EOTHj HEROES 123 



10. The two women had their hunting ground near two ponds; one of these ponds 

 belonged to Tiger, but the other one was their own, in which they therefore used 

 to fish. And they told Mayara-koto not to go to Tiger's pond. The man, however, 

 said, "Our pond has very few fish in it, but Tiger's has plenty. I am going to fish in 

 his. " He did so, but Tiger came along and caught and killed him for stealing liia 

 fish. Tiger then took Mayara-koto's shape and form, and returned to the spot where 

 the two women were camped. It was very late wlieil he came and quite dark. With 

 him he brought not only Mayara-koto's waiyarri (a temporary openwork ba.sket made 

 of palm-leaf) but in it the fish the latter had stolen. before being killed. Tiger put 

 down the waiyarri, as is customary, before coming into the liouse, and after telling 

 them good-night (lit. "I am come"), said he had brought some fish. Both women 

 were astonished at the coarse, rough voice. He then said he was much tired, aind 

 would lie down in his hammock, telling them that he would nurse Haburi, who was 

 accordingly brought to liim. He told tlieni also that he was going to sleep, and that 

 they must bring up the fish and cook it. but not to mind him. The women cooked the 

 fish, ^\■hen cooked, and while the women were eating it, the man fell asleep and 

 began to snore very curiously and loudly -indeed, so loud that you could have heard 

 him on the other side of the river. And while snoring, he called the fatlier's name — 

 Mayara-kuto. The two women looked at each other, and they listened. They said 

 "Our husband never snored like that; he never called liis own name before. " They 

 therefore stopped eating at once, and told each other that this man could not possibly 

 be their husband. And they pondered as to how they were going to get Haburi out 

 of the man's arms where he was resting. Making a bundle of a particular kind of bark, 

 they slipped it under tlie cliild and so got him away; then the\' (luickly made off with 

 him while the man was still snoring. \\ it)i tliem they also took a wax light an<l a 

 bundle of firewood. 



11. While going along, they heard Wau-uta singing. Wau-uta wasa woman in those 

 days, indeed she was a piai woman, and she was just then singing with her shak- 

 shak (rattle). The two women went on and on, quickly too, for they knew that once 

 they arrived at Wau-uta's place they would be safe. In the meantime, the Tiger-man 

 woke up and found the bark bundle in his arms instead of little Ilaburi, and both the 

 sisters gone. So he got angry; he clianged back into his animal shape, and hurried 

 after them. The women heard liim coming and hurried still more. They called out 

 "Wau-uta! open the door." "\Mio is there?" said Wau-uta, to which she received 

 reply "It is we; the two sisters." But Wau-uta would not open the door. So the 

 mother pinched little Haburi's ears and made him cry. Directly Waii-uta heard it she 

 shouted out, "What child is that? Is it a girl or a boy? " "It Ls my Haburi, a boy,'' 

 was the motlier's reply, upon wliich Wau-uta opened the door immediately and said, 

 "Come inl Come in!" Just after they had all got in. Tiger arrived and, calling out 

 to Wau-uta, asked her where the two women and the baby had gone. But Wau-uta 

 lied, telling that she had not seen them, that she had seen no one. Tiger, how- 

 ever, could tell by the scent that they were there, so he waited outside, and refused 

 to go away. This vexed Wau-uta, who became very angry, and told him that he might 

 just put his head in, and ha\'e a look round, and if he saw them, he could eat them if 

 he liked. But the door was covered with pimplers (thorns) and as soon as silly Tiger 

 put his head in. the old woman closed it, and so killed him. The two sisters remained 

 there, and cried much; they grieved for their husband. They cried so much indeed 

 that Wau-uta told tliem to go into the field, gatlier some cassava, and make a big drink. 

 They accordingly got ready to go, and were about to take Haburi with them, but 

 Wau-uta said, " No. I am quite able to look after the child in your absence." So 

 they did as they were told and went away to the field. 



12. In the meantime \\'au-uta made the child grow all at once into a youth, and 

 gave him the harri-harri to blow and the arrows to shoot. As the mother and aunt 



