Sivut kuvina
PDF
ePub

spots here and there, for Dági could not see what his hand was doing. The two women brought home the food, and they became Dági's wives and remained with him. In the night when the women were sleeping Dági sent out his hand and caught a number of pigs, kangaroo, and cassowaries, placing them by the side of the two women who found them into the morning. They cut up the animals and cooked them.

After a while the two women went aside and whispered among themseives, „Poor fellow, more better me cut him hand (arm) belong him too heavy. That time he sleep me cut him.“ In the evening Dági called out as usual, „Nobody there? Who go kaikai plenty pig, cassowary, kangaroo? To-night I no go kill nothing, other night go again." Then he fell asleep, and the two women said, „Time belong you me fellow now, he sleep all night." After a while they tried to rouse him saying, „You sleep? House he burn!" 52 But Dági did not move. Then they cut off his arm in two places, a little above the wrist and a little below the shoulder, and throwing away all the mindle part they glued the two stumps together. They gave the new arm the exact length of the other arm. The flesh was cut through with a bamboo knife and the bone with a shell. Dági was dead asleep all the while. After the operation was done the two women shaved all his body leaving the eyebrows and moustache intact. The latter is regarded as the ornament and fighting thing" of a man, as it is missing with the women. A little hair was also left under the chin, at the centre of the chest and at the genital organs except the penis which they shaved. Then they painted Dági black with cinder and water and white with mud, and put on him all kinds of ornaments. They also left a basin with water close to him in order to enable him to see his reflection on awaking. They buried the severed portion of the arm and cleaned the house carefully after which they lay down to sleep.

[ocr errors]

After a while Dági began to stir and woke up, and his two wives watched him in secret. He lifted up the arm which had been cut off and exclaimed, „Halloo!" Thinking that it was his short arm he lifted the other, but that too was short. „Halloo, he all same!" he cried. Neither arm was heavy any more. He passed his hand over his body and felt that there was no hair. At last he got up and cried out, „Dági, Dági, Dagi!" and his two wives watched him all the while rejoicing. Dági looked at his reflection in the water and exclaimed, „Me there, me proper man! Me got paint, plenty nice thing I got! Hallo, I all right, I man now! And he jumped up and danced round in the house shouting out, „Good now? All right now!" Awaking his wives he said, "What name (why) you fellow sleep? I all right now! To-night I been stow away that hand, I good now." But the two women knew that that was not true and said, „Oh, you gammon, you no been make himself, me two been make him."

The two women arranged to go back to their place and make preparations for a great dance which they intended to hold, and Dági was to follow them later on. On their way home. they called in many villages asking the people to come and dance, and this invitation was brought to the Gúruru, Táti, Búgia, Tátirue, Mírapo, Bádu (Írupi), Dárube, Láme, Ólme, Wáleámu, Írue, and Áripara peoples (abbrev.).

Great preparations were made for the dance by the two women and Dági, and on the appointed day the invited people made their appearance (abbrev.). Dági arrived with the others, and he drew his bow and called out, "No moroi Dági! Me Dági here!" None of the people

[graphic]

knew him, and the purpose for which the two women held the dance was to show him to everybody: „Altogether people, you look Dági, Dági there." 45

A great quantity of food was distributed, and all the different people ate in groups by themselves. At sundown they began one of the dances which are peculiar to the ,,bushmen". They sang many songs, one of which was the following,

„Kánega klede dédeode ipa sápa dédeode. - Night-time I look, man he good, plenty fine

thing. Daytime I look, plenty sore he been kaikai body."

The dance went on all night. At sunrise they killed two tame pigs and distributed the meat among the different groups of the people, and then they all went home. Dági and his two wives returned to his abode at Sásasáree, and there they remained. After a time the elder woman bore a boy who was named Núe, and the younger woman a girl. One day when the children had grown up Dági said, "No got no people here, more better that boy and girl make him people." And they were married.

The continuation of this tale runs into that about Núe and the making of the first coconut (cf. no. 263 B; Námai, Mawáta).

A.

One day long ago when the Másingára people were working in their gardens close to the village a certain man who remained at home committed sodomy with a boy who was sleeping in one of the houses. The boy's father had asked the man to do it, for that was a practice which made the boys healthy and strong.. The people did not want the women and children to know of it. But the boy shrieked out complaining what the man was doing, and everybody heard him, the women and children too. It was a very bad thing that the secret was let out to the women, and in consequence of that the ground began to shake, a great flood rushed in from the sea, and the people were all drowned. After that the water went back.

