Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 15, 1904.djvu/243

 Correspondence. 2 1 9

Tokaniua : " I have done something you must help me in. We have been playing at throwing spears at bananas in Niuafoou. I have hit nine and I must hit the tenth to win. You must help me." (At the same time a waterspout comes and drops both in Niuafoou.)

Pilhofu : " Take me to where you have got to throw and bury me there. Your opponents will throw first, but as I am a stone their spears will not stick in me or hurt me. When you throw, though, look at my left eye, which I will open, and there your spear will stick"

The story goes on to tell of the spear-throwing, in which Tokaniua follows his self-sacrificing father's advice. As wall have been noticed, nothing is said about the mother. Another legend given by Mr. Gardiner speaks of her and the grandparents. In a way it is a variant of the story just quoted. Curiously enough it has much to say about hostility between father and son, only in this case there is no lack of recognition. The father simply makes desperate attempts to get rid of an undesirable child.

Another story destitute of formula features, but this time con- taining an actual tragedy, occurs in Niedrisdiu Widewiits}

The hero, on his way to the land of the Zemgalians, is warned by a bird that when he arrives there a hare will run through the castle garden. This hare is the son of the old king, and will be slain by the latter unless some one interferes. He who does this will be turned to stone up to his knees. The prophecy is ful- filled. Widewut warns the father as he is about to kill his child and receives the predicted punishment.

Again, it seems to me that the story of Theseus and his father yEgeus is really a very fair example of the theme. yEgeus comes to Troezene and makes pregnant /Ethra, daughter of King Pittheus. When he departs he tells her that he has hidden a sword and a pair of sandals beneath a huge rock. If a boy is born, when he becomes old and strong enough, he is to lift the rock, take the tokens, repair to Athens, and claim yEgeus as his father. .■Ethra gives birth to Theseus, and in due time the lad carries out his fathers behests. On arriving at Athens, however, Medea, who is now the wife of /Egeus, fearing that she will lose her influence if

' Niedrischu fFzrf'^w///i-, Epopee Lalavienne. ll.Wibsendorff de Wissukuok. Revue des Traditions Popidaires, vol. xi., p]i. 54^'9-