Quietly Piang gave his orders; unquestioningly he was obeyed. After hismishap he had not regained consciousness for two days, and during hisillness he had prated senselessly about trees that were alive and vinesthat had eyes, much to the disturbance of Kali Pandapatan and Asin. Butwhen he whispered his suspicions to his chief, Kali gave a low whistle.
Asin and Tooloowee were taken into the secret, and they set to workto develop Piang's plan. A wild boar, which had been captured forcrocodile bait, was fastened to a pole in the middle of the _campong_(clearing). Around it was built a bamboo pen, opened at one end, fromwhich extended a low, fenced-in lane about forty feet long. Arrangedin this lane, at intervals, were slip nooses of ratan, which, risingabove the structure, looked like skeleton arches.
Impatiently the Moros waited for night; fearfully they watched themango-tree. There was no tom-tom serenade such as usually heraldsthe coming of night; no fires were lighted; the evening meal wasforgotten. An ominous silence pervaded the barrio.
Night came--soft, fragrant night, with its thousand wonders. Theinquisitive moon peeped over the palm fronds, peeped again, anddecided to remain. Papita, her anklets and bangles clinking dully,moved listlessly about, sorrowing for her lost pet; Sicto followedher persistently, annoying her with his attentions. The sulky mestizotook pleasure in provoking the little girl, for was she not Piang'sfavorite, and was not Piang his enemy? He moodily contemplated thecharm boy at work on the silly-looking structure that he was notallowed to approach.
When it was finished, Kali Pandapatan ordered every one to go totheir homes, to lock and bar the doors, and, under pain of hisdispleasure, to make no sound. The death-like stillness was fraughtwith tension. From the window in the nearest house, Piang keptwatch with Kali, Asin, and Tooloowee; in his hand he held the ratancable that controlled the nooses in the narrow lane. Minutes, hourstrailed by, and still the barrio watched. A gentle wind awakened theforest whispers and gathered its freight of seed and pollen to scatterabroad. The prisoner in the deserted campong protested and struggled,its ugly grunts disturbing the jungle peace. Dull clouds obscured themoon, and for a long time the barrio was in darkness. When the lightburst suddenly upon them, the Moros started from their drowsinessand gazed with awe on the swaying, shuddering mango-tree. Not a leafwas stirring on the surrounding trees, but the mango rustled andtrembled ominously.
"See, Kali! I was right!" whispered Piang. No superstitious horrorpervaded the hut where the four men watched, but in every other houseMoros fell upon their faces, beseeching Allah to protect them fromBal-Bal. The capricious moon plunged into a shadowy cloud again. Thenext flood of light disclosed a vision so horrible that even Kali andhis brave followers stiffened with fear. Out of the mango-tree a black,writhing mass crept toward the terrified squealing boar. Unfoldinglength after length, the thing advanced, until nearly thirty feetof sinuous, undulating life stretched between the mango tree andthe boar's cage. Papita, sickened with fear, buried her face in hermother's bosom, weeping hysterically; Sicto, pale and trembling,grasped the window for support.
"_Ular-Sawa!_" ("Giant python!") he gasped, hastily closing thewindow. A little captive monkey whined pitifully.
The massive creature, distracted by the sound, paused, head up,forked tongue darting in and out of the open jaws, for the RegalPython has no ears, but hears with its tongue. That delicate nervecenter registers sounds by vibration, and when a python is eager tolisten, it extends its black, forked tongue.
"Oh, will it go into the trap?" breathed Piang. The boar, watchingits fate, squealed, and the python advanced. Missing the easy lane,it approached the cage from the side, and tried to batter it downwith its powerful head. Failing in this, it attempted to slip overthe fence, but the pickets had been sharpened to prevent this, andfinally it discovered the opening.
Seeming to disapprove of the symmetrical structure, it hesitated tothrust its enormous length into the strange-looking thing. The Moroswere fearful lest the creature escape and continue to overshadow theirbarrio. Once the python seemed about to retreat, but at that momentthe boar struggled so desperately that the python's natural instinctprevailed, and without a moment's hesitation, it writhed into the lane,past the first loop, past the second, until it reached the cage.
"Now, Piang, now!" softly whispered Kali. Calculating the distance,Piang jerked the ratan cable, and the noose tightened around thesnake's throat.
In a moment the fence was lashed to pieces, and the pickets were flyingabout like so many chips, as the serpent fought and struggled. Piangand his helpers secured the cable to a post and rushed into thecampong. Catching hold of the other cables, they pulled them tighterand tighter until the snake was unable to move.
The clouds were heavy and the moon shone fitfully.
"Torches!" yelled Kali, and the women scurried about in searchof them. Piang and Tooloowee cautiously approached the monster'shead, holding on a stick some cotton soaked with poison. Savagelythe python bit at the extended stick, and the cotton caught on thelong recurved teeth. Try as it would, it could not get rid of itsmouthful. The Moros congratulated themselves, thinking the dangerpast, little knowing what the fatal consequences would be. Under thestimulus of the poison the python began to expand, until the loopsof ratan creaked and snapped. The snake did not plunge or struggle,but quietly, steadily pulled. That python broke green ratan thongshalf an inch in diameter, and soon twisted out of all its fasteningsexcept the one about its neck. Catching hold of the mango-tree with itstail, it pulled until its eyes bulged from the sockets, but the ratanheld. Releasing its hold on the tree, it flopped about the campong,pulling and straining at the cable.
Finally it lay perfectly still, its dull, lidless eyes rollingupward. Without any warning, its lithe tail shot outward, swept thecrowd of bystanders, and those fatal, living rings closed around Sicto,compressing the unfortunate boy with such force that he gasped forbreath. Without a thought for the helpless boy, the women droppedthe torches and fled screaming through the night, leaving the campongin darkness.
Only Piang came to the none too popular mestizo's assistance. He hurledhimself at the reptile's head, campilan raised to strike, but insteadof falling upon the mark, his knife severed the one remaining cableand set the monster free. Perceiving its new antagonist, and feelingits freedom, the snake rapidly unwound its tail from Sicto, who fell tothe ground with a dull thud. Darting forward with lightening rapidity,it caught Piang in its circular embrace, and, coiling its tail aroundthe tree, flattened the boy against it, as if in a mill. Tighter,closer hugged those massive, chilling rings, but Piang fought bravely.
"A light! a light!" screamed Tooloowee, as he dragged the insensibleSicto away, and, out of a nearby hut dashed a slender, graceful figurein response to the call, a fresh torch streaming its smoke and sparksaround her head.
"Quick, Papita," urged Tooloowee, and the girl came fearlessly tothe aid of Piang.
"Piang!" she wailed. "Why didn't you let it have Sicto!" Hervoice seemed to put new life into the suffocating boy. With onesupreme effort Piang managed to loosen his arm and struck once,twice. The python, now bleeding profusely, hissed and writhed, stilltightening around the boy. Once again Piang thrust, at last reachingthe creature's heart. The rings loosened, relaxed, and Tooloowee'swell-aimed blow severed the awful head, which bounced and rolled toPapita's feet.
Adventures of Piang the Moro Jungle Boy Page 15
