The Folk-Tales of the Kiwai Papuans. 183 



the best parts, saying, „You been show me good fashion, you been sing out (summon) plenty 

 dugong, vve kill him good." (Saie, Mawäta). 



THE GHOST WHO MADE HIS SURVIVING WIFE DRINK HIS BLOOD. 



88. A i\i'\vai man named Gämei was once killed in a fighting expedition at Dibiii by 

 an arrow which hit him in the side. His body was left at Dibiri, but his spirit preceded the 

 other Kfwai men home, and one night it appeared at the house vvhere his wife Wfe lived. The 

 spirit called out, „Wie, you come!" The woman asked him, „Who you?" „Me Gämei. You take 

 pickaninny and thing belong you, you me (we) go." „Where you me go?" she inquired, but he 

 only answered, „You me go." The people, who were sleeping, did not hear anything. 



Gämei, Wfe, and the children sailed away in a canoe. When they arrived at Mibu Gämei 

 said, „You me sleep here." They erected a small hut on shore, and Wie went to catch crabs. 

 It was Gâmei's task to fetch water, hut instead of going to the water-hole he opened the arrow- 

 wound in his side, which he had plugged with a pièce of wood, and filled the water-vessels with 

 his blood. Returning to the camp he made the children drink the blood, and when Wfe came 

 and prepared their food she dränk it too. She did not know what it was but thought that it 

 was ordinary water. They slept at Mfbu and in the morning continued their journey. Arriving 

 at Geävi they lowered their mat sail and landed. G:imei took the water-bottles and went to the 

 bush, but filled them with his blood as before, and the woman and children dränk it. They built 

 a small house and coUected some food which they cooked and ate. After sleeping there that 

 night they sailed on in the morning and reached Old Mawäta. Gämei made the woman and 

 children drink his blood as on the previous occasions. Wfe said, „Gämei, where you fill him up 

 water.' Pickaninnj' come poor now, blood belong him all come poor." „Oh, I fill him up water, 

 he got water-hole there." „Gämei, you look me," she said, „I come poor now all same sick. I 

 no taste him all same water." But Gämei did not teil them that he had given them his blood 

 to drink. They were camping at Old Mawäta in the same way as at the previous places 

 (abbrev.). 



The next morning they put their things in the canoe, hoisted the sail, and went on to Öwea- 

 bfna. Gämei filled his water-vessels with his blood, and Wie and the children again dränk it. 

 „That's no water, Gämei," Wfe said, „he no taste like water." „That's water," Gämei maintained, 

 „every place he got water-hole." 



While they were camping at Oweabfna Gämei broke the canoe into small pièces, which he 

 stuck up round the hut. „What's the matter you.'" Wie and the children asked him, but Gämei 

 did not answer. Then he went into the bush where he donned a covering of split young coco- 

 nut-leaves, also masking his face with some. Thus decorated and carrying his bow and arrows, 

 after the fashion of warriors and also of ghosts, he appeared before the others. Wie exclaimed, 

 „Gämei, where you go? Oh, Gämei, what's good you been take me and pickaninny come from 

 my home? I been think you man; you no man, you urio, you devil (spirit) belong Gämei." The 

 man did not stop but walked along the beach, and Wfe followed him, carrying one child on her 

 Shoulders and leading the other by the hand. So they went on for a long distance, and Wie 

 was crying all the while. When they came to Binatüri river Gämei easily passed över to the 

 N:o 1. 



