CH. xn SONGS AND ROMANCE IX OLD MINAHASSA 309 



The Stoey of Matixdas (89) 



In the negori Maarom there dwelt a man named Matindas 

 and his wife Mogogunoi. She was an extremely beautiful 

 woman, and Matindas loved her so dearly that he would never 

 leave her even for a moment, and thereby he considerably 

 neglected his work. Mogogunoi, noticing this, said to him, ' If 

 you really wish, to gaze upon me every moment of the day, 

 make a picture of me, which you can carry with you wherever 

 you go.' Matindas did this, and from that time forth whenever 

 he went fishing or hunting he always carried with him the 

 picture of his wife. For a long time everything went well ; but 

 one day, when he was fishing on the sea, a storm overtook him. 

 The waves leapt high, and it was only with considerable diffi- 

 culty that he saved his Ufe. During the storm, however, he lost 

 the picture of his wife. Shortly afterwards the foUowers-of the 

 king of Mongondu came off ^laarom, and they found the picture 

 and took it to their chief. Immediately the king saw the picture 

 he fell in love with the subject of it, and straightway sent his 

 followers to Maarom to find out who she was. When they 

 arrived at Maarom they set two cocks to fight iu the main, 

 street, so that many of the inhabitants, including the beautiful 

 Mogogunoi, attracted by the fight, came out to see what was 

 going on. In this way Mogogunoi was discovered, and the 

 retainers of the king of Mongondu, rejoicing at the discovery, 

 said to her, ' In nine days the king will come to adopt you as 

 his daughter.' 



As soon as these men had departed Matindas said to his 

 wife, ' Let us fly away into the bush, for when the king of 

 Mongondu comes he will most certainly kill me, and take you 

 away, not as his daughter, but as his wife.' 



His wife answered him, saying, ' How sUly you are ! Go and 

 make a large box in which a man can comfortably lie, and then 

 wait and see how I shall save you.' 



In the meantime the retainers brought to the king of 

 Mongondu the good news, saying, ' We have found the person 

 you sought for, and she is indeed beautiful, but she is the wife 

 of Matindas.' The king thereupon set out with a party of 

 warriors to kiU Matindas and capture Mogogunoi for his wife. As 



