When he was disinclined to comply with her wishes she
forced him by using her nails on a tender spot. She shows herself to-day
as alang, the black hawk.
The descendants of this pair are also Kamkamiak, evil antohs of women at
childbirth. The offspring of the dogs is another kind of antoh, called
Penyakit (sickness). One of these appears in the form of a large goat
which is seen only occasionally. It bites in the neck and the throat, the
wounds are invisible, and the victim must die on the second or third day.
When the descendants of Mai Boang are ill they become better when relating
the story of Boang.
NOTE. - The handsome woman who figures in this story is an evil antoh which
afflicts women at childbirth and by the Ot-Danums and others is called
Kamkamiak, the one with the long nails. She is also commonly known by the
name Branak. She causes the woman to lose much blood and to have pain in
the uterus, the nails of the antoh playing an important part in these
conditions. Men who work in the utan gathering rubber, rattan, etc., are
liable to get a disorder under the scrotum that looks like scratches, and
which ulcerate and may be troublesome for several months or a year. These
are ascribed to the long nails of the antoh, Branak, and sacrifices of
sugar and eggs are offered.
Pontianak, the well-known town in the Western Division of Dutch Borneo, is
the name of another good-looking female antoh, who causes injury to women
at childbirth.
Some evil antohs, by Kahayans and others called kuyang, also select
maternity victims. They are believed to fly through the air at night,
appearing like fireflies, and enter the woman through head, neck, or
stomach, doing much harm. They are supposed to suck blood, and when a
woman dies at childbirth from bleeding, the belief is that it was caused
by these evil spirits that in the daytime appear as ordinary human beings.
They are also able to suck blood from men and kill them. The goat is at
times an antoh, as is also the case with the water-buffalo, which may
appear in dreams and cause illness.
The period of time required for "cooking rice" mentioned in the tale is
called one pemasak, equal to about half an hour.
21. THE PATIN FISH
(From the Katingans; kampong Talinka)
A Dayak went fishing and caught a patin which he took home in his prahu.
He left the fish there and advised his wife, who went to fetch it. Upon
approach she heard the crying of an infant, the fish having changed into a
child, and she took it up, brought it home, gave it to eat and drink, and
clothed it. The little one proved to be a girl who grew to womanhood,
married, and had children. She said to her husband: "As long as we are
married you must never eat patin."
After a time the husband saw another man catch a patin, and feeling an
irresistible desire to eat the fat, delicious-looking fish, he was
presented with a portion which he took to his house and cooked. Seeing
this, his wife for the second time said: "Why do you eat patin? You do not
like me." "I must have this," he said, and he ate, and also gave it to his
children to eat. "I am not human," she said, "I am patin, and now I will
return to the water. But mind this: If you or your descendants ever eat
patin you will be ill." And she went down to the river and became fish
again. Since that time her descendants do not eat patin, even when they
accept Islam. Some have dared to break the rule, and they have become ill
with fever and diarrhoea, accompanied by eruptions, abscesses, and open
sores on the arms and legs. The remedy is to burn the bones of the fish
and waft the smoke over the patient. For internal use the bones pulverised
and mixed with water are taken.
NOTE. - This fish, by the Dutch called meerval, is said to be about a metre
long, and though eaten with impunity by some, its flesh is evidently
poisonous, and, according to reports, if taken will cause the flesh to
fall from the bones. In accordance with a custom apparently universal
among Dayaks, of leaving quarry for the women to bring home, the patin
when caught is usually left at the landing float to be disposed of by the
wife of the fisherman.
The Kiai Laman, a Kahayan, and a Mohammedan, who related the story, does
not eat this fish, nor water turtle. Mr. B. Brouers, of Bandjermasin,
whose mother was a Dayak noble from the Lower Kahayan, was instructed by
her never to eat turtle. He, being a Dutchman, disregards this and nothing
has ever happened, as he said, but he added that an acquaintance who did
likewise lost the skin of his finger-tips.
22. THE STORY OF THE BIRD PUNAI
(From the Kahayans of Kuala Kapuas)
Long, long ago a man was catching punai with sticks to which glue had been
applied. One was caught under the wing and fell to the ground. As he went
to take it up it flew away a short distance. This happened several times,
but at last he seized it, when suddenly it changed to a woman. He brought
her to his house and said he wanted to make her his wife. "You may," she
replied, "but you must never eat punai." This story happened in ancient
times when many antohs were able to change into human beings.
The woman bore him many children. One day, when in a friend's house,
people were eating punai, and he also ate some of it. His wife learned
this and said to him:
