DOI Artikel:
Swettenham, Frank Athelstane: The Ûnka
DOI Seite / Zitierlink:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.25498#0199
By Frank Athelstane Swettenham 195
all the sldmang, and, when the other denizens of the forest were
worried beyond endurance, by the constant bickerings, murders,
and retaliations of these creatures, an edict was issued by which
all the unka were compelled, for all time, to live on the right of
the Perak River and the sldmang on the left—neither being
allowed to cross the river.
A friend of mine who lived on the right bank of the river and
wished to test the truth of this legend, made pets of a very small
sldmang and a rather large dnka, for whom places were laid and
chairs put at every meal. They were not confined in any way
and their manners were indifferent, for, though they were served
with every course at each meal, they seemed to take an impish
delight in pulling the dishes out of the hands of the servants who
passed within their reach.
As my friend was writing one day at a large round table, on
which a number of official letters were lying awaiting his signature,
I saw the sldmang climb, slowly and without attracting attention,
on to the table, where, for a time, he sat without stirring,
regarding my friend with earnest and sorrowful eyes. Then, by
degrees, he gradually edged himself towards the inkstand, and,
when quite close to it, dipped his hand into the pot and carefully
wiped his inky fingers in a sort of monkey-signature on each of
the beautifully prepared official despatches. When, at last, my
friend discovered what the sldmang had done, and made as though
to catch and punish his tormentor, the small imp disappeared over
the side of the table, making piteous little cries, and thcunka, who
had been watching the proceedings through the window, came in
and hurried his companion on to the roof, where they always
retired to concoct some new outrage.
In spite of these signs of original sin, the unka, concerning
which I have made these casual references, were, on the whole,
of
all the sldmang, and, when the other denizens of the forest were
worried beyond endurance, by the constant bickerings, murders,
and retaliations of these creatures, an edict was issued by which
all the unka were compelled, for all time, to live on the right of
the Perak River and the sldmang on the left—neither being
allowed to cross the river.
A friend of mine who lived on the right bank of the river and
wished to test the truth of this legend, made pets of a very small
sldmang and a rather large dnka, for whom places were laid and
chairs put at every meal. They were not confined in any way
and their manners were indifferent, for, though they were served
with every course at each meal, they seemed to take an impish
delight in pulling the dishes out of the hands of the servants who
passed within their reach.
As my friend was writing one day at a large round table, on
which a number of official letters were lying awaiting his signature,
I saw the sldmang climb, slowly and without attracting attention,
on to the table, where, for a time, he sat without stirring,
regarding my friend with earnest and sorrowful eyes. Then, by
degrees, he gradually edged himself towards the inkstand, and,
when quite close to it, dipped his hand into the pot and carefully
wiped his inky fingers in a sort of monkey-signature on each of
the beautifully prepared official despatches. When, at last, my
friend discovered what the sldmang had done, and made as though
to catch and punish his tormentor, the small imp disappeared over
the side of the table, making piteous little cries, and thcunka, who
had been watching the proceedings through the window, came in
and hurried his companion on to the roof, where they always
retired to concoct some new outrage.
In spite of these signs of original sin, the unka, concerning
which I have made these casual references, were, on the whole,
of