220 ANIMISM AND FOLK-LORE OF GUIANA INDIANS [bth. ANN. 30 



The Search for the Stone Ax (A) 



There was a corial full of people, witli a very old man, a medicine-man, in charge. 

 They were about to search for some stone axes, but as the}- had a long, long way to 

 go, their wives whom they were leaving at liome had made a plentiful supply of 

 cassava for them. In the boat they look also cassava-sticks, -so that when they 

 reached the sjiot where the a.xes were found, they might plant them, and after reaping 

 obtain cassava for their home journey. It might be years before they would be able 

 to see theu' wives and children again. Down the river they paddled, out into a sea 

 which had blue water in it, and with so many submerged rocks that there was a great 

 risk of the vessel being smashed to pieces if they went farther. The old man told 

 the crew to shoot arrows into this blue water; where an arrow sank, there did danger 

 lurk; where one floated, there the corial was enabled to pass. The sea was ultimately 

 crossed in safety by this means. (Cf. Sect. dM.) 



The Huri Fish Nation 



153. They -vdsited many nations. One day, as they were traveling along, the old man 

 told them that they were approaching the Huri [Macrodon sp.] Fish Nation [Sect. 17S], 

 and that, when they reached the landing place, they would see large numbers of 

 fish lying in the sand, but they were neither to shoot them with their arrows nor 

 chop them with their knives, because they were reallj' men and women. WTiat the 

 old man said actually happened when they landed that night. But when all the 

 others slept, one of the crew stealthily arose, and went down to the water-side to 

 have another look at these fish. He drew his bow, shot one of the fish, roasted it 

 without making any noise, ate it, all by himself, and retiuned to his hammock with- 

 out anyone else apparently being the \viser. Next morning at early dawn a large 

 body of Indians came trooping down to the encampment, and asked for the head of 

 the boat's crew. The old man arose, and said he was the head of the crew. The 

 Indians said, "One of our men is lost: we suppose some of your party have killed 

 him." Turning to his crew, the old man made inquiry as to whether anyone had 

 been killed while he had been sleeping, but of course received a negative reply. 

 So the Indians took the old man with his whole party away out back to their own 

 camp. Arrived there, they put water into a large pot" over the fire. ^Mien boiled, 

 they gave to each of the ^asitors, beginning with the old man, a calabashful of the 

 hot water to drink, so as to make each one vomit. The indi^-idual who had killed 

 and roasted the fish remained to the last: when he was called, he did not want to 

 go, BO the Indians took him by force and compelled him to have a drink. And as 

 soon as he had drunk, he vomited all the bits of the forbidden fish. They said, 

 "You are the one that killed our brother." WTiereupon they threw him into the 

 boiling pot, in the presence of all his comrades. The old man and his crew were 

 now free to resume their journey. 



How THE Ant-eater Fooled the Man 



153. They went on again and, reaching another country, woke up one morning very 

 hungry. The old man sent all his crew out a-hunting, and told them that no matter 

 what animal they saw, they were to shoot with their arrows, or club it, as the cir- 

 cumstances warranted. With one exception, they all did as they were told and 

 brought back late in the afternoon plenty of game. The disobedient one was tired, 

 and went to sleep in his hanmiock the greater part of the day; he went out into the 

 bush only as the sun was already in the west. He took only his knife with him. 

 He had not walked very far when he came on a large ant-eater lying fast asleep in 

 the shade. So soundly was it sleeping that it allowed the man to come quite close. 

 Then he touched it with his big toe, and said: "Hullo! I wonder what has killed 



