riie Folk-Talcs of thc Kiivai Papuans. 509 



On returning home the Màbuiag people discovered the theft and said, „Who been steal 

 that dugong?" One boy had been sleeping in the house vN'rapped up in a mat, and they asked 

 him, „Who been steal that dugong? He got no dog hère." „I no savy, I small boy, I no can 

 get up. I no look who been steal him." 



When the Màbuiag people next vvent to spear dugong two men determined to stay at 

 home and keep vvatch for the thief. In order not to let the others knovv they pretended to he 

 ill and tied a string tightly round their one thigh.** As soon as the rest had gone they got up 

 and made new, strings for their bows, keeping a good look-out all the while. In the middle of 

 the night Javågi came svvimming along and got up on the shore. The two men vvatched him: 

 „One man there he come up along water." Javågi went into the house and stole some meat, 

 and the two said, „He take meat now." He eut up the meat as before and began to eat, and at 

 the same time the two men drew their bows and let fly, hitting him underneath both arms. " Then 

 they iinished him with their stone clubs and eut off bis head. 



Javàgi's two daughters at Büru did not know that their father had stolen the meat. In 

 the morning they waited for him in vain and called him by name without receiving any answer. 

 They followed. His footmarks to the rock from which he had jumped into the water, and there 

 the tracks ended. „He been stand up on top stone, he been go water," they thought, „I think 

 Mabuiag man been kill him, shark he kaikai along road." Then they wailed for their father. 



When the Måbuiag people returned home, the two men who had killed Javägi showed 

 them his head. The people looked at it, and Pätalai's husband said, „Oh, that émapora (father- 

 in-law) belong me. You fellow been kill my émapora.'' He went and told Pätalai, and they wailed 

 and drew out the head-carrier from Javdgi's head, and the body and head were buried. The two 

 men wanted to keep the head, but Pätalai's husband was a great man and buried it. 



Thinking of her sisters Påtalai u^ept and said, „Two sister belong me stop along Büru. 

 He got no man (they are alone), I no savy who look out (looks after them)." „More better you 

 me (we) go take him to-morrow," said the Mabuiag people. 



In the morning they set sail and steered över to Büru, and saw the two girls from a 

 distance. When they came near, some men jumped overboard and swam ashore, for everybody 

 was anxious to catch the two girls first. The girls wrapped themselves up in two mats and 

 could not be found anywhere, however the Mabuiag men sought for them. Some of the visitors 

 wanted to steal things in the empty house but were stopped by the rest. Påtalai had not gone 

 with the others. Unable to find the girls the Måbuiag part}' made their way back. When they 

 had come some distance from the Island, they saw the two girls standing on the shore, and some 

 of them wanted to return at once, but the others said, „No, me no go back, make fright two 

 fellow. To-morrow we come again." 



The two men who had killed Javågi went and dug up their parent's skulls, cleaned them 

 carefuUy, and rubbed them with coconut oil. They wanted their parents to come and speak to 

 them in a dream and teil them how to find the girls, and therefore they kept the skulls close to 

 them while sleeping. They woke during the night but had not dreamt anything. Then they 

 said to the spirits, „What time you come? You come quick!" Then providing themselves with 

 two sticks they said, „By-and-by I break head belong you." After a while their parents came to 

 them and said, „Me two old man (people), me come easy (sIov\ly); suppose me young, me come 

 N;o 1. 



