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The Fijians: A Study of the Decay of Custom

The Epic of Dengei

page 138

The Epic of Dengei

Ko Dengei sa tangi langalanga, Thus did Dengei weep tears of annoyance,
"Bongi ndua, bongi rua ka'u yandra "One night, two nights have I lain awake,
Bongi tolu, bongi va ka'u yandra, Three nights, four nights have I lain awake,
Sa tambu ndungu ndina ko Turu-kawa, Not once has Turukawa cooed,
Isa! nonku toa, na toa turanga, Alas! my fowl, my noble fowl!
Isa! nonku toa, na toa tamata, Alas! my fowl, my man-like fowl,
Tiko e ulunda na ka rarawa, Sorrow has taken possession of my brain,
Au lolova kina, au tambu kana, I am sick with it; I cannot eat,
Matanivanua, mai thithi manda, Come, herald, run,
Mai thithi sara ki Narauyamba, Run straight to Narauyamba,
Mo tarongi rau na ndauvavana, Question the archers, and say,
'Kemundrua, ru vanai Turukawa?' 'You, did you shoot Turukawa?
Sa tambu ndungu ni vakamataka, Not once did he coo at daybreak,
Ma lolo koto Kotoinankara, The 'Cave-dweller'1 is still fasting,
Ma mbunotha no a wai ni matana, The tears are welling from his eyes; Vakasunkame ramothemai wanka." The men are off to sleep on board.'

1 Dengei was supposed to inhabit a cavern in Nakauvandra.