The Folk-Taks of thc Kiwai Papuans. 273 



„Wirare Wirarée Båbade Båbade Wlraremå Wir are Tshttsho Päepde." 

 „I think you been stovv away one brother belong you fellow,"' said the eldest girl. „What's 

 the matter he sing out Tshitsho? That brother belong you fellow?" but the other brothers said, 

 „No, that no brother belong me." 



The little girl kept on singing the same song day and night. She became very weak 

 and thin and was nearly dying. One day Wi'raro went to Tshitshopu in the hut and asked him 

 to corne and draw ou^ the fish. But the boy replieJ, „No, what's way I go take him out.' I no 

 savy you fellow been married. I no want go, you go back." 



The girl wailed, „Oh, Tshftshöpu, vvho go take out that thing, come quick." „You been 

 stow away brother belong you," said the other girls to the boys, „he (she) call name now." 

 Again Wiraro went to Tshftshöpu and asked him to come to the little girl, saying that she was 

 nearly dead. „Suppose you take him out fish," he said, „I give him you, he wife belong j^ou." 

 Then Tshftshöpu went to the girl. „Tshftsho, you come take out that thing, you come quick !" 

 she sang. „Oh, my word, good man, nice man!" the other girls exclaimed on seeing him. He 

 squeezed out the fish by pressing the girl's body between his hands, and she recovered. She 

 was given him in marriage, and Wiraro kept the eldest girl alone. Tdniba, Djfbu). 



200. A certain Aramio man and his wife used to give their children very little food. 

 One day in the absence of their parents the eldest boy proposed to his brothers that they should 

 all run away from home, which they did. On returning home the father called out. „Where my 

 boy? Where you go? Oh, boy belong me run av\ay!" He summoned his wife and they set off 

 to search for their children but being unable to find them they wailed all night. The next day the 

 search was resumed but in wain. 



In the bush there was a house in which an old woman lived with a number of daughters, 

 and on their wanderings the boys came to the place. The eldest boy went to reconnoitre and 

 found the old woman alone. „Where you belong?" she asked him. „I belong other place. 

 Where you belong?" „That my house. Altogether girl belong me go make him garden." After 

 hearing that his brothers waited in the bush, the woman sent him to fetch them. They were 

 asked to sit down in the house, and the woman put some mats round them to hide them from 

 sight. On returning home the girls wondered at the mats, and their mother asked them not to 

 touch them. Two of the girls nevertheless went and looked behind the mats and exclaimed, 

 „Oh, plenty boy he stop!" and they pulled down the mats. The rest of the girls ran and caught 

 hold of the boys. The boys and girls were all married, and the former settled down to live 

 there and were given gardens. 



One day the eldest brother launched a canoe, put all sorts of things inside and went to 

 see his parents, taking his wife with him. The old folks were very glad at his arrivai, and they 

 all wept together and sat down to yarn. „Where all small brother?" the father asked him, 

 „altogether he stop? he no dead? he no sick?" The boy told him of their adventure. After two 

 days he and his wife went back. On learning that their parents were alive, the brothers all 

 moved back to their old home, taking with them their familles and all their belongings. 

 Käku, Ipisfa). 



N:o 1. 35 



