406 PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION F. 



17. " O LE SALAMO VALE A Mafua."^ — The useless repentance 

 of Mafua." 



Mafua was a chief of Salelavalu to whom the ladies Taema and 

 Tilafpaga gave the art of tattooing. One condition was that when 

 drinking ava, the first cup should be given to him, and that he was 

 never to refuse it out of deference to any other person. Mafua, 

 however, from excessive politeness, declined the cup on the first 

 two occasions on which he practised his art. The consequence was 

 that the ladies took the art away from him, and though he re- 

 pented of his folly, he was never again allowed to practise it. 



18. " O LE latalata a Saleia." — " The nearness of Saleia." 

 The people of Saleia were the nearest to the forest from which 



all the timber which was required to re-build the houses in tlieir 

 district, which had been destroyed in the war, had to be procured, 

 and yet they were the last to build. 



19. " Ua ta lago o Lemasifau." — " The skids (rollers) of 

 Lemasifau are cut." 



Lemasifau cut rollers on which to launch his canoe, but did not 

 use them. The consequence was that the canoe was broken, and 

 neither it nor the skids were of any further use. Used to show that 

 good intentions or preparations are of no use if they are not carried 

 out. 



20. " O LE talanoa vale a Salevalasi I Lepapalaulelei." — 

 " The thoughtless conduct of Salevalasi at Lepapalaulelei." 



A travelling party from Salevalasi sauntered about at a resting 

 place on the road between Amoa and Lealatele, called Lepapalau- 

 lelei, for such a long time that they were benighted in the forest 

 long before they reached the village. They were only abbut half 

 v/ay when they thought that they were near the end of their 

 journey. This proverb or story is often iised as a warning against 

 delay, and the careless waste of time. 



21. " Ua gutu I a Vave le sa o Vave." — " Is eaten to, or on 

 behalf of, Vave the privileged (food) of Vave." 



The priest of a god called Vave ate the food which was tabooed 

 for the use of the god only. The phrase is often applied to a man 

 who takes a part of that which he had prepared for others. This 

 application is also made in another phrase, " O le saga o pausisi " 

 (the dowry or share of the low sides of the house), meaning the 

 portion of food hidden away by the donor in the low sides or 

 corners of the house for his own use. 



22. " Ua TO I tua o Apolima." — " Apolima is behind." 



This phrase is generally understood to apply to €he island of 

 Apolima, in the strait between Manono and Savaii, but this is in- 

 correct. The Apolima referred to is a place called by that name, 



