In a certain village lived a woman and her little son, and with them dwelt an old woman, who was the child's grandmother, and she was blind. Now her daughter-in-law, not being willing that the dame should eat unless she also worked, bade her fetch salt water each day from the beach that the food might be salted.
This did the old woman, and she went never astray, for there was but one path to the beach, and with her staff in her hand she went bravely. Now when her eyes were open in the old days, the dame lived ever upon the mountains, and thus had never seen the sea. And it came to pass that on a certain day when she went down to the beach, she heard the waves beating upon the coral cliffs and fancied it was the voice of the drum which she heard. So laying down her staff she fell to dancing, and ceased not until she was weary. Then filling the coconut water bottle with salt water she went back to the house. And her daughter-in-law being angry scolded her for tarrying on the beach, and would have known the cause. But the dame answered not a word, for she feared lest she should be forbidden to listen to the drum again.
On the morrow did she the same as on the day
