The Folk-Tales af titc Khvai Papitans. 283 



that she was a widow whose husband had died a long time ago. They slept togelher in the night, 

 and on returning home he sent his two wives to bring her to his house. (Dudba, Oromosapiia). 



THE WOMEN IN CHILD-BED (no. 215-216; ef. no. 157). 



215. Garabu, a Kiwai woman, once gave birth to a dead child. Lii<e all vvomen in child- 

 bed she stayed within an enclosure of mats in the house, and her husband Pàsee brought her 

 everything she needed. He went to the bush and fetched her some firevvood, and she said, „That's 

 all j'ou bring him firevvood? What for you no tal<e no banana.?" He went back to the garden 

 and returned vvith some bananas and coconuts which he gave her. She said, „You come close 

 to me, you me (vve) sleep one bed." „No, no, you stop inside mat," protested Päsee, „me no 

 can come quick (so soon after the delivery)." „You come stand up here," she said in a strong 

 voice, „me vvant talk along you," and Päsee went up to her. „Päsee, you no hear my talk," she 

 said. „I no can come, 3'ou stop inside mat." „All right, you go catch fish," said she. He brought 

 her some fish which she ate, and then she went to sleep, and Päsee slept outside the enclosure 

 of mats. 



In the middle of the night Garäbu called out, „Who man hear my talk he wake up Päsee, 

 he make my fire." When Päsee came, she asked him to enter the enclosure and light the fire. 

 He went in and seeing that her fire was burning said, „You got fire inside. no good you sing 

 out me!" Pfisee stirred up the fire and went back to his bed. 



In the morning she again called tu him to come. „What's good you talk," said Päsee, 

 „you all time sing out me." „Päsee, you no go bush, me two fellow stop," said she. He re- 

 mained at home when the people went to their gardens. Garäbu got up and caught him by the 

 hand. „What you go do now?" said he. The two slept together, and when they had finished, 

 the woman died in a hemorrhage on account of her récent delivery. (Duäba, Uromosapiia). 



216. .A certain Doropo woman who was in child-bed once went to swim, and her long 

 hair got entangled in a large tree under the watei'. She could not get up and was drowned. 

 Another woman on seeing her thought, „That woman long time he go underneath water, no 

 come up." She was found dead and brought on shore, and the people wailed. As she was her- 

 self responsible for her death, there was no cause for a quarrel. The woman was buried, and a 

 mourning feast was held. The small baby was suckled by another woman. .Since this incident 

 women in child-bed eut their hair, lest the same calamity should befall them. (Käku, Ipisîa). 



N:o 1. 



