GENEALOGY OF THE SUN — A SAMOAN LEGEND. lol 



was, Her country is in the skies.. He said, Very well, I doii't wish 

 to dwell in this country of Tafa'i;; let me visit the country of my 

 mother in the skies.. The Sun prepared to go above.. He went to 

 tlie western side of the heavens,, but it did not suit the desire of 

 the Sun.. Then he went to the eastern side of the heavens, and it 

 suited the desire of the Sun.. He then prepared to descend to 

 the country of his father to tell him his desire to dwell up above 

 in his mother's country.. He then went down to bid them fare- 

 well, [sayins;], " I am about to depart now, I shall pass over the 

 heavens , If you have any children, let them sun their sleeping 

 mats, and I will have compassion on them.. I am going to pass 

 across the skies ; when I rt-ach the west side of the heavens, in 

 shades of evening then the cricket will chirp, he is my brother. 

 At midnight Sina's palankeen will be lifted up and again the 

 cricket will chirp ; and the Sun will ascend into the fasa tree." 



Part II. 



So it was, that Mangamangaifatua, a woman from Leipata, was 

 there, ^picking up the rubbish. The Sun arose, and his beams 

 fell on the woman, and he went up and embraced the woman, and 

 she became pregnant, and she boie a son called (Alo-alo-o-le-La) 

 Sun-beam.. He married a Fijian woman, the daughter of the 

 king of Fiji.. Then were brought two fine mats, the dowry of the 

 wdfe of Sun-beam.. Then the man took a voyage to Fiji to bring 

 the property to his father the Sun.. He arrived at Leipata where 

 his motlier was.. She told him to leave the pi'operty with her ; 

 Sun-beam refused,, lest, said he, misfortune should overtake me 

 through you,, I will take it up to my Father from whom I came. 

 He then took it up before the Sun arose.. He delivered the pro- 

 perty to fMatiu and Longalonga and Saasaa-mai-le-tala..J Sun- 

 beam asked, where is my father the Sun?? I am come in my 

 distress.. [His sisters said]. Go and break oft' a vine rope with 

 which to catch the Sun.. The Sun asks, Wliat god of Samoa has 

 ensnared me ?? [Sun-beam answered]. It is I, your son, the child 

 of Mangamangaifatua ;; the dowry of my wife from Fiji is here 

 with jNIatiu, and Longalonga, and Saasaa-mai-le-tala ; I am come 

 in my difticulty to seekg marriage property for my wife.. The Sun 

 answered. Go to the women, || and choose one of two ai-ticles which 

 are in their keeping ; either the Hook of prosperity or the Hook 

 of adver.sity ;; leave the Hook of prosperity and take the Hook 

 of adversity ; because that is first adverse and then prosperous ; 

 whereas the Hook of prosperity is first prosperous and then 

 adverse.. Then came to him the women, Matiu and Longalonga, 

 and Saasaa-mai-le-tala, and they said to him, Go you with the 



* The fallen bread fruit leaves, &c., women's daily task. 



t >isters of the Sun. 



t There seems to be an omission here. 



§ Property given by the husbanil to the wife's family. 



II His sisters. 



