The Folk- Tales of the Kiwai Papuans. 75 



HOW THE KIWAI (lASA) PEOPLE WERE TAUCHT TO COHABIT WITH THEIR WOMEN 

 AND THE LATTER TO WEAR PETTICOATS (cf. no. 279). 



7. Long ago the Lisa people used not to associate with their women, and did not know 

 the sexual act. If a «oman came near a man, he sent her away, saying, „Vou no come close 

 to me, you got liina (ulcerated soie)." Men and women slept in différent houses. On returning 

 home from tishing a man would not hand his wife the catch, for he did not want to touch her, 

 but placed it by her bed; and when the woman brought food from the garden she left some of 

 it by her husband's bed instead of giving it to him himself. 



Once an lâsa man, Simàrobe by name, vvent hunting in the bush, and his dogs started a 

 pig. A Kubi'ra man, also named Sim.irobe, was hunting in the same bush, and his dogs joined 

 in chasing the pig, which they and the I;isa dogs killed together. The two Simârobes met over 

 the dead pig. „Who you.'" said the Kubira man. „Me Simàrobe belong Lisa. Who you?" „That's 

 me Simàrobe too, Simàrobe belong Kubira." They made friends, eut up the pig, and shared the 

 méat. The lâsa man said, „You me (we) go Lisa." „No," said the other man, „Lisa too far, you 

 me go Kubira." So they went there, and the wife of the Kubira Simàrobe received her husband 

 saying, „Where you find him that man?" „Oh, me two meet close to where me two kill pig. 

 I say, 'You me go Kubira,' that's why I bring him." The woman prepared food for both the 

 men, but when asked to eat the Lisa man said, „No, \'ou (your) woman been cook kaikai, I no 

 kaikai, you woman he got timar' „No," the Kubira man replied, „my. woman he no got no /;;««. 

 What name (vvhat) you mean lima} that's no lima, that's de (vulva)." 



In the night Simàrobe of Lisa slept on one bed, and the other Simàrobe slept with his 

 wife, for the Kubira people knew about sexual matters. Next morning the Kubira man and his 

 wife went to their garden, and their guest accompanied them. The Kubira man sent his friend 

 to fetch down some coconuts, and in the meantime he told his wife to take off her petticoat and 

 lie down. When the làsa man came down his friend said to him, „Come on, I learn (teach) you. 

 What name (why) you speak, say, 'Woman got thitaV you look." .'\nd the Lisa man looked on 

 at what the two were doing. Then the Kubira man said, ^I finish, come on, you go, you try." 

 .\x\d his friend obeyed. When he had fînished, he exclaimed, „My God, iny friend! Ail people 

 belong lasa speak, 'Woman got linioY My God, that good thing me fellow call nmal" 



They returned to the village and next morning the Ki'wai Simàrobe went home. „Where 

 you come from?" the lâsa people asked him. „Oh, I come from Kubira. That's Sim.irobe belong 

 Kubira he take dog, I take dog too, me meet along road. Him he take me go along Kubira, I 

 stop there, just now I come back from Kubira." 



The Lisa Simàrobe was not afraid of his wife any longer and sat down close to her. 

 They slept on the same bed, and the woman said, „What name (why) you fright flrst time? 

 Who been learn (teach) you fellow?" „That's Kubira Simàrobe been learn me." Next day they 

 went to their garden, and on their way back the man said to his wife, „Come on, you me (we) 

 go bush again." And they hid themselves in the bush, and when they had had connection they 

 went home. The people said to the man, „What name (why) you walk about close to woman? 

 He got lima." „No," he replied, „I no fright, I go close to, sleep one bed." The woman became 

 pregnant, and he had intercourse with her every night and day, for a man must not cease from 



N:o 1. 



