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BeforetheHighandFar-OffTimes,OmyBestBeloved,cametheTimeoftheVeryBeginnings;andthatwasinthedayswhentheEldestMagicianwasgettingThingsready.
FirsthegottheEarthready;thenhegottheSeaready;andthenhetoldalltheAnimalsthattheycouldcomeoutandplay.
AndtheAnimalssaid,‘OEldestMagician,whatshallweplayat?’andhesaid,‘Iwillshowyou.
HetooktheElephant—All-the-Elephant-there-was—andsaid,‘PlayatbeinganElephant,’andAll-the-Elephant-there-wasplayed.
HetooktheBeaver—All-the-Beaver-there-wasandsaid,‘PlayatbeingaBeaver,’andAll-theBeaver-there-wasplayed.
HetooktheCow—All-theCow-there-was—andsaid,‘PlayatbeingaCow,’andAll-the-Cow-there-wasplayed.
HetooktheTurtle—All-the-Turtlethere-wasandsaid,‘PlayatbeingaTurtle,’andAll-the-Turtle-there-wasplayed.
Onebyonehetookallthebeastsandbirdsandfishesandtoldthemwhattoplayat.
Buttowardsevening,whenpeopleandthingsgrowrestlessandtired,therecameuptheMan(Withhisownlittlegirl-daughter?)
—Yes,withhisownbestbelovedlittlegirl-daughtersittinguponhisshoulder,andhesaid,‘Whatisthisplay,EldestMagician?’
AndtheEldestMagiciansaid,‘Ho,SonofAdam,thisistheplayoftheVeryBeginning;butyouaretoowiseforthisplay.’
AndtheMansalutedandsaid,‘Yes,Iamtoowiseforthisplay;butseethatyoumakealltheAnimalsobedienttome.’
Now,whilethetwoweretalkingtogether,PauAmmatheCrab,whowasnextinthegame,scuttledoffsidewaysandsteppedintothesea,sayingtohimself,‘Iwillplaymyplayaloneinthedeepwaters,andIwillneverbeobedienttothissonofAdam.’
Nobodysawhimgoawayexceptthelittlegirl-daughterwheresheleanedontheMan’sshoulder.
AndtheplaywentontilltherewerenomoreAnimalsleftwithoutorders;andtheEldestMagicianwipedthefinedustoffhishandsandwalkedabouttheworldtoseehowtheAnimalswereplaying.
HewentNorth,BestBeloved,andhefoundAll-the-Elephant-there-wasdiggingwithhistusksandstampingwithhisfeetinthenicenewcleanearththathadbeenmadereadyforhim.
‘Kun?’saidAll-the-Elephant-there-was,meaning,‘Isthisright?’
‘Payahkun,’saidtheEldestMagician,meaning,‘Thatisquiteright’;andhebreatheduponthegreatrocksandlumpsofearththatAll-the-Elephant-there-washadthrownup,andtheybecamethegreatHimalayanMountains,andyoucanlookthemoutonthemap.
HewentEast,andhefoundAll-the-Cowthere-wasfeedinginthefieldthathadbeenmadereadyforher,andshelickedhertongueroundawholeforestatatime,andswalloweditandsatdowntochewhercud.
‘Kun?’saidAll-the-Cow-there-was.
‘Payahkun,’saidtheEldestMagician;andhebreatheduponthebarepatchwhereshehadeaten,andupontheplacewhereshehadsatdown,andonebecamethegreatIndianDesert,andtheotherbecametheDesertofSahara,andyoucanlookthemoutonthemap.
HewentWest,andhefoundAll-the-Beaver-there-wasmakingabeaver-damacrossthemouthsofbroadriversthathadbeengotreadyforhim.
‘Kun?’saidAll-the-Beaver-there-was.
‘Payahkun,’saidtheEldestMagician;andhebreatheduponthefallentreesandthestillwater,andtheybecametheEvergladesinFlorida,andyoumaylookthemoutonthemap.
