"I shall return tomorrow for another fight"

UYAU KETULANG AND his mother were very poor and lived in an old hut near a Kenyah longhouse.

    One  day, Ketulang who was fishing by the river, felt something pull at his line. HE carefully brought his line in and to his surprise, he saw that a bone was caught in the book. Ketulang threw the bone back into the river and in a short while, he felt another tug at same bone was caught in the hook.

    By this time, Ketulang was very angry and scolded the bone for wasting his time. To his great surprise, the bone said," Since you have scolded me, I challenge you to a fight."

    Ketulang was both angry and amused and was about to throw the bone into the river whn it suddenly changed into a boy of his age and size. He caught the stranger's throat and gripped him so hard that the stranger cried out in pain. Ketulang then let him go and hoped that would be the end of their meeting. However, the stranger was not satisfied and said that he would return the next day.

    True to his words, the stranger came the following day.

    Ketulang's mother was at the door when he came. Acting on her son's instructions, she pretended not to know anything and said,"Can i help you?"

    When the stranger told her was looking for her son, she answered, "I am sorry but my son has just gone in search of food. He won't be back till late this afternoon."

    "Don't cry to protect him. I can see him hiding among the firewood,"the stranger said, much to the widow's surprise.

    When Ketulang heard this, he came out of his hiding place and the second fight began. Once more Ketulang won  and helped that the stranger would not trouble them anymore.  But the stranger only said, "I shall return tomorrow for another fight.  Do not think you have got rid of me so quickly, young man."

    That night, Krtulang and his mother thought of a plan to teach the stranger a lesson.  Finally, Ketulang came up with an idea.

    When the stranger arrived the next day, Ketulang's mother again told him that her son was not in.

    "Don't lie to me.  I can see him hiding in the log.  I am going to get him, " he said, threateningly.

    When she heard  this threat, the widow rushed to the log and set one end on fire.

    "Let me tell you that the fire shall not stop me from entering the log.  I shall go in from the other end," said the stranger.

    He rushed straight to the hole and before  very long, Ketulang's mother heard loud voices and a struggle.

    "Let go of my neck!  I cannot breathe! " cried the stranger.

    But Ketulang did not want to let him go, until the stranger promised to give him a magic plate which would give them all sorts of food when it was struck.  He also told them he would give them bees and wasps to guard the plate.

    When the stranger was freed, he asked Ketulang to follow him to his house to get the plate.  They reached the river bank and Ketulang was told to jump into the river with him.

    Together, they jumped into the cool water.  Before he knew it,  they had arrived at the stranger's house.  He gave Ketulang the magic plate as promised and brought him back to his own world again.  From that day on, neither Ketulang nor his mother had to go searching for food.  However, this sudden change of fortune made their neighbours curious, but Ketulang and his mother did not tell anyone about their secret possession.

        Then one year, the rain did not come.  The crops and the vegetables could not grow and the animals died slowly.  The villagers were starving.  But Ketulang and his mother had plenty to eat.  When they saw what had happened,  they made up their minds to help their neighbours.  Ketulang and his mother fed them with food from the magic plate.

    Then one day, his mother came out with the magic plate and hit it before everyone, and all at once the plate was covered with food. So the secret was out.  Everyone knew of the magic plate and was happy for Ketulang and his mother.  But one, Jalong, the headman, wanted the plate for himself.

    "Ketulang, may I borrow your magic plate?" asked Jalong, one day.  "There are more people in the village who are starving.  The plate will give them food."

    "All right, but please return it soon, " Ketulang said.

    Jalong took the plate, but kept it for his own use, while his own people were starving.  Finally, Ketulang went to see Jalong.

    "I would like to have my plate back, please.  I need it to feed the villagers, "Ketulang said.

    Jalong laughed and said, "Sorry, son, that plate belongs to me now."

    "But you cannot keep what doesn't belong to you.  IT is mine, " pleaded Ketulang.

    "Go away. I am the headman and you have no right to tell me what to do, "Jalong said.

    "I shall order the bees to sting you, Jalong, if you don't give me my plate."

    Jalong only laughed, so Ketulang called the bees for help.  They flew straight at Jalong  who cried out in pain.

    "Call the bees away.  I shall return the plate."

    But as soon as the bees left,  Jalong was his stubborn and greedy self again.  He refused to give Ketulang his plate.  So Ketulang, who was now very angry,  called on the wasps.

    This time a swarm of wasps covered  Jalong's body with stings.  The pain was so great that he begged for mercy and promised to return the plate.

    When the wasps flew away, Jalong humbly returned the plate to Ketulang, and Ketulang used it to feed the villagers until the rain came.