Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 1, 1890.djvu/189

Rh watched the basket, and saw the octopus crawl out of the basket, its eyes shining brightly, while it made a clicking noise. The octopus fell to the ground, and immediately was transformed into the man Malu, who picked up all the shells lying in the house and hit them together. When Malu heard the frogs and cicadas making their respective noises outside [? in response to the rattle Malu made with the shells] (2), he left the house and went all round the island; when he returned he went into the basket as an octopus.

"Dorg think to himself, 'What I do now ? I am glad I've got him. In the morning he painted himself red all over, put on his gauntlet (kadig) and belt, and decorated his head with feathers of the cassowary and of the Torres Straits pigeon. Kabur also painted herself, and remained in the house. Dorg went out and followed the track of Malu all round the island. All the men of the island agreed that Dorg had got a good zogo, and they had a long yarn over it. They instigated Dam and Samekep, Kabur's younger brothers, to inquire into the matter. The two brothers agreed between themselves to take some food to Kabur, and to have a look at the octopus, and to steal it if they could. So they went to see Kabur, and brought her a present of food without asking for anything; they yarned and yarned. At sundown Kabur asked, "You two go?" "No," they replied, "it's too dark, we sleep here; to-morrow we go." "That best," their sister replied, and they retired to rest, the two brothers occupying a separate bed. They did not sleep, but kept watch. In due time they saw the light shining from the eyes of the octopus. "Ulloa!" they said, "we find him out now." They painted themselves. Dam said, "No talk." Malu came out, walked round the island, and returned into his basket. Then the brothers went into the bush and yarned. "Now we catch him," Dam said; "I take him." The other said "No!" "Yes," he replied, "I take him now."

In the morning Kabur said, "When you two go?" "We