blessed. The soul that meets with neither fate,
is punished according to its sins: if it has lied, its mouth pains;
if it has been a thief, its hands itch and burn, and eventually,
after the period of punishment is over, it precedes to heaven,
cleansed of its sins."

The big ape, sleeping soundly, emitted a snore so human, that Piang
laughed.

"Why does the packda look so like a man, Ganassi?"

"Because he once _was_ a man," was the startling reply. "He
was lazy and, instead of working, climbed trees and hunted minas
(monkey-nuts). A companion, becoming vexed, uttered a curse on him
and threw a stick at him. These things clung to the lazy man: the
stick became a tail, and the curse deprived him of speech. Ashamed
of himself, he and his family took to the trees, never to return."

Many questions were put to the wise old hermit, and his ready answers
astonished, but satisfied, Piang. Night came on, and the strange
company lay down together under the shelter of the banian and slept.

Piang was very happy. He had reached Ganassi, was proclaimed the
real charm boy, and was at last to receive the glorious charm. Some
said it was a star tossed to Moroland by the Creator, that it was the
emblem of power, and that he who wore it would be filled with a divine
understanding. Others believed it to be the great diamond of Borneo,
captured many years before from the pirates of that fierce land. Piang
did not care which it proved to be, as long as it shone and sparkled
with beauty. All agreed that its brilliance dazzled the eye, that its
magnificence was unrivaled. Ganassi had waited a hundred years for
the charm boy who was destined to wear it, and at last the star had
proclaimed Piang to be the lucky boy. Through Piang's dreams flitted
the visions of shimmering jewels of gold, and the happy smile on the
boy's lips made old Ganassi's heart glad.

"Up, up with you, sleepyhead!" called Ganassi. "The sun will catch
you napping if you do not hurry."

Piang sleepily rubbed his eyes and sat up. Horror and fright seized
him as he beheld the body of the python curled up beside him and the
packda contemplating him with indifference. From the doorway Ganassi
smilingly watched him.

"Come, my subjects are assembling; they will all assist in the ceremony
of the sacred charm." The charm! Piang remembered and jumped to his
feet. Creatures from all over the mountain were answering Ganassi's
weird call; the air was full of fluttering b