ROTH] THE SPIRITS OF THE WATER 245 



anni gasped, ho recognized an immense sheet of water which showed that they 

 were still far away out at sea. In a little while the Water Spirit gasped again, and the 

 piai could just see a small Imsh in the far, far distance. On the third occasion 

 he recoguizeil clearly the trees, and taking the next opportunity of Ho-ardniii rising to 

 the surface, he shoved himself and hi.s corial out of the creature's jaws and hastened 

 home. When he saw his wife, all he could say was: " I am come only to show myself, for 

 what with all the heal, my hair is dropping off and I must die." And he did die soon. 

 Several of the Water Spirits used to be bad, like the one we have just been talking 

 about, but fortunately for us present Warraus, our ancestors killed most of them, and 

 this is the reason they are so scarce now. 



183. Some of these Water Spirits have been derived from human 

 mortals as well as from animals. 



(In connection with the following story see Sect. 162D.) 



Sisters Porpoise and Sea-cow (Manatus) (?A) 



Once there were two sisters who had a Bush-cow [tapir] for a sweetheart: he used to 

 live with both of them. They had a habit of regularly going to their field, collecting 

 the plums (hobu), of which their lover was so fond, and making drink from them; 

 when it was ready they whistled for him to come. They whistled by putting their 

 fingers into their mouths and blowing. They did this even.- day. Their brother in 

 the meantime ha<l his suspicions a.s to what was going on, so one day he followed 

 them, and without being himself seen watched everj'thing that took place, lie 

 said nothing, but roturnod home. Soon afterward the two girls went to a field other 

 than that which they hitherto had been in the habit of visiting, in order to dig cassava. 

 The brother seized the opportunity of visiting the place where the Maii)uri lived and 

 where the phuns were. Having arrived there, he whistled as the girls used to do, 

 and as soon as the creature put in an appearance, he shot him with his arrow: he then 

 cut the body into pieces, which he scattered. Next morning the girls went as before 

 to the old place to make the phuu-drink, and when it was ready, they whistled. 

 But no Maipuri came. They whistled again, and still their lover came not. Tired 

 of whistling, they commenced to search in order to discover what had happened to 

 him. It was not long before they found the place where the slaughter had taken 

 place, and soon they came upon the mangled remains. They both began to cry 

 and determined upon throwing themselves into the water. This they did. One 

 sister turned into a manati, and the other into a porpoise. 



Others again may claim genealogical relations with a totally <iif- 

 ferent beast. On the left bank of the Pomeroon, just above the 

 mouth of Wakapoa Creek, is a place where the water used to be 

 generally "on the bubble": this is believed to be the spot where 

 some gigantic Salapentas (Uzards) after being vanquished by the 

 Indians threw themselves into the river and became Oriyus. 



184. Certain of the Water Spirits are of a kindly nature, in the 

 sense of having conferred gifts and blessings on mankind (Sect. 185), 

 in saving men from drowning (Sect. 179), and in other ways. 



The Fisherman's Water-jug and Potato (A) 



There was once a fisherman who went fishing daily, and whose catch was invariably 

 large. One day, when out in his corial something pulled at his line but he missed 

 it: three or four bites followed, yet he caught nothing. Once more he tried. Some- 

 thing tugged at the hook; he hauled in the line, and what should he drag up to the 



