Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 28, 1917.djvu/129

 Collectanea. 97

the barrenness of the place filled him with despair. We all know the weakness of the human heart when involved in such hopeless circumstances, and we cannot be surprised that Longoboa, en- feebled by long fasting, broke down and wept bitterly, just like a child who saw not whither to turn for help. Suddenly he heard a voice addressing him. At once his sobs were luished, and he listened to discover whence came the sound. Again he was addressed, " Why do you weep ? " "I weep because I am hungry," he replied, although he knew not who spoke. " All right, go and heat your oven," and he obeyed the mysterious bidding.

When the earth oven was prepared and heated, the buko tree bade him come and break off a branch and bake it. Longoboa climbed up and broke off a great branch, which he put in the oven. After a short wait the oven was opened, and, to his astonishment, proved to be full of yam, pork, plantain, and other foods in abundance. In his ravenous hunger he did not wait till all was removed from the oven, breaking off and eating a piece here and there, picking up fragments that dropped, so that before the oven was emptied he had already lost the first keen edge of appetite. Nevertheless, he sat down to eat to satisfy ; but finding himself unable to finish the food he wept again. " Why do you weep?" inquired the buko. "Because the food is not finished," he replied. "All riglit," said the tree, "eat it all," and instantly all was eaten.

Then feeling the pangs of tiiirst he resorted as ever to tears. "Friend, why do you weep?" asked the buko. "I am thirsty," answered Longoboa. " Come and pluck a coconut from the palms down below here," was the response. Longoboa climbed up, and not content with one nut, plucked a great bunch, and descending opened one to drink. He drank full and deep, but the nut proved a perennial fountain, and unable to drain it he wept again. "What is it now?" "Because I cannot finish the nut." "Drink it all," was the bidding, no sooner uttered than accomplished.

Yet again the man began to weep. "What is it now?" "I weep because I am cold. ' Thereupon the tree bade him approach and pluck two leaves, one to lie on, and one to put on him ; but