itoTH] HEROES 135 



cut his leg off. On a clear night you can still see them up among the clouds: there 

 is Maipuri (Hyades), there Makunaima (Pleiades), and below is his severed leg (Orion's 

 Belt). [Cf. Sect. 211.] 



39. In the story as told by a Makusi (Da, 339), there, are but a 

 few main variations from the particuhirs given by the Warraus 

 (Sect. 29). These variations are as follows: 



The Sun, finding his fish-ponds too frequently robbed, set Yamuru, the water- 

 lizard, to watch them. Yamuru, not being sufliciently vigilant and deprivations 

 continuing. Alligator was appointed watchman. Alligator, the depredator, con- 

 tinued his old trade while employed as a watchman, and at last was detected by 

 the Sun, wlio slashed him with a cutlass within an inch of his life, every cut form- 

 ing a scale (Sect. 141}- ."Vlligator begged piteously for his life, and to propitiate the 

 Sun offered him his beautiful daughter in marriage. But he had no daughter. He 

 therefore sculptured the form of a woman from a wild plum tree. He then exposed 

 her to the Sun's inlluence, and fearing ultimate detection of the fraud, hid liimself 

 in tlie water, peering at the Sun; and this habit Alligator has continued to the 

 present lime. The woman was imperfectly formed, but a woodpecker, in quest 

 of food, pecked at her body atque genitalia proparavit. The Sun left her and she, 

 grieving for his desertion, 8i\id that she would seek him. [Then follows the incident 

 of her advent at old Mother Toad's house, the sickness caused by eating the poi- 

 sonous head-Uce, the death of the woman, as in the Carib version, caused by Tiger, 

 and the disciivery of the two unborn children, who subsequently became the two 

 Heroes. 1 



40. Pia's first work was to slay Tiger and take out of his carcass the parts of the 

 body of his mother, who became whole and alive. [Next comes a repetition 

 of the Warrau legend concerning the old toad guanling her fire-making secret.] 

 But Mak\inaima had an appetite for fire-eating, and invariably devoured the live 

 coals. The toad remonstrated, and Makunaima in anger prepared to leave and 

 to travel throughout the land. To attain his purpose he dug a large canal, into 

 which flowed water; and having made a corial, the first of its kind, he persuaded his 

 mother and Pia to go with him. It was from Crane that the brothers learned the 

 art of fire-niakiug when he struck his bill against a flint and the friction produced 

 fire. The brothers placed huge rocks in all the rivers to detain tlie ilslies: the rocks 

 thus placed caused the great waterfalls. Crane was at first accustomed to catch his 

 own fish, but fiiuling Pia and Makunaima more successful fishermen after the rivers 

 had been dammed, kept near to them and took away their fish. Pia consequently 

 quarreled with Crane, who, becoming angry, took up Makunaima (who had taken 

 part with him against his brother) and flew away with him to Spanish Guiana.) 



41. Pia and his mother, thus deserted, continued their daily emplojTnent of travel- 

 ing together, fishing, and seeking fruits. Hut at last one day the mother complained 

 of weariness and Pia conveyed her to the heights of Roraima, these to be her 

 abiding jilace of rest. Then came a change of occupation for Pia. He abandoned 

 the hunt as the sole or principal occupation of Ids life, and traveled from place to 

 place, teaching the Indians many useful and good things. By him and his teachings 

 we have the Piai men. Thus did Pia pursue his course of benevolence until he 

 disappeared finally from men and remained awhile with his mother on Roraima. 

 And when his time of departure from her had arrived, he told her that whatever of 

 good she desired she would obtain if she would bow her head and cover her face 

 with her hands (Sect. 256) while she expressed her wish. This she does in her need 

 to the present hour. Whenever the mother of these two heroes of our race is sorrow- 

 ful, there arises a storm on the mountain, and it is her tears that run down in streams 

 from the heights of Roraima (Da, 342). 



