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Some Folk-Songs and Myths From Samoa

[section]

1.

It is [still] dark, [but] the day is dawning;

2.

The woman Ui and Lua-ma'a

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3.

Start on their journey before daylight,

4.

And take with them a bag [containing the offering].

5.

Above them were the fetau and the fasa trees;

6.

They set up there their offering.

7.

Ui sat up in the fasa tree at Sanga.

8.

Sun, Sun, stand thou forth with thy [glorious] presence.

9.

Thither he flew, intending to stand on the fasa.

Ui speaks—

10.

O Sun, come here;

11.

To eat your man alive for food.

The Sun speaks—

12.

O Ui, I desire to drink kava.

Ui speaks—

13.

Let me explain about the kava;

14.

This is the kava [planting] of an industrious man;

15.

It stood in a rocky place;

16.

It grew there and was reserved for a special use;

17.

The pieces of its root were scattered about;

18.

I will split up these roots of kava;

19.

And I will scrape them with the kava scraper;

20.

And strain it out with the strainer, that it may be clear;

21.

I will rinse out my mouth; and now let me chew it.

La speaks—

22.

O Ui, search the bag;

23.

Bring forth the ‘fau’ strainer from the bag;

24.

Strain out the kava.

Ui replies—

25.

I am about to mix the kava with water,

26.

But I will mix it in a ‘tava'-wood bowl;

27.

I will strain it that it may be quite clear.

28.

Now I will proceed to portion out the kava;

29.

Let me spread out the cold food [that goes with the kava].

30.

O Sun, eat thou;

31.

There is a taro; it is a ‘maga-na'a’

32.

There is a taro; it is a ‘fai-fai-tagata’;

33.

There is a fish; it is an ‘ata'ata’;

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34.

There is a fish caught at the mouth of the reef-opening;

35.

There is a fish hatched in the rock.

36.

There is a fowl, full grown and plump.

37.

Let your food be changed to that;

38.

Eat the bonito of the deep.

39.

But, first, let me make an explanation [to you];

40.

None of our family is here for you to eat.

41.

Turn thy face this way;

42.

There is none of our family in [this] thy food.

43.

‘Ui, come here to me, [says La,]

44.

There is a chief in thy womb.

45.

When he is born, call him Tanga;

46.

[In] Atafu-uli, and Atafu-mea.'

O!