BATINISAVU’S STORY. 195 
very fond of them, and a good story-teller can never 
starve. Danford informed me that the “ Arabian Nights” 
have been a source of income to him. “ Aladdin, or the 
Wonderful Lamp,” is paid for at the rate of two fat pigs, 
equivalent to about eight dollars; and the ‘Forty 
Thieves” meets with a similar success whenever that 
charming tale is told, several friends clubbing together 
in order to make up a purse for the story-tellers. What 
a source of pleasure one would open to these islanders, 
by translating for them the “Arabian Nights” or 
Grimm’s “ Household Stories.” 
Chief Batinisavu was always careful to inform me that 
he did not tell stories for pay, and in printing one of 
those he told me I must do him also the justice to add 
that it was a very long one. Taking up several hours 
in telling, I can merely give the pith of the whole, and 
have to leave out those details which, without ample 
explanation and local knowledge, would be quite unin- 
telligible and uninteresting to the generality of readers. 
‘ 
Tue Story or Roxova, as TOLD BY BaTiInisavu, GOVERNOR 
oF Namost. 
“Once upon a time there dwelt at Rewa a powerful 
god, whose name was Ravovonicakaugawa,* and along 
with him his friend the God of the Winds, from Wairua.t 
Ravovonicakaugawa was leading a solitary life, and had 
* Ravovonicakaugawa, i.e. a long way off. 
+ This god was and is supposed to reside at a little brook in the lovely 
valley of Namosi, on Viti Levu, pointed out to us when we visited the in- 
terior of the island in September, 1860. When the Rewa people come to 
the Namosi valley, they never fail to make sacrificial offerings at Wairua 
(which is both the name of the locality and its god). Even some of those 
that have become Christians continue this practice. 
O 2 
