256 ANIMISM AND FOLK-LORE OF GUIANA INDIANS [eth. axn. .".O 



some watermelons, and peppers; lie ate the lot and spent a very happy time with 

 her. On the way back, she asked him whether he was a good hunter: lie said never 

 a word but stepped aside into the bush, and soon rejoined her with a quakeful of 

 armadillo flesh. She was indeed proud of him, and resumed her place behind.' 

 Just before reaching home, she said: "We are going to have drink when we get in. 

 Can you play the kahabassa?" ' "Yes, I can play it a little," was the reply. When 

 they got back to her place Assawako gave him a whole jugful of drink all for himself, 

 and this primed him for playing the music; and he played beautifully, making the 

 kahabassa sing Waru-huru-tea.^ They sported all night, and next morning Okohi 

 made ready to leave. Of course poor Assawako wanted Waiamari to remain with 

 her, but he said: "No! I can not leave my uncle. He has been good to me, and he 

 is an old man now." So she began cr\-ing. and between her sobs told him how sad 

 she felt at his going away. This made him feel very sorry also, and he consoled her 

 liy sajdng, "Let iis weep together with the kahabassa." And- there and then he 

 sang Heritrheru, etc., on the instrument, and thus comforted her l^efore he left. 



Now when at last uncle and nephew got back to their own country, old Okohi 

 bathed his skin, and after seating himself in his hammock, gathered all his family 

 around and spoke to them as follows: "\Mien I was young, I could stand traveling 

 day after day, as I have just done, but I am old now, and this is my last journey." 

 So sajdng, his head "burst," and out of it there came the Sun's warmth and heat. 



198. The Moon also is clothed with male attributes, and among 

 the tribes here dealt with, as is ihe case with many another savage 

 race, is held responsible for certain conditions met with diu-ing tlie 

 child-bearing period of woman's hfe. I have heard the following tra- 

 dition among both Arawaks and Warraus: 



How THE Moon Got his Dirty Face 



Long ago a brother and his sister were living by themselves. Every night after 

 dark some one used to come and fondle and caress the sister, attentions which she was 

 very far from being averse to, but she was very curious to discover who her unseen 

 visitor was. She could never find out. She therefore blackened her hands one 

 day with the soot from the bottom of the pepper-pot. and when her lover came that 

 evening, she smeared her hands over his face.'' When day dawned she thus came to 

 learn that it was her own lirother who had taken advantage of her. She was extremely 

 angry, abused him roundly, and told the neighbors, who in turn spread the story of 

 his conduct far and wide. The result was that everybody shunned him, and he 

 became at last so thoroughly ashamed of himself that he declared he would keep 

 away from everyone, and live by himself. lie is now the Moon, and the marks which 

 can still be recognized on his face are those which his sister imprinted with the soot 

 (or blue paint) years ago. Even to this day women do not trust him, and no matter 

 whether he is new, full, or on the wane, there will always be found somewhere a 

 female who is in such a physiological condition as will preclude all possibility .of the 

 moon wishing to pay her a \'isit.^ 



' On the marcli the Indians always walk in file, the men leading. 



= This is the name of an obsolete form of musical instrument, which none of my Warrau friends have 

 ever seen, but have only heard of, and hence can not furnish me with particuhirs. From indirect evi- 

 dence, liowever, I am inclined lo believe that it was some form of the "crow-sliuH" gourd-flute— the 

 Wmnubitn-akua. — W. E. R. 



3 This sound would correspond with our hootiti-tootiti, etc. 



* Tills is the Aiawak version. The Warraus say tliat, instead of soot, she used the Iiumatuba, tlie blue 

 paint of the Caribs. 



t" Ehrenrcich (37) cites a somewhat similar story of incest and subsequent discovery, in wliich the girl, 

 however, becomes the Moon, given by Barboza Rodriguez, from the Rio Jamunda. 



