Page:Papuan Fairy Tales.djvu/44

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PAPUAN FAIRY TALES

child fell to the ground and lay there under the tree, and his mother could only look down upon him, and could in no way succour him, and she feared greatly lest the little one should die. But much dabedabe (wild ginger) grew in that place, and the child, as he turned, sucked the tender shoots which were close at hand. And so he waxed strong, and sucked continually the dabedabe which grew near him.

Now it chanced that the child looked up into the fig tree and saw there his mother. And from thenceforth they talked together, and the boy, when he was old enough, brought her berries and fruits from the jungle, and cared for her as well as he was able. But being grown he longed for companions, and one day he said to his mother, "Mother, teach me my pari that I may sing it when I find my people, and that so they may know me." And his mother, knowing that he must leave her, sang this spell, which was his pari:

"O Dabedabe kukuna lau Icuku;
Tinagu bo Garawada."
("I have sucked the shoots of dabedabe;
My mother is Garawada.")

"So must thou sing thy pari, my son," said she, and the child ran from her to seek his way out of the jungle. But on the way, being but a child, he forgot the words, and ran back to the fig tree. Garawada saw him running, and her heart was glad, for she thought that the boy was loth to leave her. But he stood beneath the tree, and called up to her, "Ah