126 ANIMISM AND FOLK-LORE OF GUIANA INDIANS [eth. ANN. 30 



is held by the present-day Warraus and Arawaks on the Pomeroon. 

 He is said to be the creator of the male portion of manldnd, another 

 Spirit, KuUmina,' being responsible for the female. Uri-Kaddo and 

 Emeshi are his two wives, one name signifying 'darkness-people,' 

 ' a worker in darkness,' and the other a large red ant that burrows in 

 the earth; "together, they are typical of the creation of all things 

 out of the earth in the dark" (HiC, 244). Kororomamia would seem 

 to have experienced a remarkable number and variety of adventures, 

 some of which are given here. 



The Adventures of Koroeomanna (W) 



Kororomanna went out hunting and shot a ■'baboon" (ifj/cctes), but as itwasabeady 

 late in the afternoon, in trying to make his way home he losthis way in the darkness. 

 And there he had to make his 6ana6,and to lie down, with the baboon Iseside liim. 

 But whore he lay was a Hebu road; you can always dLstmguish a Spirit road from 

 any other pathway in the* forest because the Hebus occupying the trees that lie 

 alongside it are always, especially at night, striking the branches and trunks, and so 

 producing short sharp crackling noises [Sect. 104]- It was not pleasant for poor 

 Kororomanna, especially as the baboon's body was now beginning to swell with all 

 the noxious humors inside; lest the Hebus should steal it from him, he was obliged 

 to keep the carcass alongside and watch over it with a stick. At last he fell asleep, 

 but in the middle of the night the Hebus, what with the knocking on the trees, 

 aroused him from his slumbers. Now that he was awake, he mimicked the Spirits, 

 blow for blow, and as they struck the limb of a tree, Kororomanna would strike the 

 belly of the baboon. But what with the air inside, each time he struck the animal, 

 there came a resonant Boom! Boom! just like the beating of a drum.^ The Hebu 

 leader heard the ctirious sound, and became a bit frightened: "T\Tiat can it be? 

 When before I knocked a tree, it never made a noise like that." To make sure, 

 however, he struck the tree hard again, and Boom! came once more from the 

 carcass. Hebu was really frightened now, and began to search all around to find out 

 where the extraordinary noise could possibly come from; at last he recognized the 

 little manicole banab, and saw Kororomanna laughing. Indeed, the latter could 

 not help laughing, considering that it was the first time he had heard such a funny 

 sound come out of any animal. 



20. Hebu then said to him, "Who are you? Show me your hand," to which 

 Kororomanna replied, "I amWarrau, and here is my hand, "' but instead of putting out 

 his own, he shoved forward one of the baboon's, and then held forward the animal's 

 other hand, and finally both feet. Hebu was much puzzled and said he had never 

 seen before a Warrau with so black a hand, and would not be satisfied until he saw the 

 face. Kororomanna accordingly deceived him again and held out the monkey's, which 

 caused Hebu to make the same remark about his face as he had done about his hands 

 and feet. 



21. The Spirit became more frightened than ever, but his curiosity exceeded his 

 fear, because he next wanted to know where all that Boom! Boom! sound had come 

 from. And when he learnt its source of origin (breaking wind), he regretted that he 

 had not been made like ordinary mortals, he and all his family having no proper 

 posteriors, but just a red spot (Sect. 99). He thereupon begged Kororomanna to make 

 for him a posterior which would allow of his producing a similar sound. So with 

 his bow Kororomanna split the Spirit's hind quarters, and completed the task 



1 A name I have been unable to trace. — W. E. R. 



2 One end of the drum is commonly closed with baboon hide. 



