pig: I will not eat.  I may have to feed your daughter,
but I will get no pork or venison.  I ask for my dog."

Da bina, "Moo, Abunawas.  Skaraq gamnaa.  Bara kae emtako moo.  Kalo kae kaweq
tu ya naq ana fina, sepu kae nam asu filin.  Kae sili ii sa tehux la yako
mohe.  Jadi dii ya laha kepeq sa fidi kae mohe, ya laha baraq sa fidi kae
mohe, tu cukup tu asu filin.  Jadi bara mtako moo.  Skaraq yako sili kae nam
asu tu yako naq ana fina, Potria Loqin Lalen.  Aa jadi yako egu Potria Loqin
Lalen la kae, skaraq kalo eta kae sadar la bisa kae ampoq yako tu nam asu, kae
kaweq tu ya naq anat, aa skaraq kae defo ganti yako na huma.  Skaraq yako toho
fidi raja, kae jua prenta sakix raja sakik."

"No, Abunawas," he said, "Do not be afraid.  The price of your dog will cover
my daughter.  You will pay nothing more to me.  I will ask no money or goods
of you.  The price of your dog will cover everything.  So do not fear.  I will
now pay for your dog with my daughter, Potria Loqi Lalen.  I will bring Potria
Loqi Lalen to you, and if you come to your senses, and forgive me, I will step
down, and you will live in this house, and rule in my stead."

Riqe da, "Mohe!"  Da xrei!  Memaq da tewa dii karna nax iqin fina naa, tapi
riqe pura-pura xrei Bapa Raja hede.

"No!" he said, still keeping up his pretence to Bapa Raja although he really
wanted the girl.

Bapa Raja bina, "Mohe.  Yako a lahak fidi kae kaweq tu ya naq anat."

"No," Bapa Raja said, "I ask that you marry my daughter."

Abunawas di bina, "Mohe.  Yako kaweq beta tu kae nam anat moo.  Skaraq yax sea
asu."

"No," said Abunawas, "I cannot marry your daughter.  I ask for my dog."

Da bina, "Moo, bara mtako!  Kalo kae kaweq tu ya naq anat, tetaap kae nam asu
filin dii yako potoq saja tu ya naq anat.  Kae sili ii sa la yako moo."

"No," said Bapa Raja, "Don't worry.  I will ask nothing more for my daughter
than the price of your dog.  You will pay me nothing."

Aa riqe da lahak lalen telo, da xrei lalen telo.  Aa skaraq pao mori memaq
riqe nax suka.  Riq bina, "Sudah.  Kalo gamdii, kae emhesek yako ka ya kaweq
tu kae nam anat, skaraq kae loa surat emsian, musti kae tekeq.  Kae tekeq,
haqsiax negrii tekeq, paa supaya yako kaweq dii, tetap yako kaweq bebas.
Pesta, yako loa pesta mohe, nama sapan yax taqgoq untuk kami rua nami kaweq
dii, yako a taqgoq eta msian moo, karna ya naq asu filin tirin!  Filin haa!
Jadi skaraq yako bebas.  A taqgoq nama segala naa, yako bebas.  Kae tu
masarakat haqsiax taqgoq."

Bapa Raja asked three times, and Abunawas refused three times.  But in the
end, it turned out that Abunawas really wanted it.  "All right," he said, "if
you insist upon forcing me to marry your daughter, then I want you and your

people to sign a document stating that you are giving her to me freely.  I
will not pay for the feast, nor for a single thing pertaining to our marriage.
The price of my dog was very great, so I will be free.  You and your people
will be responsible for all these things."

Aa, "Bole, kalo kae erux gamdii, karna naa kesalahan kami haqsiak.  Kami
kampoq taun kesalahan."

"All right," said Bapa Raja, "in that case I will agree, because I and my
entire village are at fault."

Jadi skaraq Bapa Raja da loa surat.  Flali tuba gamaqnaa, masarakat da taga
sepo, riqe da psara.  Psara mribe-mribe la masarakat.  "Skaraq yako kaskaweq
Abunawas tu Putria Luqi Lalen, yako laha kepeq eta matan emsian moo.  Jadi
skaraq riqe da kaweq naa, yako a sili asu tu yako naq ana fina, Potria Luqi
Lalen.  Jadi skaraq kimi geba negrii taun haqsiax, kimi setuju pi moo?"

So Bapa Raja prepared the document, and beat the drum, and the people
gathered, and he spoke plainly to them in these words: "Now I am going to
marry Abunawas to Potria Luqi Lalen.  I will not ask him for a single piece of
money.  I am paying for his dog with my daughter, Potria Luqi Lalen.  Do you,
the people of this village, agree?"

Negrii taun da sade Bapa Raja, da bina, "Sekaraq kami setuju."

And the entire village answered, "We agree."

Aa sira sgeda "setuju" lalen telo pee, Bapa Raja da puna surat tekeq
pernyataan terhadap Abunawas.  Abunawas pee tekeq.  Jadi riqe kaweq bebas.

And when the people had said, "We agree," three times, Bapa Raja signed the
document.  Abunawas also signed.  And Abunawas married without paying.

Aa sepu dihe.

And so ends our tale.