134 



JOHN FRASEK. 



Folasa, whose wife was Sina. By her he had a son called Le-Lo- 

 loga, ' the flood,' ' the great rain.' This son had several wives, 

 two of whom Pua, the name of a tree, and Auia-luma, ' going in 

 front,' came to be with child at the same time ( l o le to-masaga,' 

 ' to be both pregnant together in the same family '). When that 

 was known, Le-Folasa prophesied that whichever of these chil- 

 dren should be born first would have the kingdom (ao, 'royal title,' 

 'kingly dignity'). 

 O le a f a'aifo i le lagi Ao ; — the Ao is about to come down from the sky 

 Ai se fafine e luai fanau, — on the woman who shall first bring forth; 

 E taunu'u i ai Ao. — the Ao shall reach to her. 



Pua gave birth to a son in the morning at Le-Faga, but, before 

 the child could be proclaimed king, a messenger came to call Le- 

 Lologa to Aualuma — a place between Le-malae-o-Sao and Le-Aua- 

 'uli — where Auia-luma was in labour. So he hastened away; but, 

 just as he arrived there, he heard the shout of the young men ('sia- 

 sia a taulelea'), proclaiming the new-born child as king. Le-Lologa 

 immediately exclaimed, ' The child of haste, not proclaimed with 

 deliberation ' (' o le tama a le failise, ae le aoa lemu '). Le-Lo- 

 loga made light of the whole affair ; he returned to Le-Faga and 

 reported that the kingly title had already been given (' ua alaga le 

 tupu, ua e'e,' 'the king was shouted; respect was paid'). The 

 children were therefore named 'O'Ali'a-tama, 'the younger 'Ali'a,' 

 who was Auia-luma's child, and 'Ali'a-matua, ' the elder 'Ali'a/ 

 Pua's child. The latter was also known as 'Le tama a le aoa lemu,' 

 ' the child of leisurely proclamation.' 



The boys grew up and used to stroll about together in the 

 neighbourhood of Aua-luma, the younger being recognized as Tui- 

 Manu'a and wearing the emblem of royalty, the ' lau-fau ' (lau, 

 ' leaf,' /aw, 'the hibiscus tree'), — a head band or turban of white 

 cloth made of the inner bark of the paper mulberry. One day, 

 when they were strolling together, they came to a cocoanut tree 

 at a place called 'O-le-lu'u. Then 'Ali'a-matua said to his younger 

 brother, ' By-and-by, Tui-Manu'a will not have anything to eat 

 (taute, ' to eat ' — a very high chief's word); for I am weak in my 

 feet : I cannot go up the cocoa-nut tree to throw down a nut for 