ThenhewentSouthandfoundAll-the-Turtle-there-wasscratchingwithhisflippersinthesandthathadbeengotreadyforhim,andthesandandtherockswhirledthroughtheairandfellfaroffintothesea.
‘Kun?’saidAll-the-Turtle-there-was.
‘Payahkun,’saidtheEldestMagician;andhebreatheduponthesandandtherocks,wheretheyhadfalleninthesea,andtheybecamethemostbeautifulislandsofBorneo,Celebes,Sumatra,Java,andtherestoftheMalayArchipelago,andyoucanlookthemoutonthemap!
ByandbytheEldestMagicianmettheManonthebanksofthePerakriver,andsaid,‘Ho!SonofAdam,arealltheAnimalsobedienttoyou?’
‘Yes,’saidtheMan.
‘IsalltheEarthobedienttoyou?’
‘Yes,’saidtheMan.
‘IsalltheSeaobedienttoyou?’
‘No,’saidtheMan.‘OnceadayandonceanighttheSearunsupthePerakriveranddrivesthesweet-waterbackintotheforest,sothatmyhouseismadewet;onceadayandonceanightitrunsdowntheriveranddrawsallthewaterafterit,sothatthereisnothingleftbutmud,andmycanoeisupset.Isthattheplayyoutoldittoplay?’
‘No,’saidtheEldestMagician.‘Thatisanewandabadplay.’
‘Look!’saidtheMan,andashespokethegreatSeacameupthemouthofthePerakriver,drivingtheriverbackwardstillitoverflowedallthedarkforestsformilesandmiles,andfloodedtheMan’shouse.
‘Thisiswrong.LaunchyourcanoeandwewillfindoutwhoisplayingwiththeSea,’saidtheEldestMagician.
Theysteppedintothecanoe;thelittlegirl-daughtercamewiththem;andtheMantookhiskris—acurving,wavydaggerwithabladelikeaflame,—andtheypushedoutonthePerakriver.
Thentheseabegantorunbackandback,andthecanoewassuckedoutofthemouthofthePerakriver,pastSelangor,pastMalacca,pastSingapore,outandouttotheIslandofBingtang,asthoughithadbeenpulledbyastring.
ThentheEldestMagicianstoodupandshouted,‘Ho!
beasts,birds,andfishes,thatItookbetweenmyhandsattheVeryBeginningandtaughttheplaythatyoushouldplay,whichoneofyouisplayingwiththeSea?’
Thenallthebeasts,birds,andfishessaidtogether,‘EldestMagician,weplaytheplaysthatyoutaughtustoplay—weandourchildren’schildren.ButnotoneofusplayswiththeSea.’
ThentheMoonrosebigandfulloverthewater,andtheEldestMagiciansaidtothehunchbackedoldmanwhositsintheMoonspinningafishing-linewithwhichhehopesonedaytocatchtheworld,‘Ho!
FisheroftheMoon,areyouplayingwiththeSea?’
‘No,’saidtheFisherman,‘IamspinningalinewithwhichIshallsomedaycatchtheworld;butIdonotplaywiththeSea.’Andhewentonspinninghisline.
NowthereisalsoaRatupintheMoonwhoalwaysbitestheoldFisherman’slineasfastasitismade,andtheEldestMagiciansaidtohim,‘Ho!RatoftheMoon,areyouplayingwiththeSea?’
AndtheRatsaid,‘IamtoobusybitingthroughthelinethatthisoldFishermanisspinning.IdonotplaywiththeSea.’Andhewentonbitingtheline.
Thenthelittlegirl-daughterputupherlittlesoftbrownarmswiththebeautifulwhiteshellbraceletsandsaid,‘OEldestMagician!
whenmyfatherheretalkedtoyouattheVeryBeginning,andIleaneduponhisshoulderwhilethebeastswerebeingtaughttheirplays,onebeastwentawaynaughtilyintotheSeabeforeyouhadtaughthimhisplay.
AndtheEldestMagiciansaid,‘Howwisearelittlechildrenwhoseeandaresilent!Whatwasthebeastlike?’
