33^ Gunnar Landtman. 



THE FIRST DRUM IN SAIBAl. 



278. In Såibai there lived two men, Àiarpâiar and his younger brother Köikorpäiar, and 

 the latter was blind. They possessed the first drum which was ever made, their father had made 

 it, and it was of tiie type called ivanipu (witiiout a handle). Àiarpdiar used to work in his garden 

 and on leaving his brother at home he said to him, „You no hit drum, I go long way garden. 

 That drum he long way hear, by-and-by you sing out people (cause people to come). Some Kfwai 

 man, some B<')igu man he come, he kill you." The elder brother hid the drum underneath the 

 thatches of the roof. and then he vvent away. But when he had gone, his blind brother began 

 to search for the drum groping his way about. A rattle was attached to the drum, and when 

 the boy shook the posts of the house the sound betrayed the place where the drum was hidden. 

 The boy took down the drum and started to beat it, and on hearing the sound, the elder brother 

 thought, „What name (why) be hit him? By-and-by somebody come kill him, take that drum." 

 The blind brother sang, 



„Àiarpâiar djcipåiar KoHiorpaiar.'' {Djéi, Mawata hie, means the west wind). 



The elder brother returned, and on hearing his footsteps Krjikorpaiar hid the drum. „Oh, 

 what name (why) you hit him that drum?" said Àiarpâiar. „Oh, brother, I no hit that drum, 

 long time I sleep. I think from other Island you hear him." „Oh, you gammon, I hear you hit 

 him. No other m.an hit him, that's you. You look out, by-and-by some man he kill you!" At 

 night when the little brother was sleeping Àiarpâiar again hid the drum, and in the morning he 

 repeated his warning to his brother and went away. But Köikorpäiar found the drum as on the 

 previous day and beat it. Presently a man named Püipui came and killed him and carried away 

 his head and the drum as well. Àiarpâiar heard how the sound suddenly broke off and thought 

 to himself, „What name he eut him that noise? I think somebody kill him now." He ran home 

 and there he found his brother's body, and he lamented and buried it. 



One day he went to Daväne and bade the people there come and take revenge. „What 

 name (what is) that noise me hear all time?" they asked him. „Oh, that drum," he replied, „Köi- 

 korpäiar hit him, somebody hear, come kill him, take that drum too." Then the people sailed 

 över to Såibai, and on finding Püipui's abode they killed him and captured his head. They 

 brought Kôikorpâiar's head back. The drum remained in Såibai. (Nâmai. Mawâta). 



Tom. XLVIl. 



I 



