XI. COMMUNICATION AND TRAVEL 



(no. 291-311; cf. Index). 

 A. LEGENDARY METHODS OF TRAVELLING (no 291-293; ef. Index). 



291. One morning the mythical people {ororårora, ef. Introduction to no. 102), who form- 

 erly lived at Kubira went out to defecate and mounted a large tree which had been washed 

 up on the beach. While they vvere sitting and talking together vvith their faces turned towards 

 the vvater the tide carried the tree away, and not until after a good while did one of them notice 

 what had happened. „Oh, you me (\ve) long vvay!" they shouted. „What's way (how) you me 

 go? No can svvim, by-and-by lose along water." The rising tide floated them a long distance 

 from home, and lying down on the tree they saw many places as they passed on their way. 

 They were very frightened and thought, „By-and-by people look, take canoe, come kill you me." 

 They were hungrj', for their journey lasted a long time. 



At last the tide turned floating the tree back, and the people thought, „My God, what 

 time you me catch him shore?" The wood was washed up at Davâre, and the ororårora went 

 on shore. That place was inhabited by some other ororårora who used to sleep inside a large 

 bamboo, closing the tree behind them when they entered it. The new-comers followed their 

 tracks to the bamboo close to the road. They heard the voices of the Davåre people and after 

 some hésitation concluded that somebody was inside the bamboo. One of them called out, „Man 

 there he stop?" ^" „Yes; where you come from?" „Oh, me come from Kubira, all me ne (defe- 

 cate), that tree take me go," said the Kubira people, „You look out, me split that bamboo." 

 They eut the bamboo open, and the Davåre ororårora came out headed by their chief man 

 Warfo. „No good you stop inside that bamboo," the Kubira people said, „more better you me 

 make house." Then they eut posts, built a house, and thatched it with leaves. The Kubira and 

 Davåre ororårora stayed together. But the Kubira women cried bitterly at home, „Oh, all man 

 helong me, what place he go?" 



Ever since that meeting the Kubfra and Davåre people have remained friends. After the 

 Kubira people had finished the house at Davåre they returned home in a canoe. The women all 

 called out, „Oh, where you fellow come?" „Oh, tide he take one big tree, he fast; he take me 

 go along Davåre. Me find him all Davåre man he stop along bamboo." The Kubfra people 

 went after a time to visit their friends at Davåre, and some of them remained there for good. 

 (Duäne, Mawåta). 



N:o 1. 