Andthelittlegirl-daughtersaid,‘Hewasroundandhewasflat;andhiseyesgrewuponstalks;andhewalkedsidewayslikethis;andhewascoveredwithstrongarmouruponhisback.’
AndtheEldestMagiciansaid,‘Howwisearelittlechildrenwhospeaktruth!NowIknowwherePauAmmawent.Givemethepaddle!’
Sohetookthepaddle;buttherewasnoneedtopaddle,forthewaterflowedsteadilypastalltheislandstilltheycametotheplacecalledPusatTasek—theHeartoftheSea—wherethegreathollowisthatleadsdowntotheheartoftheworld,andinthathollowgrowstheWonderfulTree,PauhJanggi,thatbearsthemagictwinnuts.
ThentheEldestMagicianslidhisarmuptotheshoulderthroughthedeepwarmwater,andundertherootsoftheWonderfulTreehetouchedthebroadbackofPauAmmatheCrab.
AndPauAmmasettleddownatthetouch,andalltheSearoseupaswaterrisesinabasinwhenyouputyourhandintoit.
‘Ah!’saidtheEldestMagician.‘NowIknowwhohasbeenplayingwiththeSea;’andhecalledout,‘Whatareyoudoing,PauAmma?’
AndPauAmma,deepdownbelow,answered,‘OnceadayandonceanightIgoouttolookformyfood.OnceadayandonceanightIreturn.Leavemealone.’
ThentheEldestMagiciansaid,‘Listen,PauAmma.
WhenyougooutfromyourcavethewatersoftheSeapourdownintoPusatTasek,andallthebeachesofalltheislandsareleftbare,andthelittlefishdie,andRajaMoyangKaban,theKingoftheElephants,hislegsaremademuddy.
WhenyoucomebackandsitinPusatTasek,thewatersoftheSearise,andhalfthelittleislandsaredrowned,andtheMan’shouseisflooded,andRajaAbdullah,theKingoftheCrocodiles,hismouthisfilledwiththesaltwater.
ThenPauAmma,deepdownbelow,laughedandsaid,‘IdidnotknowIwassoimportant.HenceforwardIwillgooutseventimesaday,andthewatersshallneverbestill.’
AndtheEldestMagiciansaid,‘Icannotmakeyouplaytheplayyouweremeanttoplay,PauAmma,becauseyouescapedmeattheVeryBeginning;butifyouarenotafraid,comeupandwewilltalkaboutit.’
‘Iamnotafraid,’saidPauAmma,andherosetothetopoftheseainthemoonlight.
TherewasnobodyintheworldsobigasPauAmma—forhewastheKingCrabofallCrabs.NotacommonCrab,butaKingCrab.
OnesideofhisgreatshelltouchedthebeachatSarawak;theothertouchedthebeachatPahang;andhewastallerthanthesmokeofthreevolcanoes!
AsheroseupthroughthebranchesoftheWonderfulTreehetoreoffoneofthegreattwinfruits—themagicdoublekernellednutsthatmakepeopleyoung,—andthelittlegirl-daughtersawitbobbingalongsidethecanoe,andpulleditinandbegantopickoutthesofteyesofitwithherlittlegoldenscissors.
‘Now,’saidtheMagician,‘makeaMagic,PauAmma,toshowthatyouarereallyimportant.’
PauAmmarolledhiseyesandwavedhislegs,buthecouldonlystiruptheSea,because,thoughhewasaKingCrab,hewasnothingmorethanaCrab,andtheEldestMagicianlaughed.
‘Youarenotsoimportantafterall,PauAmma,’hesaid.
‘Now,letmetry,’andhemadeaMagicwithhislefthand—withjustthelittlefingerofhislefthand—and—loandbehold,BestBeloved,PauAmma’shard,blue-green-blackshellfelloffhimasahuskfallsoffacocoa-nut,andPauAmmawasleftallsoft—softasthelittlecrabsthatyousometimesfindonthebeach,BestBeloved.
