Tlie Folk-Taies of tlie Kiwai Papuans, 103 



by the nâbea ail the vvay to Di'biri uhere Méuri lived, and she vvent into Méuri's house vvhere she 

 became his vvife and lived vvitli hini. Sido having lost her returned to làsa. (Nâmai, Mavvåta). 



A. The tree 7idbea had been made by Méuri and set up by him in Sagaru's way. Sagâru 

 tired from her wandering sat down to rest on the tree and was lil'ted up by it. Sido followed her 

 tracks in the morning and found her in the tree which he began to eut down with his stone axe. 

 When in danger of falling, it said to Sagâru, „Close up Sido he eut my leg, you tell he put stone axe 

 along fire, make him hot, put him along water behind laTterwards)." Sagàru told Sido what she was 

 bidden, and having spoilt all his stone axes Sido said, „Sagâru, I think you like him that nâbea, that's 

 why you come middle night." Sido felied the tree by raising the différent winds, but Sagâru „all same 

 pidgeon he fly long way, find him Méuri along Dibiri, all same stone he sling him." Then Méuri 

 Said, „Oh, my wife, you like me, that's why you come here," and took her into his house. The 

 people asked, „Méuri, good woman that, where he come?" and he said, „He belong läsa, I been wild 

 for that woman, Sido he marry him along Ui'io, this time he come now belong me." (Duâni, Mawâta). 



B. Following in pursuit of Sagâru, who had been lifted up by the nåbea, Sîdo came to lâsa- 

 âbeâbe where a man was making a (Hudne, fish-trap (cf. no. 181, foot-note). He could not make it 

 properly but had to start over and over again from the beginning. Sido asked for Sagâru and the 

 man said, „You make my paniiii-, 1 show you, Sagâru stop here." Sido said, „No, you show me tirst, 

 behind (afterwards) I make patdne,''^ but the man insisted, „No, you make him first time." Sido then 

 made the [>aràne luirriedly and gave it to him. They went together and found the mibea with Sagâru 

 on top. Pointing at Sagaru's refleclion in the water-hole beneath the tree, the man said, „Look, Sagâru 

 stop inside along water-hole," and Sido jumped into the water breaking the bridge of his nose against 

 a pièce of wood. While Sido was cutting the tree, the tuibea said to „Sagâru, you speak along Sido, 

 he no eut me, more better he sing out big wind." Taking her advice Sido invoked a strong wind, so the 

 ndbea feil and threw Sagâru to Méuri whom she married. — In another version by the same narrator 

 Sagâru, at the request of the tiàbea, caused Sido to spoil his stone axe by putting it in the fire. Sido 

 then summoned three winds in turn which broke the tree, each one from its own quarter. (Kâku, Ipisia). 



C. Having seen how Sagâru left Sido, Méuri temporarily changed himself into a tidbea in her 

 way. She sat down on the tree and his penis in the shape of a twig passed into her which made her 

 cry, „Sido, VW ihamu mo be'ta màramége sawdro novoguro direre! — Sido, my husband, why have I 

 come to find that thing!" Sido had to make a fish-trap for Demagoburo, Sogôpe, and Eregimini before 

 they would show him which way Sagâru had taken; then they told bim to follow in turn the tracks 

 of a pig, a crab, and a snake. Méuri induced Sagâru to make Sido spoil his stone axe by putting it 

 into the fire. Sido summoned the winds with a similar formula to that in the first version, and Sagâru 

 was hurled to Méuri's place. (Gibiima, Mawâta). 



D. Sagâru was lifted up by the ndbea, and Sido when trying to feil the tree made a fire round 

 it after which he eut off the eharred parts wiih a large shell. A wind carried Sagâru trom the fall- 

 ing tree to Méuri's place. (Gabia, Ipisia). 



E. The tree, ?idbea, which lifted up Sagâru „had a man inside". Sagâru was asked by the 

 tree to prevent Sido from felling it, and he summoned three winds in turn to overthrow it. (Gâbai, 

 Paâra). 



N:o 1. 



