WHOLE VOL. ARAUCANIAN CHILD LIFE — HILGER 95 



end of the day several men were rather unstable on their feet, but no 

 one was badly intoxicated. Conversation became very lively. 



The face of the Araucanian, generally friendly but serious, lights 

 up in conversation. When not talking about serious matters, conversa- 

 tion is interspersed with delightful and jovial remarks. Not infre- 

 quently retorts are whizzed back and forth with consequent laughter 

 by all. 



In all probability the fiestas of today, both national and religious, 

 have replaced the kawifi of former days — eating and drinking feasts, 

 Cooper calls them. Acording to Cooper's sources, occasions for kawin 

 were "religious rites, victory celebrations, erection of a hut, sowing 

 and threshing, shearing, the completing of a new receptacle for chicha 

 making, marriages, burials, athletic events, initiation into the shaman- 

 ship, etc." (1946, p. 739). 



Often the activities of small children are enjoyed by parents and 

 others during hours of visiting or waiting. During an interview with 

 a man, his wife taught their baby, a little older than a year, to blink. 

 Later the woman asked her husband to observe the baby's accomplish- 

 ment — she and the baby blinked at each other at which the husband 

 laughed heartily. Blinking between the field assistant and baby caused 

 more laughter and much humorous conversation in Araucanian. Later, 

 to the amusement of all, the baby, with the help of the mother, sang 

 repetitions of "asi." Older persons sometimes find enjoyment watch- 

 ing children of early school age tease one another. 



Stories both historical and nonhistorical are told at any time ; fables, 

 generally only when children are listeners. In many fables the fox 

 plays a role. "Do you want a fox story or the other kind," asked the 

 spokesman of a group of schoolchildren. Two "fox stories" and one 

 of "the other kind" follow. 



As told to a schoolboy by his mother who spoke only Araucanian : 



A fox ascended to heaven. Then he wanted to come down again, but he could 

 not. Then he found a rope made of a vine — probably like any of the vines that 

 climb up trees in the woods around here. He let himself down, but plump — 

 there he was on the earth and dead. They found him dead, and those who found 

 him carried him home. Then they fetched two machi. These machi sang songs, 

 like only the machi know and sing. And then the fox moved ! He took a stick 

 as a support and walked out of the ruka, as best he could, and away he ran 

 without paying the machi. And the two machi stood there in great surprise, 

 mouths wide open and hands outstretched. 



As told to a schoolgirl by her mother: 



There was once a fox who was compatriot to a skunk. The fox said to the 

 skunk, "We will exchange our ponchos." The skunk answered, "I do not want 

 to exchange my poncho." So the fox took the skunk's poncho by force. The 



