LISU TRIBES OF THE BURMA- CHINA FRONTIER. 
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land. And the clouds gathered and the rain fell without ceasing and the water rose 
over the earth. Then the man took his younger sister and said, “We will cut a hole 
in the gourd and hide ourselves lest we also perish in the flood. ’ ’ And they were carried 
in the gourd for many days, now high, now low, as the waters rose and fell, till at last 
they reached earth once more, and, opening the fruit, they found all living things des- 
troyed and they alone were left. Now they would have married, but the man said, 
“ You are my sister so how can it be.” But they consulted together, saying, “ We 
are saved from the flood through the Heavenly Gourd, let us ask the Great Lord and 
he will decide.’ ’ And they climbed to a mountain peak carrying with them two round 
mill-stones, one with the axle fixed through its centre, the other empty, and they 
agreed if the empty one linked to the axle of the other, it should be for a sign that 
they might wed. So they rolled the stones down the mountain side and, as they rolled, 
they linked together and so reached the valley below. Then the man married the 
woman beneath the plum tree, and they were fruitful and nine sons were born to them. 
Now as the sons grew to be men they wandered forth, each to his own country, and 
founded the races of men. But two sons loved one another, and journeying to- 
gether set out for the mountain lands, and they were hunters and the first of the Cross- 
bowmen. And the elder brother took a monkey to wed but the younger, not knowing, 
slew the monkey, and his brother was sorrowful, saying, “ You have slain my wife.” 
So the younger brother prepared sweet food and the monkeys came to eat, and he took 
another which pleased his brother so that he kept her for a wife. But the younger 
brother grew angry and, taking his cross-bow, he slew this monkey also, and his brother 
was wroth and drove him from his home. Then the Spirit of the Hills comforted the 
wanderer saying, “ Do not grieve, I will send two maidens whom ye shall wed.” 
And behold the maidens, one very fair, but the other homely. And the younger 
brother cunningly took earth and rubbed it on the face of the beautiful maid and, 
leading them to his brother, said, ‘ ‘ See here the maidens I have found, choose which 
shall be for you.’’ And the elder chose the homely maid, but, when the younger 
washed the earth from the face of his bride, the elder rose up and in his rage he cast him 
into a great cavern and took the beautiful maid for himself. Now the younger brother 
travelled down and down into the dark cavern till at last he came to the Underworld , 
and he found it like the world above with sky and trees , but the tigers came and troub- 
led him grievously. So he took the stem of a tree and he struck them as they came, 
slaying many. And the Flying Squirrel came to him saying, “You have killed the tigers 
and are surely a holy man, why do you grieve ?’ ’ And he answered, ‘ ‘ My world is the 
world above and I am driven here below.’ ’ Then the Flying Squirrel made a compact 
and would carry him to earth again if he would only promise not to mock at him, to 
which the younger brother then agreed. Now the Flying Squirrel had nine tails, and, 
grasping one of them, the cross-bowman was cariied up towards the earth until he 
chanced to laugh, and as he laughed, one tail fell from the squirrel’s back. Then the 
man narrowly escaped, grasping another tail, and so nine times he disobeyed, nine 
times he laughed , and nine times fell a tail, till only the stump remained. Then fear 
seized him lest he should not reach his home and he clung to the last stump, laugh- 
