The Folk-Tales of t he Kiivai Papuans. 289 



happened. N;ibo was regardée! as having himselt' to blame, and his father had no cause to make a row. 

 (Obiiro, läsa). 



224. One night a certain Kubira man named Méuri after having connection with his vvife 

 forgot to withdraw his penis and fall asleep lying beside her. In the morning, still asleep, they 

 vvere seen by their sons and daughters who told the people of the stränge sight, and everybody 

 laughed. .At length their youngest son went back into the house and hit his father on his penis 

 with a sticis, thus wakiny him up. .Méuri opened his eyes and became avvare of his shameful 

 position. „That's all you one man (alone) look me fèllovv?" he asked the boy. „No, that 

 altogether brother and sister he been see you," answered the youngster, „that's why I come see 

 you tvvo fellovv," and his father „got big shame". He did not say anything, and while his wife 

 put on her grass-petticoat, he took his bow and arrows, vvhereupon they went far into the bush. 

 VVhen they came to a suitable place they settled down there and planted a garden and called the 

 place Nobére (which means „penis in érection"). 



After a time the children came to see their parents and fetched them back. A great 

 dance was held. Låter on the Kubi'ra people went to fight the Davåre people, and Méuri, who 

 still felt ashamed, purposely let himself be killed by the enemy. As he did not return to the camp, 

 his wife went to look for him, and she too was killed. Their companions were shipwrecked on 

 their way home, perished, and were transformed into bihare (mythical beings in the sea, ef. no. 

 131 ; Giblima, Mawåta). 



225. Umurtjburo, a certain Kiwai man, once wanted to sleep with his wife, whose name 

 was Éei, but she declined, alleging that she had her monthly course. Her husband was very 

 angry and shot her tame pig, and on cutting up the meat he did not let her have any share of it. 

 Another night he again awoke her and said, „What you think, me make something?" but she 

 gave the same excuse as before. „By and by, you wait, you no hurry," she said. „Who make 

 him that blood.'" asked Umurüburo, and she said, „That moon he make him, he catch me, he 

 koböri (has connection with) me." „Oh, no good that moon he spoil wife belong me," the man 

 thought. It was full moon just then, and Umurüburo seized his bow and a bündle af arrows, 

 climbed a coconut trea and started to shoot at the moon. „What name (why) you taka my 

 wife? What name (why) you koböri him!" he cried and kept on shooting at the moon. But 

 the arrows did not get stuck in the moon. When he had finished one bündle of arrows, he 

 climbed down and fetched another, and thus he went on shooting till it was daylight. Another 

 man had watched him and thought to himself, „What name (why) he shoot.' he got no pigeon 

 (bird) there. He call name belong ganiimi (moon). What name he shoot ganihni? he (the 

 moon) no man." 



On returning to his wife IJmuriiburo asked her how she was, and she told him that her 

 course had nearly finished. „Oh, I been kill him moon," he said joyously, „you look: my térc- 

 påhi (bundle of arrows) finish." When she was all right he took her to the bush and had 

 connection with har in a wild and reckless fashion. „I wife belong you, I no run away," cried 

 she „by and by you kohort ma planty time, you give me spell now." „Never mind," said he, „I 

 koböri you now. I wild that moon, all time ha humbug." At length UmuriJboru was himself 

 N:o 1. 37 



