274 Gunnar Landtman. 



201. At Måubo in a little house lived a man named Amurabäri. He could not walk 

 about, for his body was full of ulcerated sores. His sons (or brothers?) lived in a large house 

 near by, but there were no women in the village. The boys used to work in their garden excepting 

 the youngest brother who looked after his father all the time. On returning home the elder boys 

 did not give any food to their father and youngest brother. At midnight Amurabåri got up in 

 the evil-smelling little hut where he and his youngest son slept. He stripped off his ulcerated 

 skin and left it in the hut. ^' His body was now shining like a fire. ^e went and collected 

 some food in his garden and killed a pig in the bush. After cooking the meat he went home 

 and placed some of the food by the side of the sleeping boy. Lastly he put on his bad skin and 

 lay down to sleep. The next day the boy found the food, but he was asked by Amurabåri not 

 to show it to his brothers. 



One day when the little boy was away catching crabs, Amurabåri climbed a coconut tree 

 and knocked down some nuts. He eut off a lock of hair, placed it in halt a coconut Shell which 

 he had shaped to resemble the face of a man, the two small dents representing the eyes and the 

 hole the moüth. Then he let the rising tide carry the shell up the Maubotüri river. The Shell 

 was found by some btthérebuhc're (mythical female beings; cf. no. 133) who on seeing it exclaimed, 

 „Oh, my Word, that's my man he sing out (summons) me!" The buhere-buhere handled a bow 

 and arrows like a man, and the eldest ot them shot her tarne pig and cooked the meat to have 

 on the way. Then she set off to Mäubo and was received by Amurabåri. But he did 

 not let her come near him, and she stayed in the large house and cooked the food she 

 had brought with her. The little boy came home and brought Amurabåri some crabs which 

 she had caught. 



Another day Amurabåri sent out two coconut Shells which he had tied together, placing 

 in them several locks of hair which he had eut from his head and the region of his private parts. 

 On finding the shells the buhere-buhere called out, „Oh, belong me here! My man sing out!" 

 and they made themselves ready and wandered to Måubo, where they were received by Amurabåri. 

 He did not let them come into his hut but sent them to the large house where they prepared 

 some food. After the return of the men they were all married excepting one who was intended 

 for Amurabåri, and she stayed with the youngest brother and his wife. 



In the night Amurabåri put away his bad skin and came into the large house, and his 

 body was shining like a fire. He woke up the youngest boy and the two vvomen, and they ail 

 fainted^* on seeing the light which radiated from him. But he recalled them to life by rubbing 

 their eyes with a lock of his hair, and they were al! very glad at seeing him without the bad 

 sores. The woman who was meant to be his wife was very beautiful. Amurabåri put an 

 enclosure of mats round her, and then he went out, burnt his bad skin and set fire to his hut. 

 After that he returned to his wife within the enclosure and slept there. 



In the morning the boys asked their youngest brother why the mat was there, and as 

 Amurabåri got up they ail fainted. He restored them to consciousness by rubbing their eyes with 

 a lock of his hair. 



Amurabåri was the great leader of the Måubo people. He still lives there in the shape 

 of an orordrora (mythical being; cf. Introduction to no. 102; Menégi, Mawâta). 



Tom. XLVU. 



