74 Gunnar Landtman. 



he marry him, he bom him that two picl<aninny. Two bov i<ill him small brother belong me, 

 that's why he come up." Then he distributed the beheading-kni\es among the fighting men and 

 explained how to use them. 



The two boys said, „Me fellow go back along Kubira. Me sleep three night there. 

 Another (the foUowing) day me sing out all Kubira man go along small Island catch him crab. 

 You look flre (signal)." The two boys prepared to leave and were provided with food to eat on 

 the way. They said, „You no give me plenty kaikai, by and by Kubi'ra man he look, he savy. 

 You give me little bit kaikai." They went straight home to Kubira, taking their mother with them. 



When three days had elapsed they said to the Kubira people, „To-morrow you me (we) 

 go along small Island, catch him fish, crab." Next day the people set off for the Island, and on 

 arriving there the two boys lighted a fire, and the smoke rose high into the air, serving as a 

 signal to the Kfwai people. The latter made themselves ready, and when night came they sailed 

 over to the Island in their canoës. The Kubira people were fast asleep and did not know of the 

 danger threatening them. Just before dawn the Kfwai men stole upon their camp and attacked 

 the sleeping enemy. The Kubfra people were ail killed except the two boys, who went back to 

 the village alone. They said to the people who had remained at home, „No Kubfra man he 

 come, Kfwai man been kill him altogether". The two boys and their mother remained perman- 

 ently at Kubfra, for they belonged to that place. 



The Kfwai men captured many heads which they brought home; this was the fiist fight 

 in which they eut off the heads of their enemies killed in battle. (Kàku, Ipisfa). 



A. (Continuée! from the story of Keréma, the Kubira man who had been swalloweJ by an 

 éterari and while in the body of the monster had been taught hovv to make and use a beheading-knife, 

 cf. no. 121). After manufacturing a great number of beheading-knives the Kubira people went and 

 fought the Égereba people and captured many heads, and that was the beginning of the custom of 

 cutting off the heads of enemies. The Kiwai people did not possess beheading-knives and tried a certain 

 very sharp „bush-rope" for cutting off heads, but that method was very unsatisfactory. They found 

 themselves very inferior to the Kubira people in their mutual fights, and complained among themselves, 

 „I don't know what's way (how) Kubira man eut me fellow good, what's way I flnd him (how to find 

 out)." A Kiwai woman who was married to a Kubira man had born him a son named Mâgau, and 

 the boy pitied his mother's people and made up his mind to teach them the use of the beheading- 

 knife. He made a great number of thèse knives as well as head-carriers and one night went secretly 

 with his mother to Kfwai where they were reccived by her brother. Mdgau's bow was tied up by his 

 uncle in token of their peaceful intentions, and the boy taught the Kfwais how to eut off heads in the 

 right way. In the next fight with the Kubira people they captured many heads. The Kubira men were 

 greatly surprised at the change and wondered who had taught the Kiwais the art of cutting off heads, 

 but they could not find out. (Gaméa, Mawàta). 



B. The Kubira and Idsa people used continually to fight. One day an låsa man named 

 Simârobe and a Kubira man of the same name met in the bush, and after they had become friends 

 and visited each other peace was made between the two peoples. (Cf. no. 7 ; Auda, Mawàta). 



Tom. XLVIl. 



