136 Gunnar Landtman. 



Nâga collected some soil, stones, and small trees, threw them avvay to the place where Tüdu is 

 novv, and called out, „Name belong you Tüdu, this night he corne up that Island." The two 

 men slept in the night, and when they got up the next morning an Island with green trees bad 

 risen from the water. 



The friends made a garden in Yam, planting many kinds of fruit. Nâga said, „I think 

 more better you stop 'S'am Island, I go Tüdu, I take altogether people, leave you one man (alone)." 

 „All right," Wakéa said, „first time you me go look that Island." They launched a canoe in 

 which thej' put Ndga's belongings and some food. On arriving at Tüdu they landed their things 

 and built a small house for Nâga. There were many reefs near Tüdu, and Nâga speared three 

 dugong of which he gave Uvo to Wakéa, vvho returned to Yam taking the two dugong with 

 him. „All right," Nâga said, „you go, you send my people he come." Wakéa arrived at Yam, 

 where the people eut up his two dugong, and he shared the meat with them. All Nâga's people 

 went to Tüdu, except one man named Sigai who remained with W'akéa. Nâga and his people 

 did not, however, leave Yam altogether, hut now and again came över to look after their gardens. 



The story then relates hovv a canoe once drifted from Süi in New Guinea to Tüdu, and 

 how Nâga sailed över to New Guinea to trace where it came from. (ef. no. 294 C; Gaméa, 

 Mawäta). 



54. Wakéa lived underneath the ground in Old Mâsing;ira. He used to fly about in the 

 shape of a bird, but on returning home became a man and went into the ground. Once when 

 he had turned himself into a bird, he flew to Yam Island, and on arriving there resumed his human 

 form. Yam was the home of Sfgai, a „long time story man" who lived inside a stone, and this 

 took place before there were any people in the Island. On seeing Wakéa Sigai asked him, „Piina 

 (friend), where you come from.'" „I come along Büravo," Wakéa answered, „I come see you." 

 „Who speak about me stop along Yam?" „No, I savy, that time I fly about here — you think 

 that pigeon, that no pigeon, that me." Wakéa gave Sigai various kinds of food which he had 

 brought with him, and the latter asked him to stay there, and he did so. Sigai taught him a 

 fighting song in his own language, 



„O/i, mdtamâna ktiika patâna singe sigamuka, oii, ngàika ngibeka ngiiru påna. — KiU iiim 

 man, put him head along head-carrier, I learn (teach) you now." 



This song belongs to a pipi dance which takes place after a fight. 



The men both put on a fine garment of young coconut-leaves. Transforming themselves 

 into two birds they flew over to the mainland (Queensland), where they resumed their human 

 shape and gay attire and fought the people with their stone clubs. On their return to Yam they 

 prepared the captured heads, removing the vertebrae of the neck which they threw away, and 

 ever since then there bave been many stones in Yam. They hung the heads over a fire, and 

 when the skin came off, threw it into the water, for which reason there are now many reefs 

 and sandbanks between Tüdu and Bôbo. ^^ At last only the skulls remained, which the men care- 

 fully decorated and arranged in concentric circles on the ground with a trumpet shell in the 

 centre and a ring of split cocünut4eaves all round. They went to fight many people and brought 

 home their heads. 



Tom. XLVII. 