‘Indeed,youareveryimportant,’saidtheEldestMagician.
‘ShallIasktheManheretocutyouwithkris?
ShallIsendforRajaMoyangKaban,theKingoftheElephants,topierceyouwithhistusks,orshallIcallRajaAbdullah,theKingoftheCrocodiles,tobiteyou?’
AndPauAmmasaid,‘Iamashamed!GivemebackmyhardshellandletmegobacktoPusatTasek,andIwillonlystiroutonceadayandonceanighttogetmyfood.’
AndtheEldestMagiciansaid,‘No,PauAmma,Iwillnotgiveyoubackyourshell,foryouwillgrowbiggerandprouderandstronger,andperhapsyouwillforgetyourpromise,andyouwillplaywiththeSeaoncemore.
ThenPauAmmasaid,‘WhatshallIdo?IamsobigthatIcanonlyhideinPusatTasek,andifIgoanywhereelse,allsoftasIamnow,thesharksandthedogfishwilleatme.
AndifIgotoPusatTasek,allsoftasIamnow,thoughImaybesafe,Icanneverstirouttogetmyfood,andsoIshalldie.’Thenhewavedhislegsandlamented.
‘Listen,PauAmma,’saidtheEldestMagician.
‘Icannotmakeyouplaytheplayyouweremeanttoplay,becauseyouescapedmeattheVeryBeginning;butifyouchoose,IcanmakeeverystoneandeveryholeandeverybunchofweedinalltheseasasafePusatTasekforyouandyourchildrenforalways.’
ThenPauAmmasaid,‘Thatisgood,butIdonotchooseyet.Look!
thereisthatManwhotalkedtoyouattheVeryBeginning.
IfhehadnottakenupyourattentionIshouldnothavegrowntiredofwaitingandrunaway,andallthiswouldneverhavehappened.Whatwillhedoforme?’
AndtheMansaid,‘Ifyouchoose,IwillmakeaMagic,sothatboththedeepwaterandthedrygroundwillbeahomeforyouandyourchildren—sothatyoushallbeabletohidebothonthelandandinthesea.’
AndPauAmmasaid,‘Idonotchooseyet.Look!
thereisthatgirlwhosawmerunningawayattheVeryBeginning.
Ifshehadspokenthen,theEldestMagicianwouldhavecalledmeback,andallthiswouldneverhavehappened.Whatwillshedoforme?’
Andthelittlegirl-daughtersaid,‘ThisisagoodnutthatIameating.
Ifyouchoose,IwillmakeaMagicandIwillgiveyouthispairofscissors,verysharpandstrong,sothatyouandyourchildrencaneatcocoa-nutslikethisalldaylongwhenyoucomeupfromtheSeatotheland;oryoucandigaPusatTasekforyourselfwiththescissorsthatbelongtoyouwhenthereisnostoneorholenearby;andwhentheearthistoohard,bythehelpofthesesamescissorsyoucanrunupatree.’
AndPauAmmasaid,‘Idonotchooseyet,for,allsoftasIam,thesegiftswouldnothelpme.Givemebackmyshell,OEldestMagician,andthenIwillplayyourplay.’
AndtheEldestMagiciansaid,‘Iwillgiveitback,PauAmma,forelevenmonthsoftheyear;butonthetwelfthmonthofeveryyearitshallgrowsoftagain,toremindyouandallyourchildrenthatIcanmakemagics,andtokeepyouhumble,PauAmma;forIseethatifyoucanrunbothunderthewaterandonland,youwillgrowtoobold;andifyoucanclimbtreesandcracknutsanddigholeswithyourscissors,youwillgrowtoogreedy,PauAmma.’
ThenPauAmmathoughtalittleandsaid,‘Ihavemademychoice.Iwilltakeallthegifts.’
