SOME FOLK-SONGS AND MYTHS FEOM SAMOA. 73 



order that it may be a ' soul trap/ to catch disembodied spirits, since he 

 has failed to catch a man alive. See Dr. G-ilFs " Myths and Songs," p. 

 171. 



7. In the house of Sa'umani. Native hospitality never asks a visitor how 

 long he means to stay. A single man, or a company of men on a journey, 

 gets one day's food and lodging, but, after that, is expected to move on. 

 Nights. Until recently, the islanders counted by ' nights/ not by 'days/ 



8. Tonga-Samoa. The conjunction of the two names here is somewhat 

 remarkable ; it may indicate that a part of the Tongan group was once 

 occupied by Samoans. Lautala's mother may have been a Tongan and 

 his father a Samoan. The Tongans used to talk of the Samoans as ' very 

 fierce/ Tongan women are much valued in Fiji, because of their fair 

 colour. 



9. Offerings are made. Offerings of food were commonly made to stones 

 in the Gilbert and the Ellice groups ; also on the southern coast of New 

 Guinea. This is fetichism, with an approach to idolatry. 



Such offerings of drink and food were made also in the ancient world ; 

 cf. sacred stones among the Carthaginians and the ancient Arabs ; cf. 

 also Isaiah, lvii., 6. 



VI.— Sa and Manu— A » Tola: 



A Tale of Man's Disobedience. 



o 



Introduction. — While translating this f tala/ we were startled to find 

 it bear so close a resemblance to the Biblical account of the Fall. I 

 therefore made a copy of the tale from Mr. Powell's MSS., and got Mr. 

 Pratt to send it down to Samoa, and to ask some of the old men there if 

 it was genuine, or owed anything to the influence of the white man. An 

 answer came back in these words, translated : — " The ' tala ' concerning 

 Lalo and Manu is a genuine Samoan tale ; I have put my name to it. 

 I* am Alama." This Alama is an Upolu man, now seventy years of age, 

 and perfectly trustworthy. His age enables him to know what myths 

 are genuine, for he was a young man when the first missionaries arrived 

 in the islands. It is to be observed also that while our MS. gives the 

 title-names as ' Sa and Manu/ his version has ' Lalo and Manu/ Con- 

 sidering all these circumstances, we also are of opinion that the myth is 

 genuine. Those who have lived long on the islands also know that, if 

 there is any special truth burnt into the native mind, it is this — that sin, 

 which to them means any transgression of the commands of their gods 

 or their chiefs, is sure to be visited with punishment. For reference, I 



* This is the form of words used hy a Samoan when he signs his name. 



