The Folk-Tales af tlic Kiivai Papuans. 101 



munal house wliere the women sleep, but he went and slept in the men's house. Full of anger Sagaru 

 got up in the night and went away. (Duåni, Mawäta). 



B. One day the Uiio women bailed out the water from the creek, but they could not catch one 

 big fish, asea. Sagàru, who was making a belt, came to help the others, and when she sat down in 

 the water the fish made its way into her vulva. She went back on shore, and squatting down removed 

 the fish. Tremhling from the effect of the fish upon her, Sagâru in the evening asked Sido to sleep 

 wiih her, which he declined to do, alleging that the parents would see them. During the night Sagâru 

 went away in anger. (Gabia, Ipisia). 



C. The låsa women, when bailing out the creek one day, could not catch the as/a whose skin 

 was „all same grease", and they were much excited lest it should escape. Sagàru came from the shore 

 and sat down in the water, and as she did not „hold her grass (skirt) tight", the fish penetrated into 

 her Vulva. Since then „that all same me fellow law, woman go creek catch fish; he hold him up grass 

 tight, law belong woman." Offended because Sido had only given her a fish-bone to eat and neglected 

 her in the night, Sagâru left him. (Nâtai, Ipisia). 



D. Very similar to the preceding version. Sagàru ran away because SiJo had kept only a 

 bone of the fish for her. (Gibüma, Mavvàta). 



E. When Sido would not stay with Sagâru in the night, alleging that her niother was present, 

 Sagàru left him the same night. (Kâku, Ipisia). 



F. A short, rather différent version runs as follows: An làsa woman named löubo, while mak- 

 ing a belt, sent some people to catch a fish for her which, however, her husband Sido ate in her 

 absence. loubo Struck Sido with a stick and threatened to leave him, but he said that he had given 

 payment for her and would kill her if she went away. Annoyed by his mother who scokled him for 

 his behaviour to his wife, Sido left the place taking loubo with him. They went to Uüo where they 

 were received hy a woman Bövi. (Obüro, lâsa). 



G. Another story begins by telling how the làsa people were once hailing out water from the 

 creek to catch fish. A woman, while making a grass skirt on shore, was summoned by her husband 

 to help the others (neither her name nor his is mentioned). She came and caught a large fish, which 

 she cooked. Her husband ate the fish in her absence, only leaving a bone for her. In the night the 

 offended woman went away and joined another man, and a fight ensued. The first husband was killed, 

 and in sorrow over his death the woman left her new lover and went back to the old place. The friends 

 of the man who had been killed took vengeance on the murderer. (Ibia, Ipisia). 



SIDO FINDS SAGARU IN THE NABEA TREE, BUT SHE IS CARRIED AWAY TO MEURI. 



24. As she w alked along by the lâsatiiri creek in the night Sagâru met Keäburo, Esari- 

 buru, Howi'o, and Demagöburo engagea in fishing by means of a pardne, trap. Anxious not to 

 be found by Sido she asked them, „What man he come behind, you no learn him (no let him 

 know) what road Sagâru he been go," and she proceeded on her way. She wished to „stow 

 away" completely and therefore shaped her feet into those of a bird so as to leave behind her 



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