the whole order and machinery of. the piece** regulating the time of the music
with a small "hammer which he holds in-his hand* while he recites the
speeches suited to the occasion. •
wâyang pm- In the ïvâycmg pûrwa, or vadyatig of! the most ancient-times, the subject
is taken from the earliest periods of fabulous .historyj down to the reign* of
0 pamkésit inclusive. - This' is-, -the; age of interesting story» and marvellous
fiction, the reign of the godsj demigods, and heroes of the. Hindu and Javan
mythology, who in these .representations Are exhibited ytith. thé attributesj
and in the situations with which-their; names are, connected'-in the most
popular poemannd romances, Tbefables thus turned fee weeount, are gene*
rally taken from the-poem o£ ltdma, the poem o f Mirdm’dga. containing the
penance of Arjuna on the mountain Indra-,, and.. the j celebrated epic irf. lhé
Brdta Yudha, orjtb#war.of.tbe Pandawau ? These poems are all written in
what are termed the high measures, and are accompanied in their recital by
Xhc gdmelan saléndra. In the performancerof this 'wdymgy 'dv&.Ddlmg first
recites a few verses in the Kâæ% language,. changing .after wards an interpretation
of the, .passage, in Javan* t,fbr the use of the unlearned* j -As the several
characters, are, brought forward j - he himseW;. supplies fh©.'.minor dialogue
between .the,.dramatis personae, keeping in. general close tenthe original
story* when there.is any person present who couldsdéfeefët.his deviations ;'.if
beds performing before .the ignorant» however (he ;f#equently digresses from
the main story, in any waywhieh fie thinks iroay most readily amiise his
audience ; and on. this account, the practice •},ef. rçenderingvthe JKdwi into
Javan,' • which furnishes an- opportunity for such deviations, is termed cha-
rdrigan, , literally, a- branch. from à, free... .In the ofj* the entertainment,
all the .varieties, of .ancient.weapons named, in these poems are\ represented
behind the transparent curtain,,. The interest. -ex cited,by siich spectacles,
connected,,with national, recollections, is almost, inconceivable* Thè eager
multitude will-sit listening with rapturous delight and. profound attention
for .whole .nights, to .tfiesegude dramas*, ;*iBy i^ans ofsfehem,;vShe .lower ^ptess
have an opportunity: ,of picking- up.a.fewJfdwj terms, and . of becoming
acquainted, with the- ancient legends of the? country,
wây&ng gédog. , The subject of the 'wdyang tgéd&g is takenn&om the. period of-history
sutecquent.to Pg0jcési%, commencing: with ihareigmof .Qmdrorydna and
including the-adventures, and reign of the celebrated Pdryi, and that of his
Successor Laléan, until he established himself at Pajcgdran, These poems
being
being composed: in a different measure, the gdmelan pélog is employed as
the accompaniment« and although .the history of the early paft of this
period is written, in # » K am ,th eJM la n g always employs the Javan trans»
lation. The adventures o f Fdtyi compose the most popular portion of i l
The characters are . numerous, and the. figures in general more highly
coloured and better finished than those, of .the wdyJMigp&r'wa.- In bringing
any hero on rthe stagey the ■ -Iddlang recites those verses-of the history which
relate to ihimjf and antroduoes .such dialogue as may..give a dramatic effect to
the exhibition, together; with such explanations as may -make it intelligible t®
common capacities.
In the wdyang Jclitik the figures?exhibited are-more properly puppets than wiyang
shadows: they- are of wood,-,about tett inches high,, and made to perform,
their parts without the intervention o fa curtain. In. these are represented
that portion pf .the? history commencing, with the-establishment of the
western empire of Ptyajdran and ending with the destruction q>f .the eastern
empire of■ MtyapdfrfL <Jf this,..hy far themost favourite scenes gre. found
in the popular story of the adventures between thé MênakJing’go,-- a .chief
of Baiambdng’an, and Ddmar- Wulan (the light? of sthe moon), on account
of the Princess* of Majapdhit.
. The .compositions .which thus serve .as ,fhe basis of-these popular and
interesting entertainments, comprise the legends from which the account
of thé earlier periods of Javan story, detailed in another part ,of. this work,
is principally derived. The .most popular and afiteresting events and
adventures are preserved and «elated in various compositions,, whilst more
iecent actions .and..events,, which possessed less.interest,.- have, fallen into
•oblivion. The constant exhibition of these, plays in every, part of the
country, hut more particularly in itl^e eastern districts,,has..served .to. ;keep
aKve the cecdileetions. of “ days, long since, gone by,” and to disseminate a
general knowledge of. native, legendary .history, among many, with whom,
from, the ignorance of. letters,, th e ,,stories might q|hqrwise have .been
irretrievably lost or more grossly .distorted. ,
The Bdlangs, who manage and. epndudt-these .amusements* are,treated;MaDgs-
with considerable respect. • In many pointy,dheir office stroj^ly rcseruhles
that of the ancient bards. The. ceremony o f giving his. blessing itoathé ihst
born inffwt, In, tlm repetition. of isome, particular. passages of the,.ancient
legends, givesthis part of his office a very peculiar, interest.. The «usual
g j f .............. payment