THE S A MO AN COCOA NUT 13 



water vessels used by the Samoans consist of cocoanut shells in 

 pairs, connected by cords in such manner as easily to be slung 

 on a stick laid across the shoulders or conveniently carried in the 

 hand, the shells being emptied of their original contents by the 

 simple and effective method of knocking out the " eyes," drink- 

 ing the milk, and then permitting ants to consume the meat. 

 One of the apertures produced by removing the "eyes" serves 

 as the mouth of this natural jug, which is remarkably light, 

 strong, and durable, and has accordingly relieved the Samoans 

 of the necessity of developing the art of pottery-making. Al- 

 though so convenient in many ways, this type of water vessel is 

 not easily filled, particularly from a shallow stream or spring; 

 but the Samoans have invented a neat device, by which this 

 difficulty is easily overcome. The maiden who goes to the 

 spring carries with her, a cup made from the stem end of a 

 cocoanut shell, with one of the " eyes " removed, so as to trans- 

 form it into a funnel. This she dips in the water with her finger 

 over the aperture, then, holding it over the neck of the cocoanut 

 jug, removes her finger and directs the stream into the carry- 

 ing vessel. These utensils — the pair of cocoanut jugs and 

 the cocoanut funnel — have well-established names in the Sa- 

 moan tongue, and these names apply to no other objects, while 

 the utensils are never made of other material than cocoanut 

 shell. Now, according to the tradition, a village virgin of the 

 long ago went down to the spring for water. While dipping 

 with her cocoanut funnel and directing the stream into the 

 cocoanut vessel she perceived a slender, shadowy eel in the 

 water, and was so entranced by its beauty that she decided 

 to carry it home in the funnel cup and preserve it as a pet, 

 and this she proceeded to do. As time passed the creature 

 grew, and it became necessary to remove it to larger and 

 larger receptacles, until finally it became a terrific monster, 

 threatening to destroy the people. So the people gathered, and, 

 under pretense of placating the monster, supplied it so freely 

 with a Samoan beverage that it became intoxicated and slept. 

 Then they cut off the monster's head, and, to prevent reclama- 

 tion of this useful organ when the creature should awaken, re- 

 moved it to a distance and buried it deeply in the earth. Their 

 virtue was duly rewarded when, some time later, the earth swelled 

 and opened, and a strange plant pushed out, delicate in form and 

 graceful in movement as the eel in its infancy. And this mag- 

 ical plant was the first cocoanut tree. 



