Papuan Fairy Tales/The Ant and the Pheasant
THE ANT AND THE PHEASANT.
In the old days, so our fathers have told us, the Ant and the Pheasant were friends, and one day they made a plan to go hunting. So they took their pig-net and set out. When they had reached the proper place, they put up their net, and the Pheasant said he would watch while the Ant drove beasts towards it.
It came to pass that after a time the Ant found a pig, and drove it into the net. Now when the Pheasant saw the wild pig rushing upon him he was much afraid, and flew up into a tree. Then was the pig glad, and he made his way out of the net with haste, for there was none to let him. Then came the Pheasant down from the tree, and laid mud upon his wings, and waited for his friend. In a little the Ant came and said, "Where is the pig?"
The Pheasant made answer, "I caught the pig and held him, but he threw me down in the mud. Look now at my wings!"
Now this Pheasant was very deceitful, for he had lied even to his friend.
The Ant did not reproach him. He said, "Come, let us try another place with our net, and thou shalt hunt the game whilst I watch." They did so, and it came to pass that a pig ran into the net and was killed at once by the Ant. By and by the Pheasant came back and said, "Where is our pig?"
Then answered his friend the Ant, "Thou wilt find it over yonder by the tree."
The Pheasant looked by the tree, and there in truth was a pig lying. Then the two friends bound it tightly to a pole, and carried it home upon their shoulders.
When they came to the house they cut up the pig, and the Ant said to the Pheasant, "Take the entrails of the pig to the river and wash them." The Pheasant went to do what the Ant bade him, and the Ant stayed alone in the house.
Now as he was thus alone, a great hornbill stood in the doorway and said, in a terrible voice, "Ga-a-a-a-a!" Yet did the Ant not fear, but his heart grew hot within him for anger, and he leapt up and killed the hornbill, and hid him in a mat.
Then the Pheasant returned, but bearing nought.
"Friend," said the Ant, "where are the entrails of the pig?" "An eel snatched them from me," answered the Pheasant.
"It matters not," said the Ant gently. "But, I pray thee, come hither, and bring my mat with thee, for I would fain sit upon it."
The Pheasant took up the mat, but straightway saw the dead hornbill, and he cried out, "Friend, why hast thou killed my cousin? Didst thou not know that his kinsfolk are many, and that they will of a surety avenge his death?"
But the Ant hardened his heart, and said, "I fear not thee nor thy kinsfolk. Go now to them, I pray thee, and tell them what thou hast seen here."
Then went the Pheasant, and told all the birds what the Ant had done. They gathered together in one place and took counsel what they should do. At last they determined to kill the Ant for that he had killed the hornbill.
The Ant climbed into the top of a tree, and each bird which in turn tried to attack him he slew. Then he made for himself a house by gumming leaves together, and he sat therein, and his heart was glad for that he had conquered his enemies.
But while he thus sat quietly inside the leaves, a great raven flew up, and with his sharp beak plucked off the little branch on which hung the Ant's nest. Then he carried the leaves to the shore, and swallowed the Ant, thus making an end of him.
So did he perish, and so was the death of the hornbill avenged.