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The three fathers, being of low caste, are not introduced by the usual penasar or Poenta; in fact they play the part themselves, the two minor fathers wearing Poenta's head-cloth, instead of a high-caste headdress, and singing about themselves, just as real attendants would relate the exploits of their masters. They all have, of course, as their private servant, a kartala or comic companion. Tirta, however, being the juene premier, is dressed as an Ardja prince, and Basoer's crazy son Tigaron, his rival, being the 'mad mantri', matches Tirta in dress, and has the normal two attendants. It is this curious division of parts, as well as the singular story and supernatural climax, which sets Basoer in a class apart. There are more male eccentrics in a Basoer cast than in any other, for besides the hysterical parents and the crazy Tigaron there may be as many as three witch-doctors to deal with Sokasti's illness; one eccentric but unsuccessful, another equally strange but successful, and a third in the guise of a leyak with a tail, who competes vainly with the beneficent balian and is destroyed by his powerful magic. Of eccentric women there is the Limboer, Tigaron's mother, and her servant, Desak, with her usual extravagant head-dress flowing with palm-leaf streamers, and a fine display of eccentric dance-steps.

He wears wide trousers with transverse stripes of black and white, over which hang gold leather aprons and curving streamers. This is Paksi Gagak, the crow who lives in the kepoeh-tree and has stolen the chicken's eggs. He holds his wings in the gloved long-nailed hands of Rangda. There is a fierce colloquy between the bird and the patih. They fight and the patih retreats, and his attendants are knocked over. Again the Boris patih advances, and this time the bird is put to flight. It continues roaring from behind the tree. The lance bearers begin to draw their lines together, though they still remain crouched. They now fill the whole space, while the penasar and kartala move among them and address them. They are now the army of King Swadadala. Rising they lift their lances and hold them erect, turning on one foot. Then with loud cries, their cloaks of batik covering them hey point their lances to- wards the tree, bending down to cut it at the root.

It depends on the village in which it is performed, and the supply of actors, which elements shall prevail in Basoer. There may be lovely lyrical scenes between Sokasti and her maid or her at first reluctant lover Tirta; or choleric fathers and comic servants may preponderate, or there may be a welter of necromancy and fantastic dance, half comic, half awe-inspiring, culminating in either case in the Durga transformation of Basoer. Whichever aspects predominate, such strange and varied elements enter into the story and can be mingled so ingeniously that Basoer is always choreographically and musically interesting, and can be one of the most fascinating sung dramas in Bali. There is great scope both for dancers and singers, sentimental and comic.

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