A certain great man escaped in a canoe and went to a place called Túmamópe. There he hid in a large drum. His body was covered with hair like a cassowary. or a pig, and his arms were like two enormous snakes. He used to steal in the people's gardens in the same way as in the first version. He also carried away the food which two Táti women named Púape and Pápe had prepared for their pigs. The younger sister tied up the hand and followed it to Dági's place. She did not tell her elder sister what she saw there, and another night she again went to Dági, cut off his arm to an ordinary length and provided the end of the stump with fingers. She shaved and ornamented his body, and Dági was greatly surprised on awaking. The woman brought him to her sister, and he married them both. One day they held a dance. Dági beat his drum, and the women danced. He sang, „Bine údrebode ólena váplemale péne gávedobo dárubepéne. People belong me he die long time.

Where all people? I dance self (alone), nobody help me."

[ocr errors]

After hunting in the bush Dági used to sing the following song on his way back in order to let his wives know that he had been successful,

„Núgu kámuda lialia séa gie mlále úpera."

Dági's elder wife bore a boy who was named Núe, and his younger wife a girl who was named Ómeme, and when the children grew up they married. (Some Másingára men).

THE MAN WITH THE ENORMOUS PENIS.

366. A certain man named Wáple and his mother lived by. themselves at a place called Ébebe. His penis was enormous, like a large snake. One day Wáple said to his mother, „No

good you me (we) stop self (by ourselves), he no got no people. More better you go look some people." At first the woman did not find anybody, but another time she met twelve girls who lived by themselves without a father or mother. ,,What name (why) you come here?" they asked her. ,,I come look round some people. I stop along boy belong me, I want some people stop along me two fellow." "You got boy?" the girls asked her. ,,Yes, I got boy, me stop house.“

[ocr errors]

The old woman took the eldest girl home with her. She slept in a large house and her son in a small hut. On arriving home she said to Wáple, „I got one girl here, I been find him." You put him along that house where you stop," replied Wáple. The girl did not suspect anything evil, and the old woman said to her, „Boy belong me stop along bush." But that was not true, for he stayed in the small hut. The woman and girl prepared food, and at sundown the former brought some to her son. She warned him saying, "That good woman, you no kill him." The woman and girl slept two nights together, and Wáple slept in the small hut. The third night Wáple's penis extended itself and crawled away into the other house, while he himself remained in the hut. The penis passed into the girl penetrating her body till it stuck out through her mouth. Then he drew it out, and the girl was dead.

In the morning the old woman got up and finding the girl dead scolded her son. The dead body was carried outside and placed at the root of a tóma tree, but it was not buried.

[ocr errors]

Then Wáple asked his mother, "You go take another girl, I want him." The old woman went and said to the girls, „That girl I been take him yesterday - I got plenty kaikai, no can finish him all, I want another one he come." One of the remaining girls accompanied her home. „You cook kaikai," she said to the girl, sister belong you he come by-and-by, he stop along garden." The girl waited for her sister to come, and at sundown the old woman said, "He no come back quick, he got plenty kaikai along garden, plenty ripe banana he stop." They cooked food, and the woman took some to Wáple. „Oh, sister belong you he got plenty work along bush," she said to the girl, "I think he sleep along bush. By-and-by you me two fellow tomorrow go look him." The girl did not know anything of Wáple, and she and the woman. slept in the house and he in the hut. At night his penis came crawling along and passed into the girl till it came out through her mouth, and she was dead. In the morning the old woman placed her next to her dead sister.

Again Wáple sent his mother to fetch one of the girls, and she said to them, "Oh, that two girl, two sister belong you, he been make plenty garden. Plenty kaikai he stop, no can finish him all." A third girl joined her and was taken to Wáple's home where she was kept under the same pretext as her sisters, and eventually Wáple killed her.

In the same way one girl after another was enticed to come to Wáple who killed them all. At length one girl only remained. She felt rather uneasy about the fate of her sisters, and therefore went to the grave of her parents, cleared away all the bushes, placed there a great heap of food and said, "My mother, my father, I give you fellow good kaikai. You fellow come speak me good talk that time I sleep along night, what place all my sister he stop, where he go, what he do. Suppose you two come speak me to-night, all right; suppose you no come speak me, I dig him out head (skull) belong you two fellow, chuck him away along bush." In the night her

[graphic]

parents made their appearance in a dream and said to her, "My girl, you listen what I two go speak along you. Suppose to-morrow mother belong Waple come sing out (invites) you, you take two piece belong wood, take him go that place. All sister belong you he dead, Wáple been kill him along árumo (penis). Wáple he stop that small house. Suppose night you hear little bit noise, that árumo he go along floor. One piece wood you put him underneath; suppose árumo he go on top, you hammer him along that other piece wood; that man he dead. Suppose you go you see one big tree stand up close to house: that all sister belong you he lie down dead close to."

"

In the morning the girl got up and took back the food which she had put on her parent's grave, for it is the fashion of the bushmen" to take back the food from a grave which they have placed there in order to be visited by some spirit in a dream. She said, "I glad for you two fellow, mother, father, you two speak straight me that talk."

