SOME FOLK-SONGS AND MYTHS FROM SAMOA. 247 



could swim no more, and that they would drown there with Aa'u- 

 pini-pini and become sunken reefs, where the survivors might 

 come and fish. ' We,' said they, ' will become reefs here ; do you 

 come with your canoes and fish here ; come with the people also 

 among whom you may settle * we give you the hook to do with 

 it as you like.' They then sank and became reefs. The others 

 landed at a place called Lavania. The chief of the place was of 

 that name, and Sina-te'e-alofa became his wife. Here they pro- 

 ceeded to prepare their hook for fishing, but, failing to observe 

 the necessary rules, it was at first wrongly fastened. Mo'e-ulu- 

 galu-iti-iti at length did it properly, and so he and his brother 

 were very prosperous in their fishing. 



9. In due time, Sina-te'e-alofa gave birth to a child, whom she 

 named Imoa-sala-ta'i. One day, her father and mother went into 

 the bush to get wood for a house or a canoe ; the child followed, 

 but missed them and lost her way. In vain did they search for 

 her ; as she was not to be found, they made funeral rites for her. 

 She, however, was not dead, but had wandered far inland to a place 

 inhabited by an aitu, that is, a spirit in human form, named An 'a. 

 With him she dwelt and became his wife. She gave birth to a 

 son, whom she named Tau-tunu, 'continually roasting,' because 

 that, when pregnant, she had longed for and eaten the ufi-taw 

 yam, which is always roasted. 



10. When he was grown to be a big boy, he went to swim in 

 the river. He was carried by the stream down to the sea, abreast 

 of the spot where the canoe of his mother's uncles was lying. 

 Here he got ashore, and went and hid himself in the bows of the 

 canoe, that is, under the covered deck in front. Soon the brothers 

 came, launched their canoe, and went out to fish. There was 

 plenty of fish, but the fish would not bite. The steersman said 

 to his brother, ' Look into the bows under the deck, and see what 

 is there to cause our ill luck.' He looked and, behold ! a tangata. 

 They commenced beating him. The boy cried out, ' O Imoa-sala- 

 ta'i, Imoa-sala-ta'i-te'e-alofa, I shall die.' Hearing him call out 

 their niece's name, they asked who he was. He answered, ' The 



