THE FLOATING ISLAND

Like a mirror framed in soft velvet green, the lake broke upon
Piang. In the still noon heat the motionless water scintillated
and sparkled and the powerful rays of the sun seemed to penetrate
to the very bottom. Dragon-flies and spiders skated merrily about,
eluding the ever-watchful fishes lying in wait amid forests of lacy
seaweeds and coral. Tall, stately palms, towering above their mates,
scorned to seek their reflections in the clear depths, but frivolous
bamboo and nipa-palms swayed gently out over the water, rustling and
chattering with delight at their mirrored images.

Piang slipped through the mouth of the creek and gazed in amazement at
the vast sheet of water. Stories of the lake and its wonderful floating
islands had lured him from the more direct route to Ganassi Peak, and
he eagerly searched for one of the curiosities. His eyes focused on a
dot of green far in the distance. It was moving, turning, and suddenly
a whole fleet of dancing, playful islands became distinct. Joyfully
Piang started in pursuit. He wanted to see one, to touch it. Swiftly
he flew through the water. As if detecting his purpose, the nomad
islands eluded him. As soon as he chose one to pursue, it flaunted
its charms the more and capered and dodged behind its fellows. Like a
giant may-pole, the largest island held several smaller ones in leash,
permitting them to revolve around it, interlacing vines and creepers
that were rooted on the mother isle. Monkeys and jungle creatures
crept fearlessly along these natural ropes, sporting from one island
to another. Hablar-birds and aigrets squabbled over bits of rice
and wild fruits. Piang caught sight of a civet-cat crouching in a
tree on one island. It had probably gone to sleep in that tree while
the island was nosing the mainland and had awakened to find itself
adrift. Sometimes these floating islands would be held to the shore
for years, intertwining liana (climbing plants of tropical forests)
and _bajuca_ (jungle rope), but sooner or later some wild storm is
sure to set them wandering again.

There were weird tales of early Dyak settlers. These Borneo pirates had
fled to Mindanao to escape justice, bringing many cruel and terrible
customs that were to take root and bear fruit among the tribes of the
sultan. A favorite pastime of the Dyaks had been to bind captives to
a stray island and lead it slowly and tantalizingly to the mammoth
waterfalls, shouting and danc