Wáple's mother came and said, "You come, all sister belong you he come. No good you stop here, more better you come same place." The girl went and took two pieces of wood with her. She did not sleep in the night but kept a careful watch. After a time the penis came moving along the floor, and she thought, ,,Him he there." At first the member went towards the old woman, but smelling her out it passed her and moved towards the girl. She put the one piece of wood in front of her and lifted the other ready to strike. Just as the penis was passing over the wood, she banged down her weapon, and Wáple was killed. Then the girl got up and killed Wáple's mother too after which she burnt both the houses. Leaving the bodies of her dead sisters for the present she went home, entered her house, and lighted a fire on all the hearths belonging to her sisters. You sister," she said, "suppose you dead finish, he all right. Suppose you no dead, you come back this house, I been make him fire along fireplace belong you. Mother, father, he leave for you me (us) this house."

[ocr errors]

All her sisters came back and entered the house, the eldest first and then the rest, everybody returning to her right place in the house. What's the matter me been dead?" they asked their sister. One man he got big árumo all same snake," she related, Mother belong him he been make fool along you. I make you fellow life." very glad and held a large feast. (Waibu, Mawáta).

THE MAN WHOSE SCROTUM WAS A YAM.

367. At Gálegíde, not far from the Bínatúri river, there lived a man also called Gálegide, and his mother. His scrotum consisted of a large yam-root which was fixed in the ground so that he could not move about. The leaves of the yams enclosed him altogether, and they were his house. His mother, also Gálegíde by name, was shaped like an ordinary woman, and she worked in her garden and prepared food for them both. They had no proper house and slept in the shelter of the yam leaves. The boy could lie down and sit up.

Some distance off there lived two girls named Tágle and Lúde. They spent their time. catching fish and working in their garden. One day their fire was put out by a heavy rain, and on the same day they saw a fire at Gálagíde. When they came home they were nearly

dying with cold and had no fire. „Oh, I think you me (we) go Gálegíde," said Tágle, „you me been look smoke, somebody been make fire there." Neither of them wanted to go, but at last Tágle made up her mind and went. Before going she hung up her grass petticoat at the door and said, "Suppose my grass he broke (falls down), somebody catch me there. Suppose he no broke, I come back. I fright, I think plenty people stop there, you me (we) no savy." "You no⚫ fright," said Lúde, „nobody there can catch you. He no got people there, I think, that's all he got fire." Tágle went over very stealthily and was very frightened. Twice she turned back but mustered up her courage again and thought, „No, I think I go take fire, by-and-by (otherwise) my brother (sister) wild. Never mind somebody catch me all same!" all same!" On arriving at the place she looked into the house through a side-door: „Oh, what name (what is) that? That's yam-house?" She went in, and Gálegíde asked her, "Who you?" "Me Tágle, I come take fire." „Fire there," said he. On seizing a firestick she saw the large yam and said, "What name (what is) this one? big yam, I think." She went close to it and scratched at the yam with her finger nail so that a little strip of the skin came off, and a gush of blood burst out over the girl's body and head. When she left on her way home a stream of blood followed her. The quicker she went the quicker the blood ran behind („all same water, all same snake"). The stream of blood reached the girl's house after her and made a mark on the wall saying, "My girl here, by-and-by mother come take him, I no can walk about." Then the blood returned to its father".

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

After finishing her work in the garden the old woman returned home and said to Gálegíde,,,What's the matter you no make him fire?" "Mother, what's way I make him fire?" replied he, "I fast, what's way I walk?" What's the matter you stop all time? You make nothing, me old woman now," and they quarrelled. After a while Gálegíde said, "Oh, mother, one girl, Tágle, he been come, here, he take out my skin, I been put him my blood. I think you go take him my woman." At first the mother did not want to go, but at last she yielded to his wish.

When Tágle came home she said to her sister, „Oh, somebody been give blood finish, I can't run away, blood he been come behind. I think by-and-by somebody come catch me." Then she scolded her sister, „What's the matter you been send me? Somebody been spoil me, I no savy name, blood he come behind."

"

skin belong him," they said. Somebody come quick now!

The old woman followed the tracks of blood and found the house of the two girls. What name (why) you come?" said they. I look round woman belong my boy. Who been take out skin belong him?" "I don't know who been take out The old woman went on, I come take woman belong my boy. Suppose somebody no come, by-and-by boy he wild along me." But neither of the girls wanted to go with her, and after a futile attempt to persuade them the woman had to return alone. Gálegíde was very angry on hearing of her failure, so they quarrelled, and then she promised to go back on the same errand the next morning (abbrev.).

Gálegíde woke up early and said, ,,Mother, you go take my woman, what's the matter you wait? I want him just now, what's the matter he spoil me?" The mother went and asked the elder girl, „First girl, I think you come along me," but she replied, "No." Then the mother said, "Behind girl, I think you go. Who girl like him he come." But both girls refused to go

« EdellinenJatka »