The Saga of the Child of Padan Sigau
(A Sebob Saga)
Padan Sigau lived at Tebau Na-a
A man of great renown
He married a lady called Bungan from Alo Mara
They had a child, the child of Bungan
who was born at Tebau Na-A
A very brave lad he proved to be
an expert at the blowpipe
all the folks at Tebau Na-a and Alo Mara
were in admiration of him
the child of Padan Sigau
All the people of that kampong had rays coming out
from their bodies down to the little son of Padan Sigau
They all praised and flattered him
The people of Tebau Na-a
But they said to him: On no account
must you go bathing
They stood on the steps of the house
to sing a song of praise
To this child of Padan Sigau
A very brave fellow Balun Ngareng
Sang the praises of Padan Sigau
As he stood with his child
A fine fellow from Leppo Tebau Na-a
Here we begin to sing the praises
Of Padan Sigau
Padan Sigau had a very good child
Who grew up at Tebau Na-a
Come all of you to come and praise the child
From his arm emerge rays
Leppo Batong
even from the very marrow
of the child of Padan Sigau
The people of Leppo Alo Mars
were very surprised to see him
“What? You have not seen him until now?”
they exclaimed
When the people of Tebau Na-a
first saw his tears rolled down their cheeks
He went down to the river to bathe
At the bathing place near the house
The people of Tebau Na-a did not want him to leave them
and advised that he wait till the end of the month
before going for a bath
They did want him to go bathing
lest he lose his strength
but he was unwilling to obey them
the famous child of Padan Sigau
The child started to cry
and all the people of Leppo Tebau Na-a
came to comfort him because
he was crying so bitterly
He kept on crying not wanting to
following their advice and made off
to the water’s edge
The people in the house became quite upset
and rushed down to the riverbank
but he was gone
“What can be helped” they cried
His mother set out to search for him
to bring him back
but as soon as she reached him
away he darted, not wanting to obey her
So his father caught up with him
as the child strode boldly from rock to rock
His father did not want to walk to the ground
and felt very sorry for him
All relations followed after
the runaway child
And to comfort the father and mother
But the little lad said to them
“Don’t you people fuss yourselves
I can use my eyes”
Up everyone sprang in the village
of Leppo Tebau Na-a
But the child escaped and
dashed along the river as though
he was walking on steps
After him, they ran over logs
one after the other
until they came to rock with steps cut in it
He used this as a landing place
and then came to a long rapid stream
Over scrambled, over these rocks
the rocks were carved by a dragon “Bali Sunggei !”
He had to make a long detour over
the rocks, the precious rocks of gold
One rock he saw was a big diamond
and now he got onto the firm ground again
and came to a bridge
he put his hands over his eyes
and all the people watched the child of
Padan Sigau in consternation
and with one heart and mind
they wondered at their child prodigy
They all came together
and what a huge crown they were!
The father got hold of the lad and
hoisted him his back afraid he might get hurt
He carried him safely over the bridge
By Bali Matang !
“Don’t think of anything else; only take care of the child”
said the spirit
“Whoever hurts this child does wrong to all mankind”
“Don’t worry” said the father” I won’t think of aught else”
“That’s right,” said the spirit “Keep your mouth shut:
only take care of the child”
So they all watched as the father carried
him safely back home
“Wait a bit,” said the father “I want to wash him now” which he did
Quickly they hurried him to the house
Afraid lest he disappears again into the river
They all stood guard on the steps
of the house and at the riverbank
They all went home after this
People say you can see his grave (because his father gave him a bath)
To this day at Leppo Taban Na-a
The grave of the beloved child of Padan Sigau
Fr: Japat Tempurong translated by the Very Rev A.D. Galvin The Child of Padan Sigau in The Sarawak Museum Journal December, 1965
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