The Folk-Taks of tlie Kiwai Fapuans. 281 



been shoot him one man there!" he gammoned, „I go shoot him another one!" but again the 

 arrow feil in the same way as before. Then he laid dovvn his weapons and went to svvim. 



Another day Gurûme again put on ail his ornaments and said to the people, „You fellow 

 clean him ground ; Mâbuiag man, Bàdu man, Tvvo Brother man he there my house, plenty people 

 along my house, al! he go dance." The Sâibai people believed him and cleared their dancing 

 ground and strewed ashes over it in rectangular lines. A partition was put up to hide the sup- 

 posed visitors from view, and the girls and other on-lookers were sitting on the outer side of it. 

 But instead of the Màbuiag men Gurûme came out and danced. The girls turned their faces away 

 and said, „Oh, \ve no want see 3'ou. Where ail Mâbuiag man?" „Me dance one man (alone) 

 first time," said Gurûme, „by and by plentj' man he corne, you look." He made the partition 

 move, as if a great number of people were crovvding behind it, and then he went on dancing in 

 spite of the sarcastic remarks of the girls. „Never mind; you like me first" (before the visitors 

 come and dance), he said and danced close to the girls bending over them. When he finished 

 he said, „AU Sâibai man, you no stop him that girl. He like me now, when I go my place, ail 

 girl he come. You no stop him, you let him go." „All right," said the Sâibai men, „let him go 

 — where all Mâbuiag man, Bådu man?" „Never mind — all he stop here," said he. The girls 

 abused him saying, „Oh, j^ou püli (cranky shark, a fish), oh, you hidu (porpoise), oh, you wüdji 

 (stone-fish)!" Gurûme ran and tried to beat them saying, „No good you call me bad name! I 

 good man, no man he stop Sâibai all same me! No gQod you put bad name my body!" 



When the men went to lock behind the partition they did not see anybody there, arid 

 seizing their stone clubs they said, „No good you make fool you me (us)." They tried to strike 

 Gurûme, but he fled, throwing away his ornaments as he ran with the people in hot pursuit be- 

 hind him. After a while he put a teather in his mouth and swallowed it, thus transforming him- 

 self into a bird, kekesio by name. In the shape of the bird he alighted on the head of one of 

 his pursuers, and when a blow was directed at him he dodged it, and the man was hit instead 

 and killed. In this way he caused one man after another to be killed, until only two of the 

 leaders remained. '" The bird perched in a tree and said, ^" „Me pigeon (bird) now, my name 

 Kekesi'o, I go stop along tree." (Gaméa, Mawâta). 



KESA AND HIS RIVALS. 



213. Once a number of lâsa boys went to take part in a madia dance at Wiörubi (Sa- 

 gasi'a), and took with them ail their dancing ornaments. Among them was a certain handsome 

 boy named Késa, whom the others did not want to hâve with them, for he was a great favourite 

 with ail the girls. They tried to frighten him back by saying, „Késa, more better you go back, 

 by and by Wiörubi man fight you, you me (we) finish. „I man, I go," replied Késa. Just before 

 reaching Wiörubi thej' stopped in the bush to get themselves ready, painted themselves, and put 

 on their ornaments. Then they started to beat their drums and went into the village. There was 

 a small hut near the large house^ and Késa's companions said to him, „Ei, Késa, you go sleep 

 inside that small house. Wiörubi man kill you me." „Oh, you me go," said Késa, „never mind 

 he fight." They all went into the large house and joined in the dance. Two girls came up to 

 N:o 1. 36 



