proceedinus of section f. 411 



Those from Nature, and those associated with Animals, etc. 



42. " TuAOi AFA MA MANiNOA." — ■" The liurricane and the calm 

 are neighbours." Cf., " After a storm, then the calm." 



This world-wide experience is thus tersely expressed in one of 

 their best-known proverbs. 



43. " Sex iloga e tae'u le matua-moa ona 'ai lea mogamoga e 

 le TOLOAi . ' ' — ' ' When (until) the old hen scratches, then the 

 chickens eat beetles." 



44. " Ia folau alamea." — " Apply the alamea cure." 



The alamea is a spiny Echinoderm, the spines of which when 

 trodden on enter the foot, and cause very great pain. In such 

 cases the natives turn over the animal, and place the v.'ounded 

 foot on the under side, when the powerful suckers of the animal 

 extract the poison, and the pain is at once alleviated or removed. 

 Cf., "A hair of the dog which bit you." 



45. " O LE Funafuna gutu lua." — ' The Funafuna with two 

 mouths." 



The Funafuna is a "sea cucumber" (Holothuria) which the 

 natives say has two mouths. In the great fight between the birds 

 and the fishes the Funafuna was on the side of the birds when £liey 

 wei'e victorious, but on the side of the fishes when they were the 

 victors. The name is given to an undecided man, or to one who 

 sides with the strongest party. Cf., " I'll be the Vicar of Bray." 



46. " PuLAPULA A LA GoTO." — " The brightness of the setting 

 sun." 



The brightness of the setting sun is very beautiful, but it will 

 soon pass away. This figure is often used with regard to some one 

 who has been renowned for wisdom or courage, and who, though 

 old, still retains much of his old energy. It is also used with 

 regard to a sick man who, though near death, apparently recovers 

 much of his old strength. The late Revd. G. Pratt, in his dic- 

 tionary, says that it is used as a figure of a man in the prime of 

 .life, but I have never heard it so used. 



47. " O LE MOTU A manuma." — " The breaking away of a 

 manuma." 



The manuma is the name of a bird {Ftilonopus Perousei) which 

 is difficult to obtain, and which is very rarely recovered if it 

 breaks away from captivity. The words are used to express sorrow 

 on account of some loss which cannot be recovered or made good, 

 e.g., the death of a chief who has no successor. 



48. " Amuia le masina e alu ma sau." "Blessed is the 

 moon which goes and comes again." 



One can well imagine these words to have been uttered by 

 some native who has been thinking about the brevity of life and 



