200 ANIMISM AND FOLK-LORE OF GUIANA INDIANS [eth. ann. 30 



Iho cooking, or even to touch the utensils [Sect. 274]. "Never mind," replied the 

 lather, "just rest yourself. We are not going very far, and we can manage for our- 

 selves." That afternoon they returned from the hunt with nothing, the same result 

 happening on the succeeding afternoon. \\'as the young woman the unfortunate 

 cause of their bad luck? Next morning, the huntsmen went into tlie bush as usual, 

 and, not long after they had gone, the girl, who was Ij-ing in her hammock, was some- 

 what startled at seeing a young man approach the banab and stride up to where she was 

 resting; she Ijecame very angry when he jumped in. She fought and wrestled with 

 him, informed him of her condition, and tried to get out, threatening what her father 

 would do when he returned. But he held her firmly, assured her that he had not 

 the slightest intention of troubling her, that he had come only to rest himself, and 

 promised to ask the old man for possession of her in the proper manner. So they both 

 lay there quietly in the hammock, discussing their respective prospects and affairs. 

 She learned from him that he had been long in love with her, and that he was a Simo- 

 ahawara [lit. 'bee tribe']; this information calmed her greatly, because it seems that 

 at his first appearance she took him for a Bush Spirit or Hebu.' Now, just as Simo 

 had anticipated, when the father returned in the afternoon, he was not at all vexed 

 at seeing the stranger in his daughter's hammock; in fact, he made not the slightest 

 reference to her even ha\'ing company. And when on the following morning Simo 

 asked the old man for her, the latter told him he could have her if lie desired, and the 

 girl consenting, he was received as a son-in-law. Being now one of the family, so to 

 speak, he told all tliree men to remain in their hammocks, as he would make himself 

 responsible for supplying them with their evening meal. Carrjdng his bow with two 

 an-ows, he accordingly took himself off to the bush, and returning very shortly, 

 instnicted the girl to tell her father go fetch in the game which he had killed.^ The 

 father went off to fetch the waiyarri in which Simo had packed the meat, but could 

 not lift it, much less carry it, on account of its great weight, though comparatively 

 small a bundle. He came back for his two sons to help him, but all three together 

 could not raise it from the ground. When they returned, to the banab, the old man 

 told his daughter what had occurred and asked her to get Simo to bring up the 

 bundle: the latter accordingly went, but not before telling his father-in-law, tlu'ough 

 his wife, to get the babracote ready. As soon as Simo brought in the bundle, one of 

 his brothers-in-law loosened the vine rope and, opening the bundle, brought out of 

 it one of every kind of bird and beast imaginable. They had plenty there to last 

 them for months, and it took all three men a long time to clean and cut up the flesh 

 and get it properly smoked. And when all the meat was dried, they started on their 

 homeward journey, Simo arranging for the old man and the brothers-in-law to carry 

 all they could, he following later on with the remainder, which as a matter of fact 

 was five times greater than all their loads put together. You see what a strong man 

 he must have been! And although he gave them a good start he speedily caught up 

 with them on the road, and they all went home together, Simo taking up his residence, 

 as is customary, at his father-in-law's place. About a year later Simo found himself 

 the proud father of a beautiful baby boy; in the meantime he had been busy clearing 

 his field. Now it was just about this time that his two sisters-in-law were beginning 

 to give trouble: they had fallen in love with him and were always jumping into his 

 hammock, but as fast as they got in, he would turn them out. He neither liked nor 

 wanted them, and complained to his wife about their conduct. Of course there was 



I This ahawam is the Warrau term for race, nation, tribe, etc.; thus Arawak-u ahawara signifies the 

 Arawak nation. 



' Three Indian customs are involved in this action: (a) The wife was tabooed from touching the meat, 

 owing to her physiological condition (Sect. 274). (6) Her newly-acquired husband must not bring it 

 into the house, otherwise he would lose his luck in hunting that particular animal (Sect. 244). (c) A 

 man and his father-in-law, though they may converse in a friendly enough manner on everyday general 

 topics, must never give each other any orders or instructions except through the medium of the wife, she 

 being the go-bet\veen, so to spealc. 



