FRACHTEXBEUG] ALSEA TEXTS AND MYTHS 103 



Then not long (afterward) they came again to a village, and now 

 the same thing happened as before. Tiie younger (brother) said, 

 ''Please, let us stop a little while; I am gomg to see (the place)." 

 And then he was told, ''No! if thou wouldst only keep quiet." But 

 he just began to msist, "I will go just the same, so that I may see 

 who lives (here)." And he finaUy won his point and went ashore. 

 Then when he was seen he was met (at the beach) and told: "Do 

 not go! A monster lives here. That monster is simply killing us 

 off entirely." So then he asked: "What is it that is wipmg out so 

 many people? I want to see it." So he was invited (to come and 

 look). Their feet were partly gone, and also their buttocks were 

 partly eaten off. Then when he arrived (there) it just seemed as if 

 fleas were buzzmg. Soon they began to climb upon him. Then he 

 danced up and down. "Oh! they are climbing upon me." So he 

 rubbed his leg and went to the fire, whereupon he rubbed those fleas 

 into the fire. Then they began to burst — tuk tuk tuk tuk. Then he 

 went likewise with some to the edge of the water and rubbed them 

 into the water, saying: "You will just turn into small deerlike 

 (bemgs). Wlien the low tide will come, you will just hop around 

 on dry places." Then when he finished he went back to the shore. 

 And after he arrived again at the edge of the water the fleas began 

 to climb upon him once more. So he picked them up and put them 

 between his teeth. Then when he closed his teeth they burst — 

 tuk tuk tuk tuk. "Thou wilt not wipe out the people, the Earth 

 People will only call thee Flea. (They) will enjoy thee whenever 

 they will put thee between their teeth." But he did not catch all 

 the fleas. For that reason there are fleas in the world. If he had 

 caught aU the fleas, there would be none (to-day). And now after 

 he fuiished (with) them he went back into the canoe, whereupon they 

 started out. 



Then not long (afterward) they arrived once more at a village. 

 Then the younger (brother) said as before, "Please, let us stop a 

 while; I will go and see a while." So then he went ashore. And 

 when he was seen he was met (at the beach) and told: "Do not go ! 

 A monster lives here; nobody comes ever out of (this) house (alive)." 

 So now he began to ask, "What is the reason?" — "Oh! the outside 

 (part of) the house is just full of them. For that reason the people 

 simply die from starvation." And then he asked (again): "What is 

 it, then? Let me see it." So then they went Math him. And after 

 they came with him to the house (he saw that) only some birds 



