Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 26, 1915.djvu/186

 1 76 Collectanea.

from their subjection at any time or period. It is said that in that fight there was slaughter on both sides. The pig was "got"^ (auha = is killed and the head taken) from the sea party, but the turtle was " got " 1 from the inland party. The snake was "got " ^ by the inland party, but the sea-eel (murana) was the spoil of the sea party. It is not known to me what the speeches were about. It is not known why the Sapatu (a fish) did not attend the council. 2 It is not known to me what was the reason which made the speech of the Funafuna such a long one.^ It is not known also the name of the fish whose was the speech which caused the council not to await the coming of the Inaga.^

I suppose these are known to the wise men in Samoa, but I don't know of such a wise man ; perhaps there is such an one, for all men have not the same mind.

A story about the Vaipalolo season and the Vaitoelaic season.

The Vaipalolo season begins at Toepalolo (August) and extends to Utuvamua (January). The Vaitoelau begins with Toeutuva (February) and extends to Palolomua (July). In the Vaipalalo is the month in which the Palola is obtained ; Lotuaga is the name of that month. When that moon is seen, then the tenth night after that is called Puni-faga ; the next day, Tafaleu ; the next day, Atoa (full-moon) ; the next day, Lealea ; the next day, Feiti ; the next day, Atatai ; the next day, Fanaeilele, that is the night on which the land crabs are caught by torchlight; next day the land crabs are again obtained by torchlight. That is the fourth time of the moon being visible at dawn, because that is counted from Feiti. Then it is six days after that probably that the Palolo is obtained. I suppose that on the tenth day after the moon being visible at dawn is the tatele (the great day for getting the Palolo). The eighth day after the moon being visible at dawn is Usonoauia (going to the reef in vain) ; the ninth day after

1 Samoans always made a great distinction between an enemy who was killed, but whose head they were not able to securCj and one whose head they succeeded in getting.

-These replies are evidently in answer to some questions which I had asked him. Peni had the uncommon virtue with story tellers (in Samoa, at all events) of always being willing to admit his lack of knowledge.