Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 5, 1894.djvu/325

 Legends from the Woodlarks. ■ 317

to combat. It is a history which I ought to have Hstened to without laughing ; for the savage who recounted it to me beh'eved that I was ridiculing him, and thenceforth it was impossible to drag another word out of him." Very little success attended this mission. Later on we read, " We have already baptised a number of infants, who, with several adults, regenerated at the point of death, give us a total of sixty-five Christians. In 1852 the Marists abandoned Murua, or Moiou, as they termed it.

" Once upon a time a mighty man came from the direction of Guagnag (to the west of Woodlark), who had the power of enlarging or diminishing himself at will. He called him- self Geren ; but there were with him two others named Marita and Tudar. He wore below the elbow a smst'r, or large bracelet. Arriving at Moiou he saw only a miserable country, entirely composed of coral. He immediately drew from his stash' a small packet which he threw into the air, and instantly the corals were covered with vegetation, and yams, taro, coconut palms, and other food-plants, sprouted forth in haste. Geren wished to yet further extend his generosity, and to make these fruits bear without culture ; but Marita opposed his intention by portraying in lively colours the dangers of idleness. This is not all. The illus- trious traveller gave laws to the natives, prescribed several forms of prayer,enjoined them to clothe themselves decently, and prohibited the eating of certain foods. Thence he passed to the Naal Islands or Lauglan. This was a great land, also composed of coral. Provided with another packet he per- formed the same wonder here ; but he did not find either the same docility or gratitude. The Naal islanders refused to cultivate yams and taro. Irritated by their obstinacy, Geren struck this cursed land with his fist, and immediately the island was fractured into eight or nine islets, where, as a sole resource, grows the coconut palm, which requires no culture."

"After death they go to Tum, a little, very fertile, island, where the spirits of the good find bananas in abundance ;