414 PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION F. 



60. " O LE SAiLi ESE FAA Tavau." " A strange quest like that 

 of the Tavau." 



The tavau is a species of leech which finds its way into the 

 eyes of men and women, and so is different from all other leeches. 

 Used to express the fact of an evil thing trying to injure that 

 which is good ; of the evil heart of man seeking to destroy the good 

 which is in him, &c., &c. 



61. " E LE FONO Paa mona vae." " The crab and his legs had 

 no consultation." 



This simile or illustration always appears to me to be a very 

 poor one, but it is certainly very often used. The idea is that 

 the crab and his legs had no consultation as to whether the latter 

 should pinch or not, and therefore the crab is not responsible 

 for the wounds inflicted by its legs. The figure is used when 

 disclaiming responsibility for actions committed only by some 

 member of the family or town, or when bewailing punishment for 

 actions about which they were not consulted. 



62. " E papa LE Tutu i ona vae." " The Tutu bullies because 

 of his great claws." 



The tutu is a large crab with very big claws, with which he 

 bullies and intimidates other animals. But " let his claws be 

 broken off, and then who is afraid of him?" A boy will act the 

 bully towards another boy because his father is near; a rich man 

 bullies a poor man because of his claws, i.e., because he has more 

 wealth, &c., &c." 



63. " Faaafu faaufi." " Search for as in looking for (wild) 

 yams." 



This is just a figurative way of saying that when we v;ish to 

 find anything we must follow any good clue. A man seeking a\ iid 

 yams finds a portion of the dead vine, and carefully follows it 

 until he finds the yam. 



64. " O LE LUPE LE FAUSiA." " A pigeou which has not been 

 tied (for training)." 



Applied to one who has not been taught how to behave himself 

 properly. 



65. " O LE MOTU MOTU LE o I ou TUA." — " There is a firebrand 

 there at your back." 



They say that the owl is very much afraid of a firebrand, and 

 that if an owl is flying about they have only to call out the above 

 words and it will at once fly away in great fear. They use this 

 in derision to, or about, any one who is easily frightened. 



