42 Gunnar Landtman. 



IX. VARIOUS CULTURE MYTHS (272-278) 



HOW FIRE CAME. 



272. Kapia, tlie Black Cockatoo brouglit Fire to Kiwai. Kapia brought a firestick from 

 Manavete to Méuri and D;ive in Kiwai, and the fire caused the red spots round the corners of its 

 mouth. It was some time before Méuri got used to the fire. A number of people came över 

 from Manavete and joined Méuri and Dave in Kiwai. 



273. Hou' Turuma of Gibu was taught the Use of Fire by Gibunogere. Turüma wtio had 

 no fire was visited by Gibunogere who lived underneath tiie ground, and the latter gave him fire. 

 Turüma fainted the first time he sat down close to the fire. 



274. How the Torres Straits Islanders oblained Fire. Hawia and his mother lived in 

 Badu and had no fire. A crocodile living some distance off had a fire but did not give the two 

 former any. Havvia went to Bfidji and stole fire from a woman who had a little fiame constantly 

 burning in her hand. He swam back to Bädu with the fire. The crocodile went into the vvater 

 for ever. 



275. Koii.' a Gurtdru Man was taught by a Spirit to make Fire. A spirit asked the man 

 in a dream to saw a pièce of wood with his bow, using the bow-string as a blade. and in that 

 way he discovered fire. He taught the people to do the same thing. 



276. How Varians Animais were sent to fetch Fire. The Mâsingâra people sent various 

 animais to fetch fire, but only the ingua (a kind of iguana) succeeded in bringing fire över from 

 Tüdo Island, swimming all the way. 



THE FIRST IRON HARPOON-HEAD. 



277. An iron harpoon4iead which had come off a dead dugong- drifted ashore, being kept 

 afioat by the rope. It was found by a girl who wanted to give it to her lover, but as he was 

 too 3'oung she gave it to his brother. The latter was thenceforth very successful in spearing 

 dugong, and at length the people found out that he had an iron harpoon-head. Everybody wanted 

 it but he kept it and gave the people presents of dugong méat instead. 



THE FIRST DRUM IN SAIBAI. 



278. A man lived with his blind brother in Sâibai, and they owned the first drum in 

 existence. The blind man stayed at home alone and was forbidden by his brother to beat the 

 drum lest the sound should attract some people. He did not obey and was killed by a man who 

 had heard the sound and carried away the drum. The surviving brother took revenge upon the 

 murderer, and the drum remained in Sâibai. 



Tom. XLVII. 



