Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 1, 1890.djvu/67

Rh not finding fruit lying on the ground as she expected, exclaimed, “Ulloa! where all fruit go to?” Gabakwoikai, hearing the Dorgai’s voice, looked and saw the dreadful apparition of a hideous, big-bodied woman with long legs but small feet, and ears so enormous that she could sleep on the one, whilst the other covered her like a mat. The Dorgai, hearing him say in great fear, “What I do now?” looked up and saw him in the tree. “Who tell you come here? place no belong to you—fruit belong to me—you steal—bring down all the fruit.” Gabakwoikai said, “You think I bloody fool take fruit for you. I can’t, my belly no got kaikai (food).” “Give me the unripe ones, so I fill my basket,” replied the Dorgai; so the man dropped one, and it fell close to her; she stretched out her hand for it. Gabakwoikai threw another, and the Dorgai took two steps to get it; a third was thrown still further, so that the Dorgai had to take four steps; having picked it up she returned to the tree. Gabakwoikai then heaved one on to the top of a tree near the Dorgai’s house, and whilst she went for it he clambered down the tree and ran to the shore, carrying the fruit. On arriving at the beach he picked up the eggs and embarked on his board.

The Dorgai, returning to the tree, found that Gabakwoikai had decamped, and followed his footprints; the latter, seeing he was pursued, said, “He (sic = she) come now.” The Dorgai, arriving on the beach, called after him, “You come, come now”; to which he replied, “Think I bloody fool go along you—I go back.” The men at Kwoberkĕlbai, looking across the strait, exclaimed, “Ulloa! Gabakwoikai run; Dorgai frighten him.” Gabakwoikai returned home, gave the eggs to the old men, then put some red paint in the kwod (men’s or bachelors’ quarters); a brother-in-law took some, saying, “All right, we go and kill Dorgai.” All equipped themselves with their dugong and fish-spears, leaving their bows and arrows behind.

The Dorgai was in her house asleep when the men arrived. Gabakwoikai said, “Dorgai wants to sleep”; he