It is related that there once lived at Salouang a husbandman who owned a slave named Badang, whom he employed in clearing forest-land. It happened one day that Badang spread his nets in the river; but on the following morning he found his net quite empty, and by its side some fish-scales and fish-bones. The same thing took place for some days following. Badang flung the fish-scales (_sisik_) into the river; from which circumstance was derived the river's name, Besisik. Meanwhile the slave said to himself: "Who is it who eats the fish caught in my net? I must watch and find out." With this intention he hid one day behind some trees and saw a _hantou_, or evil genius, or monster, who was eating the fish taken in his net. This _hantou_ had eyes red as fire, his hair was like woven osiers, and his beard fell down to his waist. Badang drew his knife, and, screwing up his courage, rushed up to the _hantou_ and seized him. "Every day," he said, "you eat up my fish. But this time you shall die at my hands." On hearing these words, the _hantou_ was afraid, and slipped aside, wishing to avoid the hands of his adversary; but failing to do so, he said to him: "Do not kill me; I will give you what you wish, on condition that you spare my life." Badang thought: "If I ask for riches, my master will claim them. If I ask the power to become invisible, they will put me to death as a sorcerer. Therefore it is best for me to ask for the gift of physical strength, in order that I may do the work of my master." In accordance with this resolution, Badang said to the _hantou_, "Give me the gift of physical strength; let me be strong enough to tear down and to uproot the trees; that is, that I may tear down, with one hand, great trees, a fathom or two in girth." The _hantou_ answered: "Your prayer is granted. You wish for strength; I will give it to you; but first it is necessary that you eat up what I vomit." "Very well," said Badang; "vomit, and I will eat it up." The _hantou_ vomited, and Badang set to work to eat it. He held the _hantou_ by the beard, and would not let him go. Then he attempted the uprooting of great trees; and, seeing that he tore them up with ease, he let go the beard of the _hantou_. Afterward, coming and going through the forest, he tore down enormous trees; he carried off, roots and all, those of a fathom or two in girth. As for the small ones, he tore them up by handfuls and flung them on all sides. In a moment the forest which had been a wilderness became level as a great plain. When his master saw this work he said: "Who has cleared our land? For I see that it is suddenly freed entirely from trees and brushwood." "It is I," said Badang, "who have effected this clearance." Then answered the master: "How have you been able to do this, single- handed, so quickly and in one job?" Then Badang related all the details of his adventure, and his master gave him his liberty.