The don herself dances in the character of the
prince wearing a loin cloth male fashion over her own
dress. One of the men of the sept comes forward to
the platform and kneeling on the ground holds up a
basin containing an offering before the don, who after
throwing a folded cloth over the man's arms takes two
little fishes from the basin and sticks them on the
points of her two swords. She flourishes them and then
taking off the fishes puts them down again. She then
takes a sword in one hand and a comb of plantains in
the other, and having flourished these puts them down
and afterwards dances. Next she goes out as the prince
to meet his lover, and having found her in the forest,
the two pledge faith by pouring water, and return home,
that is, enter the booth. Here there is more pouring



THE TALAINGS 157

of water with the sprinkhng of the body, manipulation
of the large and small tray as in a former item, the
kalok things returned to the cage and the woman playing
the princess dances in the usual way.
The don next performs the ceremony of eating the
fish. She prepares a tray with cakes, etc., and a bigger
fish. The music begins and she postures seated and
again holds the two little fishes. She smells the fishes,
then the cakes and things on the tray. Next she stands
up and dances flourishing the swords and the music
quickens. She afterwards removes everything from the
tray except the fishes, veils her face and head, and
going through the ceremony of eating the fish behind
her veil, finishes dancing.
