The Folk-Tales of thc Kiivai Papuans. 511 



PAIRIO WHO TREATED HIS OLD FATHER BADLY, AND HIS PUNISHMENT 



THROUGH AMURABARI. 



465. At imiöro in Dudi there liveci a man nameci Pairio. He and his wife vvorked in 

 their garden, and in the meantime his old parents looked after his children at home. But on 

 returning home in the evening he never gave the old folks any food, and if his eldest son had 

 not taken pity on them and brought them some food they would have starved. 



One day Pairi'o launched his canoe and prepared to go to Mi'bu to catch crabs. Pro- 

 visions and other things were put in the canoe. „You me (vve) go away night-time," said Pairio 

 to his vvives and children, „tide he down." At sunset his old father took his bow and arrows 

 and crept into the canoe where he hid, underneath the things vvhich were there. 



Pairio and his companions sailed away, nearing Mi'bu Island at daylight. „Who belong 

 leg there inside canoe.^"' said Pairi'o presently. He caught hold of the legs and puUed the old 

 man out. Then he threw him into the water, for he did not want to take him with him. His 

 eldest son was angry and called out, „What's the matter you chuck him away? Who been 

 make you?" 



There happened to be a large nipa palm drifting with the tide, and the old man, swim- 

 ming in the water, managed to reach it. He put his bow, arrows, and basket on the floating 

 tree and climbed up. While Pairio landad in Mibu, his old father paddled along by means of 

 his bow, and at length reached the opposite end of the Island. He got hold of another nipa palm 

 vvhich was groiving there and climbed ashore wlth his things. There he sat down, smeared him- 

 self with mud, and wailed. After a time Pairio returned to Imiöro. His old mother vvho missed 

 her husband wailed. 



Some distance up a creek in Mibu lived a man named Âmurabâri. He was in the habit 

 ot hunting pigs and throwing their intestines into the creek. They floated with the current and 

 were found by the old man who hooked them in, washed them, and put them into his basket. 



Âmurabâri was „another kind man", and at night his skin shone like a fire. One day 

 he found the old man who asked him, „Who \'ou?'' „I Âmurabâri. Who vou?" „Oh, I belong 

 imiöro; Pairio been chuck me away along water." Âmurabâri looked into his basket and .said, 

 „What you got inside?" „Bellv belong pig, I find him." Then Âmurabâri took the basket, bow, 

 and arrows and threw them into the water saying, „I no want him that bad thing, I got good 

 one. You come along house belong me." They went together, and the old man was given 

 proper food. „To-morrow I take you, leave you along imiuro," said Âmurabâri. 



The next day he loaded his canoe with pig meat, and they set sail and went över to 

 imiöro. When they landed, Pairio's eldest son said to his father, „You no come, I go take him 

 old man. You bad man, you no savy sorry for people." But Pairi'o went down to the canoe and 

 invited Âmurabâri into his house. The old man said to Pairio, „No, I no want him sleep here, 

 more better he go back now. You bad man." Pairio nevertheless took Âmurabâri into his house. 

 Then he prepared gämoda, mixed it with ^åcli (the sap of a tree with which fish are poisoned), 

 and let Amurabâri drink of it. Amurabâri feil down „dead", and Pairi'o rolled him up in a large 

 mat which he tied up and put in his canoe. Then he sailed away with his three wives and 

 N:o 1. 



