The Folk-Tales of the Kiwai Papuans. 171 



ake you go other side, side helong you. Vou no tum round that time you go. Let canoe come 

 back self." Duôbe went över to the other side and pushed the canoe back with his foot. He 

 recurned home, and just as his spirit was entering his body he woke up shrieking. His wife was 

 terrified and calied the people, and Duohe's brother Waiméé asked him, „Whafs the matter?" 

 „Oh, brother I been go devil-place." (Salbu, Mawâta). 



68. One evening an oid Mawâta man named Åsäi died. and the people wailed for him 

 all night. Just before dawn Hamäna and some other men went out on the beach to fish. It was 

 „little bit dark morning-time", when Hamäna saw Àsâi's ghost come swimming through the water. 

 He thought at first that it was a fish and threw his spear at the phantom but missed it. The 

 spirit returned to the house and passed back into the body, and Asai woke up. „Whafs the 

 matter me?" he asked the people, and they explained, „Vou die yesterday sundown." They gave 

 him food, and he ate. The people said, „You talk, what's way you go that time you dead." 

 He said, „I been go that side (towards the west). I come along point, Büiamüba. I sorry wife, 

 pickaninny, I come back. I break one wood (branch of a tree), make mark for show him people, 

 by and by (otherwise) people speak, 'Oh, you gammon!' You fellow wait, that time I come all 

 right, I show you that place." 



When Asai had recovered, they went to see the place. They slept at Mâbudavâne and 

 next day came to Büiaimüba. Âsâi showed the people the tree saying, „Here, that wood I been 

 break him, put him (the severed branch) on top." Everybody looked: „True he speak." They 

 asked him many questions, „You no been find some man he die first? What thing you find him 

 that time you die?-' „1 no find him people," he answered, „that's all me one man." „You learn 

 (teil) me fellow what thing man he find him that time he die." „Oh, I no been find him another 

 thing. I come die, I walk about all same you fellow. I think my pickaninny, my woman, I 

 come back." The people belicved him, thinking to themselves, „Dead man he stop long way, 

 stop along Adîri, that's whj- he no find him plenty man. True that man he teil him." „That 

 time I die," Åsäi said, „I savy road now, next time I no fright for die." (Säibu, Mawâta). 



B. TALES OF DEAD PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDERNEATH THE BURIAL OROUND 



(no. ö9— 71; ef. no. 72 and 73). 



69. This happened at a time before Mawâta village had been shifted to its present site 

 from a place in the bush about half a mile inland. .\ man named Kogéa died and was buried 

 at the Gesfjvamüba point. In conformity with custom his brother Ânai lighted a fire at the foot-end 

 of the grave. While Ânai was kindling the fire, Kogéa's spirit broke a hole through the ground 

 and caused his brother to fall into the grave, which closed above him. After a while Anai was 

 missed by his friends. who began to search for him. They found his tracks leading to the grave 

 where they ended, and there was a nevvly laid fire which had gone out. Ànai's bovv was lying 

 on the grave. The people were at a loss as to how he had disappeared („track he no go back, 

 all same he fly, all same he been go inside ground"). Some men thought that he had perished, 

 hut they delayed their wailing a few days. 

 N:o 1. 



