Page:Papuan Fairy Tales.djvu/68

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42
PAPUAN FAIRY TALES

One day, a man said to his two sons, "Go down to the bottom of the sea to Arebo, and ask him to give you a gourd for me in which I may bestow my lime." Therefore the lads went, as their father had told them, and dived to the bottom of the sea and sought for Arebo. And when they had found him, they told him their father's words. Then Arebo gave them a gourd and they returned to their father, and gave it to him. But he, looking on it, saw that it was poor, and he shook the lime stick backwards and forwards in it until it rattled loudly. And Arebo heard the sound and forthwith rattled his gourd also, under the sea.

Then said the man again, "Go, my sons, and tell Arebo that he must give me a good gourd, for this one is but poor." And the boys did so. But Arebo was very angry and said, "Would that I might eat your father's liver!" Moreover, he gave them no gourd and drove them from him. As they set out for home the elder said to his brother, "We must not tell our father what Arebo said." "Nay," said the younger, 'but I shall tell." And he went to his father and told him all that Arebo had both done and said. Then was the man exceeding angry, and he thought how he might punish Arebo. So he killed a pig, and cooked it, and sent for the snakes that they might come and help him. And when they were come he fed them with the pig he had cooked and with taro.

Now it befell that Wakeke, who is the smallest