480 Gunnar Landtman. 



people to come and showed them the place saying, „More better we burn that grass all right. 

 Suppose that man he burn, he all right, no can help it. He dead, I dead behind (afterward-,), I 

 don't care." They set fire to the grass. The scorched body of the man was then carried home 

 and buried. Since then the wasps are black at both ends of their bodies, but some of thcir original 

 colour remains in the centre. (Ganàme, Ipisi'a). 



THE TREE MAN AND SEA SNAKE WHO USED TO VISIT EACH OTHER. 



448. On Wåboda Island there grew a tree called Gägoro, vvhich was also a man (cf. 

 no. 109). Once a water snake named Ôbopére crawled on shore, holding the end of its tail 

 upwards. Gågoro and Obopére talked to each other, and the former said, „What for you come 

 on shore? Place belong you stop along water." The snake put down its tail and said, „You me 

 (we) friend, I no want row." Gågoro invited Ôbopére into his house, and the snake said, „Where 

 house belong you?" „He stop here, house belong me that tree," and Ôbopére went into the tree. 

 Inside it was just like a house. Gågoro entertained his guest with food, and when Ôbopére 

 went home he said to his friend, „To-morrow morning you come look my house;" and 

 they parted. 



At daybreak Gågoro got up and went to his friend. „You sleep?" he called out. „I no 

 sleep, I stop here," answered Ôbopére. „Oh, that's water!" Gågoro exclaimed, „where house 

 belong you? Me fright!" „You come down here, you no fright, you come my house," and 

 Ôbopére got up and caught him by the hand. They went into the water which was very deep. 

 „Oh, good place here, you fellow good place," Gägoro called out. After a time he said, „Ôbopére, 

 me want go my house. Next time I no want stop place belong you." And he went back. 

 (Japfa, Ipisi'a). 



THE BANANA TREES WHO WAILED IN THE ABANDONED GARDEN 



449. Once the Mawåta people abandoned an old banana garden and went to plant a 

 new one. Some trees however were still growing in the old garden and had fruit on them. In 

 the course of time the owner of the bananas went to make a wrapping of leaves round the 

 bunches of fruit in his new garden. The banana trees in the old garden were neglected and 

 wailed, „Oh, father, you been plant me, you forget me, you no look out good. Where yougo? 

 You leave me, you no come make house (the wrapping) belong me." The master heard their 

 wailing but thought that some child was crying for its father. He continued his work not thinking 

 about the bananas in the old garden. When he went home the bananas wept after him, „Oh, 

 father, you leave me, you no make house belong me. Rain he wet me all time." The man 

 slept in the night, and the next morning he resumed his work in his new garden. The bananas 

 in the old garden wailed again, „Oh, father, you forget me. You can't make house belong me? 

 Rain he wet me all time." That time the man found out the meaning of the cry, „That no man 

 (person) he cry, that banana belong me, I no look out good." Upon which he went to his old 



Tom. XLVII 



