Page:Papuan Fairy Tales.djvu/85

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THE MEN OF GAVI
55

Now she knew that if the waters rose higher she must perforce be drowned, therefore she bethought her what she might do. And she remembered that one of the dogs had eaten a fish bone before she could hinder him, and she thought that for that reason perhaps the angry Abaia would cause her death. Therefore she cast the dog from her into the water below, and the flood rose no higher, for neither she nor the other dog had tasted of the fish of Wapogi.

After a time the old woman knocked her fire stick again until sparks fell from it, and this time she knew that the waters were sinking, for the sparks fell on the leaves of Indian corn which grew below, and shone for a moment. And she waited and did as she had done before, and this time the sparks fell to the ground and died not at once. Therefore she knew that the flood was over. Yet she came not down from the tree until the day had fully dawned. And when she came down to the ground she saw that the waters of the lake were dancing in the sun, and waves rose up and down. Then said the woman, to the waters, "Ah! well may ye dance since ye have slain all my people. But let me know for certain that they are indeed dead." Then the waves grew bigger and the waters danced yet more, and on a sudden uprose the feet of all the people of Gavi who had been drowned in the lake, and the woman knew that her people were dead of a truth.

And she put her dog on the ground and hasted