![]() His intended victim, had meanwhile found a very venomous snake, which lay coiled up asleep. Furious at the trick played upon him by the little kantjil, he hurried after the fugitive to get his revenge. No sooner said than done so when the kantjil had reached a safe distance, he called back to the tiger, "You may begin now," whereupon the tiger hungrily seized what he thought was a delicious morsel, only to be cruelly deceived. Once wished to be allowed to eat the royal food, but the kantjil refused for a long time, advising him not to touch it and saying that it would be wrong to betray his trust but at last he agreed to let the tiger have his way if he would promise to wait before eating it until he, the kantjil, had gone for thus the blame might be escaped. I am guarding it." The tiger, being very hungry, at When the tiger came up, and overcome by curiosity asked what he was doing, the mouse-deer said, "This is food belonging to the king. One day the kantjil was resting quietly when he heard a tiger approaching and feared for his life, wherefore, quickly taking a large leaf, he began to fan a pile of dung which happened to lie near. The order of the incidents varies considerably in different regions, although the series usually starts with a tricky exploit which rouses enmity and pursuit. ![]() Sundry other tales of a like character seem to be recorded only of the ape, and others again only of the tortoise. In these tales or fables (for very many of them are indeed such) the mouse-deer usually plays the leading part in Borneo, Java, and Sumatra, as well as among the Malays of the Malay Peninsula whereas in Celebes and Halmahera the same exploits are often attributed to the ape. Corresponding to the Maui cycle in Polynesia in universality, characteristic quality, and popularity, but differing entirely in type, are the Indonesian trickster tales centring about the mouse-deer (kantjil or pelanduk), the tarsier ape, or the tortoise and these stories, of which there are very many versions, may well be considered next, and before taking up those of more miscellaneous character. IN Polynesia the tales of the exploits of the hero Maui formed a cycle which was current everywhere in one form or another, and which was in many ways, perhaps, the most characteristic of legends as it was the most popular.
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