Papuan Fairy Tales/Why Wamirans are Few
WHY WAMIRANS ARE FEW.
I will tell thee now, even as it hath been told to me by my father, how it is that we of Wamira are few while the tribes in the west are many.
In the old days there lived in a certain village a woman who had two sons, and she left them behind while she went to the garden for food to cook that they might eat. Now the garden was far away from the village, for the reason that in the village pigs were many, and would be ever eating the taro if it were near. So the woman must needs be long away.
The children desiring to play, made for themselves spears of wood, and picked some berries at which they aimed many times. Now it befell that the elder as he speared at no time speared the berries, whereas the younger each time pierced the mark. Then was the elder wroth with his brother, and turned upon him and slew him with his spear, and laid his body on a shelf in the house and covered it with Nau Oroto, the great earthenware pot. Then fearing to be in the house with the dead, he went down to the sea-shore.
The mother of the children at the garden dug up the taro she wanted, and then sat in the shade to make it ready to take home. She took each piece and with a sharp pearl shell scraped away the little roots and the earth which was upon them. Now as she thus scraped the pearl shell slipped and cut her finger, and she was much afraid, for she said in her heart, "What hath befallen the lads that my blood is flowing?" And she made haste home.
When she entered the house she called to the children, and the elder came at her call from the beach where he was. Then said she to him, "Where is now thy brother, child?"
"Who knoweth?" said he. 'I have not seen him."
The mother believing him to be playing alone, went in and peeled taro and made it ready for the evening meal. Now as she thus did the dead child's blood dripped upon the mat near to which she sat. And hearing the sound of the drops, she looked and saw it and rose up, saying, "Whose blood is this?" And she lifted Nau Oroto and found the dead body of her little son. Then did grief make her heart hot, and she called for the elder child that he might tell her in what manner his brother had perished.
"We were spearing berries, mother," said the lad, "and my brother pierced many, whereas I had pierced none. Therefore I slew him with my spear."
At this word the woman arose and drove the lad from her, and he departed from the village and fled far away to the west. He journeyed on and on until he came to the river of Magavara. This he crossed, and went on once more until he reached another river, which is called Mai. Near this were the people of Dimadima making ready for a feast.
The lad went towards them and watched what they did. Then said he, 'Cook all the food which I see here. And when it is cooked hide some of it in the bush, and set forth the rest that men may eat. I go now to bathe at the river; tarry ye my coming."
The men of Dimadima did even as he had said, and waited for him to come to them again. Now the lad when he came to the river again searched until he found a hollow piece of bamboo which lay there. This he brake, and forthwith much people came forth and stood before him. Thus did he, who had taken one life, repay it by causing many persons to live. Then he bade them follow him to where the people of Dimadima awaited him, and they did so and did eat of the food which had been prepared. Yet though there was much food, they were so many in number that some after they had eaten were still hungry. But as for the men of Dimadima, they ate of the food which they had hidden in the bush, as the lad had bidden them.
So have I told thee of a surety wherefore there are such a many people in the west. Yet if the lad had but turned to the east when he set forth, we of Wamira should have been many and they few even as we.