o my friends as
_Bunsu Burong_ (the youngest of the bird family), or _Bunsu Katupong_
(the youngest of the _Katupong_ family). This house as you noticed seems
very empty. The reason is that a month ago many of our people were
killed by some of the people in your house, and we are still in mourning
for them. As you know when our relatives have lately died, we stay
silent in our rooms, and do not come out to receive visitors or
entertain them. On the morning of the day on which you arrived, all the
men of this house went on the war-path, so as to obtain some human
heads, to enable us to put away our mourning. With us as with you, it is
necessary that one or more human heads be brought into the house before
the inmates can give up sorrowing for their dead relatives and friends.
All the people in this house, when at home, are in the form of human
beings, but they are able to transform themselves into birds. My father,
Singalang Burong, is the head of this house. I am the youngest of eight
sisters. We have no brothers alive; our only brother died not long ago,
and we are still in mourning for him, and that is the reason why my
sisters did not come out to greet you."

Siu heard with surprise all she had to say. He thought to himself that
it was lucky he did not bring up to the house the birds which he had
killed in the jungle, and that he had hidden them with his blow-pipe and
quiver containing poisoned darts in the brushwood near the well. He
determined to say nothing about the matter, as probably some of her
friends and relations were among the birds that were killed by him.

So Siu married Bunsu Burong, and continued to live in the house for
several weeks.

One day he said to his wife, "I have been here a long time. My people
must surely be wondering where I am, and whether I am still alive. My
mother too must be very anxious about me. I should like to return to my
people, and I want you to accompany me. My mother and my friends are
sure to welcome you as my wife."

"Oh, yes, I will gladly accompany you back to your home. But you must
remember and say nothing of the things you have seen or heard in this
house."

They started early the next day, taking with them enough food for four
days, as they expected the journey would last as long as that. Siu's
wife seemed to know the way, and after journeying three days, they came
to the stream near the house, and they stopped to have a bath. Some of
the children of the house s