Tlic Folk-Tales of thc Kmai Papuans. 129 



Morévanogére and Sôidonogére returned to More, and Kogéa to Davâne. Abére was 

 anxious that none of the men should knovv that she had a number of giils, but Meséde found 

 them out. He pulled out a hair of his whiskers and holding it betvveen his fingers blew at it, 

 and the hair was tranformed into a small bird, sivisivi, which flew away and lighted on the eldest 

 girl's head. The bird pecked out one of her hairs and flew away vvith it, and doing the same 

 tothe other girls, it finally brought ail the hairs to Meséde. He counted over the hairs: „This one 

 belong first girl, this one belong behind girl — belong altogether girl." He wanted the girls to 

 like him, so he made „medicine" with their hair. 



The bird was sent out again to the girls and the eldest pulled out a hair of her own 

 and gave it to the bird, saying, „You tell him Meséde, that Séné my name." The other girls 

 did the same, each one telling the bird her name, and the messenger imparted the names to its 

 master (abbrev.). Having found out ail about the girls Meséde eut up the alligator, dividing the 

 méat into shares for Abére and ail the girls, „how many hair — how manj- méat." When Abére 

 saw what what he had done, she asked, poiuting to one of the portions of méat, „Who belong 

 that méat?" „He belong Séné." „No got nobody hère," Abére replied, but Meséde knewbetter: 

 „Oh, you gammon, I savy now." Séné came and took her share, and Abére said, „I got no 

 more girl — Séné, that's ail." Meséde took no notice of what she said, and Abéme was called. 

 As each girl came forward Abére said, „I no got no more girl," but Meséde summoned them ail, 

 one after another. When ail had had their share of méat, he took them away with him in his 

 canoë to Di'biri, where Di'biri-Sagâru was, and Abére was left behind. 



Abére, who was grieved at the loss of her daughters, roused a strong wind and heavy 

 sea. Meséde seized the youngest girl and had connection with her in the canoe, but as the 

 girl was very little, she died of it, and Meséde threw her into the water. He did the same with 

 six of the girls, killing them and throv\'ing their bodies into the sea, but the four remaining girls 

 he kept. 



Dibiri-Sagåru saw Meséde's canoe in the distance: „Oh, he no come one man (alone), 

 plenty woman he bring him." Taking off her skirt she hung a shell in front like a man, and 

 seized Meséde's bow and her own digging stick as well. When the canoe canie close up, she 

 Struck the girls with the digging stick so that blood flowed from their heads. Meséde said to 

 the girls in disgust, „You me (we) go other place, leave that woman," and they went away and 

 left Dibiri-Sagäru. 



Abére pursued Meséde from place to place, asking the people everywhere, „Where Me- 

 séde?" and receiving the answer, „Oh, Meséde been go other place." She never found him, and 

 at last returned to Wdboda. In the meantime Meséde and the four girls reached Mümutümu, 

 where they found a banana-tree growing, and as there were no people thej' built a house to live 

 in. Meséde saw that it was no ordinary banana tree and thought to himself, „By and by I make 

 him something." He sent the girls away to catch crabs, and in their absence left the place, going 

 to Mâkeke, and when the girls returned they could not find him. 



Di'biri-Sagâru went to Téterâtu village and said to the people, „That time four woman 

 belong Meséde come this place you kill him." She took oft' her grass skirt, and the Téterâtu men 

 had connection with her in payment for the task. The four girls followed Meséde, but when 

 they came to Téterâtu the people killed them and destroyed their canoe. Some men came and 

 N:o 1. 17 



