cocoanut to drink. Tamaro drank first, taking about half the contents, and then gave the remainder to his host[1] who of necessity turned up his mouth to exhaust "the milk." At this Tamaro, unperceived by his host, grasped the wooden sword and smote his head clean off. The headless body kept writhing awhile, and the severed head kept calling pitifully out:
| O! Tamaro purokua! | Alas! Tamaro, how cruel you are! |
| O! Tamaro purokua! etc., etc. | Alas! Tamaro, how cruel you are! etc. |
At sunset the voice ceased.
TAMAKO'S VISIT TO THE HOME OF THE FISH-GOD.
Ocean fishing was the great delight of Tamaro and his sons.[2] One day they tried for bonito. This fish is caught by a mother-o'-pearl hook with pendants of knotted string. The glitter of the pearl attracts the bonito, whilst the knotted pendants seem to be the waving beard of the victim.
On this occasion hook after hook fouled and the line was severed by the sharp coral. Only one hook remained—the most precious of them all. With some misgiving Tamaro tied this highly-prized hook to the end of the line and again angled for bonito. But alas! this much-prized hook too was carried away. Tamaro immediately dived to the bottom for his lost hook,[3] when to his astonishment he saw a dwelling there. It was a beautiful house, but its peculiarity was this—one gable was ocean, the other land. Only one man dwelt therein, Toroa-of-the-big-head. A solitary cocoanut palm grew close by. On that palm shot out one spathe only. And there was but one nut inside that spathe. If the Fish-god wished for a drink of cocoanut water, he would call out, "Let there be a young cocoanut!" and at once a young cocoanut appeared on the palm. Forthwith he plucked the fruit, husked it, and took out the nut. Then carefully closing
- ↑ This is usual among equals and friends. You dare not taste the cocoanut of your superior in rank; the insult would be unpardonable.
- ↑ Fishing is the chief occupation of the natives of those atolls. As the soil consists merely of sand, shells, and fragments of coral thrown up by the sea, the perpetual weeding and planting of the volcanic islands are out of the question.
- ↑ This is still customary. A valued deacon, and eloquent preacher of mine in this way lost his life.
