430 Gunnar Landtman. 



THE BOY WITH A LEG LIKE A CASSOWARY. 



369. A certain Mao v\'onian once gave birth to a boy whose nne leg was like tliat of 

 a cassowary. The cause of this déformation was that ihe mother bad fed exclusiveiy on 

 cassowary meat. 



One day when the boy bad grovvn up the Mao and Wiôi'ubi peoples went to figbt the 

 Gémeidai people at Wäpi. The boy with the cassowaiy leg bad a fiiend at Wiiirubi who was 

 very much excited at the prospect of the tight and said, „To-morrow I Ivill plenty man, \'"U 

 fellow look!" The first boy felt a little ashamed and thought, „He got proper leg, I got no good 

 leg. No good I boast — you me (we) see, by-and-by!" When the attacking party landed, the 

 Wiörubi man jumped on shore first and rushed at the enemy, killing three of them. His friend 

 with the cassowary leg laughed with excitement, and he too hurried on shore. He kicked out 

 with his cassowary foot which was as formidable a weapon as any stone club. Now the foot 

 went right into the body of a man, now smashed a leg or skull or ripped open a belly so that 

 the intestines ran out. The Wiörubi man looked on in amazement: „Oh, my god, all same 

 pigeon (bird) he fly! That time I come I boast for nothing, friend belong me he win me. More 

 better I go find him leg belong cassowary." 



The last of the Gémeidai people were killed, and the victors eut off their heads and 

 returned home sounding their trumpet-shells in order to let their folks at home know. The 

 Wiörubi man went to his friend and said, „What name (how) you been eut that leg? More 

 better you leai'n (teach) me." „No man he eut him that leg," answered his friend, „mother he 

 born me — leg he all same. Vou no eut leg, spoil yourself." „Oh, friend, you gammon," said 

 the Wiörubi man, „more better I eut him leg, man he no born like that." 



And the Wiörubi man went and killed a cassowary and eut off its leg. Then he eut 

 off his own leg and fastened that of the cassowary in its place, he used a peg to fix both parts 

 of the leg togethei', and then he tied up the joint firmly. The sore ulcerated a little, but when 

 it had healed the man had a cassowary'.s leg like his friend. 



After a time the Mao and Wiörubi peoples went to fight the Abo people and the two 

 friends took part in the expedition. They jumped on shore together, and the landing party 

 proceeded to Abo village where the attack was made. The two fi'iends kicked many of the 

 enemy to death with their exti'aordinary legs, and their companions came behind and eut off the 

 heads of the slain people. After a while the attacking party withdrew, and the two friends weie 

 left behind. Seeing them alone the Abo people mustered courage and closed in upon them, and 

 the two men retreated slowly towards the shore. While the one man kept the enemy back with 

 his bow and arrows his friend reti'red behind him, and When the man in the rear was tired his 

 friend relieved him. Thus they came to a creek, and after some dispute they decided that the 

 Mao man should jump over tirst and then begin to shoot froni the other side and let his friend 

 jump. „Time belong you jump now," shouted the Mao man when he had reached the other 

 bank, „I stand by, look out." The Wiörubi man jumped but feil right into the creek, and when 

 he tried to draw out his artificial leg from the mud it broke off. He crawled on his knees and 

 cried out, „Oh, friend, more better you carry me." „I no can carry you," replied his friend, 

 „you rne two lose. I been speak you, you go first." The Wiörubi man stood on his knees, 



Tom. XLVII. 



