The Folk-Taks of (fie Kiivai Papuans. 141 



they vvere paddling along, the bcy saw a fruit-tree, ivohvoi, grov\'ing on the river-bank and called 

 out, „Oh, good fellow fruit, I want him." Däpe asl<ed his wife, „^'ou me (we) go on shore, take 

 him?" but siie said, „No, I no want take him. iMcrave speak, "You no take something along 

 road.' Vou me go." And they vvent on. 



P'urther on there was another fruit-tree, bögaine, growing on the bank, and Komio begged 

 his parents, „Oh, mother, father, me go take him bogaiiie!" „All right," they said, „you me go 

 take him." Ddpe lied up the canoe to two poles at the bow and stern, and the woman climbed 

 the tree and brought down the fruit. Her husband went after her on shore, and thej' had con- 

 nection underneath the tree. At the same moment the drum moving violently to and fro tore 

 itself free from the ropes, and the boy cried out, „Oh, mother, father, drum he take him out ropa 

 self." The drum having got loose came for the boy who was at the bow of the canoe, caught 

 hold of him, and disappeared witii him into the uater. The terrified mother and father cried out, 

 „Oh, drum he been kaikai boy belong me finish!" They wailed and wailed, but no bo\' returned 

 from the water. At last they continued their journey and arrived home. „Where boy belong 

 you.'" the people asked them. „Oh, drum been kaikai boy along road." „Fault belong you," the 

 people said, „all time you want go take that drum." 



Dape and his wife slept in the night and the next morning set out again to look for the 

 boy. The}' continued their search until it was dark, but in vain. Some people told Mérave, ,0h, 

 boy belong Ddpe, drum been kaikai him. Ddpe and wife belong him been kolnh-i (have connection) 

 along road." „x^h, that's why I been speak," Mérave said, ,no my fault, fault belong you." 



Ddpe said to the people, „To-morrow you me (we) go shut him creek, bail him out alto- 

 gelher water." The next day they all set to work, dammed up the creek, and started to bail out 

 the water. They worked härd, and at last the upper edge of the drum could be seen. A man 

 was just in the act of seizing it when he was caught by a huge crab who vvanted to prevent 

 him from taking the drum. The water was rising continuously on the upper side of the dam, 

 and just when the people wcre about to reach the drum, the dam broke down. The water came 

 in with a rush, carrying away the people, and they were drowned. (K.iku, Ipisia). 



A. (Continuation ol' no. 47 D). Tiie drum was made out of the dead body of one of Mc- 

 séde's wives. This version is like ihe previous one, except that iho names are inlerchanged. A man 

 named Epia was out hunting and found the bush flooded from the effect of the dam. Ilebored through 

 the obstacle by means of a fish whieh he made of a pièce of wood, and dam and people vvere swept 

 away by the stream. An épisode relaling to the lirst coconut-trec is connected wilh this version (ef. 

 no. 262 C; Tom, Mawäta). 



B. (Continuation of no. 47 C). Mérave had made a drum out of the body of Mescde's wife 

 Wåpowapo. This version is very similar to the preceding two. The people poured clear salt water 

 into the creek so as to be able to see the 'drum and the boy. A hunter named Öge pierced the dam 

 with sticks, and the torrent carried away all the people. Crossing över to the other side Öge found the 

 first coconut-tree in the world (ef. no. 262 E; Nosöro and Obordme, låsa). 



C. Dapeobtained .Mcrave's drum by giving him his wife as in the previous versions. (Dudba, 

 Oromosapija). 



D. Mérave had made his drum out of a dead body from which Ihe head had been eut off. 

 The drum came for the boy in the canoe, making a great noise as if it had been heaten by someone. 



