The Folk-Tales of tlic Khvai Papuans. 313 



go up along house." They all went to the bush, Sonare, his wife whose name was Mâde, and 

 the six brothers. Sonare put some sticks in the ground marking out the différent plots of the garden, 

 and placing one of his brothers at each stick he asked them to dig the ditches. Sonare alone 

 dug his ditch in a straight line, but all the rest dug theirs crooked. „Vou no come inside along 

 my garden, you go straight," said Sonare to the man nearest to him. „Oh, brother, me no can 

 help it," replied the other fellow, and the rest said the same, „Me no can see mark." 



When the ditches were finished the brothers planted the various lots of the garden, and 

 Sonare said, „You no more come look out (after) garden, I come look out." „That's all right, 

 Sonare," said the brothers, „more better \ve stop home. We look out house, you catch him 

 kaikai, firevvood, water." 



The next morning Made went to swim and taking off her grass-petticoat put on a fresh one. 

 Then she went to the garden with her husband. As soon as they were gone the six blind 

 brothers seized her petticoat and „humbugged" it, the eldest first and then the rest in turn according 

 to âge. On his return Sonàre said, „Oh, hard vvork, me and wife belong me; make garden, 

 take kaikai, take water, firewood. What for you fellow no help me?" „Oh, we no can help 

 you, we no got no eye," said they. Màde prepared food, and they ate. ' Then she changed her 

 petticoat and put on the same which her brothers-in-law had humbugged, and ail of them went to sleep. 



The same events took place every day for some time. Mâde changed her petticoat. and 

 the six blind men humbugged the one she had left at home, and in the evening she put it on 

 again (abbrev.). One day Sondre said to his wife, „Mâde, what's the matter that thing belong 

 woman, ai)io (breast), he come up now?" „I no savy, I no can tell you, you no been humbug 

 me," she replied. „I no savy what's way (how) you been find him pickaninny," said he. The 

 six brothers did not know anything, as the}' were blind. - 



One morning Sonåre pretended to go to the garden but returned home to watch his 

 brothers. He heard them shouting to each other, „Hurry up ! hurry up!" When he went doser 

 he saw that they were humbugging his wife's petticoat. „Oh, I find out now !" he thought, 

 „wife belong me he got pickaninny that fashion. Ail you me (we) one mother, one father; you 

 fellow spoil me." ^* He went to the garden, and his wife asked him where he had been. „Oh, 

 I been look one good place, I stand look, that's why I no come quick," lied he. In the evening 

 Mâde prepared food for the men as before. 



The next morning Sonâre asked his brothers to come and help him to eut down a certain 

 large tree, and they ail went there together. When the tree was felled Sonâre said, „You fellow 

 stand up, make him one line. 1 go split him now," and he started to split the tree. The brothers 

 said, „Suppose plentj»^ kône (a kind of edible larvae) stop inside, you fellow sing out, 'Plenty'; me 

 fellow want put hand, take kaikai." Presently Sonâre exclaimed, „Oh, plenty, j'ou tellow go put 

 hand now !" As they put their hands into the cleft he snatched away his axe, and the tree 

 closed up, jamming their hands so they could not get away. ^" „Brother, what's the matter, 

 Sonâre ?" they called out. ,.No my fault, my six brother," said he. „You fellow no sorry me. 

 I look out you fellow, garden, kaikai, some fish; you fellow humbug my wife." He left them in 

 the bush, and the six brothers began to wail and sin^:, 



" ,.Wäwoiodio Sonàre nâiiia dôvctbi mo nigoibi gido ovéra nàa iarogo. — Sonâre been find 

 him out now, me tell him, me no been humbug him." 

 N:o 1. 40 