ThentheEldestMagicianmadeaMagicwiththerighthand,withallfivefingersofhisrighthand,andloandbehold,BestBeloved,PauAmmagrewsmallerandsmallerandsmaller,tillatlasttherewasonlyalittlegreencrabswimminginthewateralongsidethecanoe,cryinginaverysmallvoice,‘Givemethescissors!’
Andthegirl-daughterpickedhimuponthepalmofherlittlebrownhand,andsathiminthebottomofthecanoeandgavehimherscissors,andhewavedtheminhislittlearms,andopenedthemandshutthemandsnappedthem,andsaid,‘Icaneatnuts.Icancrackshells.Icandigholes.Icanclimbtrees.
Icanbreatheinthedryair,andIcanfindasafePusatTasekundereverystone.IdidnotknowIwassoimportant.Kun?’(Isthisright?)
‘Payah-kun,’saidtheEldestMagician,andhelaughedandgavehimhisblessing;andlittlePauAmmascuttledoverthesideofthecanoeintothewater;andhewassotinythathecouldhavehiddenundertheshadowofadryleafonlandorofadeadshellatthebottomofthesea.
‘Wasthatwelldone?’saidtheEldestMagician.
‘Yes,’saidtheMan.‘ButnowwemustgobacktoPerak,andthatisawearywaytopaddle.
IfwehadwaitedtillPauAmmahadgoneoutofPusatTasekandcomehome,thewaterwouldhavecarriedustherebyitself.’
‘Youarelazy,’saidtheEldestMagician.‘Soyourchildrenshallbelazy.
Theyshallbethelaziestpeopleintheworld.
TheyshallbecalledtheMalazy—thelazypeople;’andhehelduphisfingertotheMoonandsaid,‘OFisherman,hereistheMantoolazytorowhome.
Pullhiscanoehomewithyourline,Fisherman.’
‘No,’saidtheMan.‘IfIamtobelazyallmydays,lettheSeaworkformetwiceadayforever.Thatwillsavepaddling.’
AndtheEldestMagicianlaughedandsaid,‘Payahkun’(Thatisright).
AndtheRatoftheMoonstoppedbitingtheline;andtheFishermanlethislinedowntillittouchedtheSea,andhepulledthewholedeepSeaalong,pasttheIslandofBintang,pastSingapore,pastMalacca,pastSelangor,tillthecanoewhirledintothemouthofthePerakRiveragain.Kun?’saidtheFishermanoftheMoon.
‘Payahkun,’saidtheEldestMagician.‘SeenowthatyoupulltheSeatwiceadayandtwiceanightforever,sothattheMalazyfishermenmaybesavedpaddling.
Butbecarefulnottodoittoohard,orIshallmakeamagiconyouasIdidtoPauAmma.’
ThentheyallwentupthePerakRiverandwenttobed,BestBeloved.
Nowlistenandattend!
FromthatdaytothistheMoonhasalwayspulledtheseaupanddownandmadewhatwecallthetides.
SometimestheFisheroftheSeapullsalittletoohard,andthenwegetspringtides;andsometimeshepullsalittletoosoftly,andthenwegetwhatarecalledneap-tides;butnearlyalwaysheiscareful,becauseoftheEldestMagician.
AndPauAmma?Youcanseewhenyougotothebeach,howallPauAmma’sbabiesmakelittlePusatTaseksforthemselvesundereverystoneandbunchofweedonthesands;youcanseethemwavingtheirlittlescissors;andinsomepartsoftheworldtheytrulyliveonthedrylandandrunupthepalmtreesandeatcocoa-nuts,exactlyasthegirl-daughterpromised.
ButonceayearallPauAmmasmustshakeofftheirhardarmourandbesoft-toremindthemofwhattheEldestMagiciancoulddo.
Andsoitisn’tfairtokillorhuntPauAmma’sbabiesjustbecauseoldPauAmmawasstupidlyrudeaverylongtimeago.
Ohyes!AndPauAmma’sbabieshatebeingtakenoutoftheirlittlePusatTaseksandbroughthomeinpickle-bottles.Thatiswhytheynipyouwiththeirscissors,anditservesyouright!
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