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48 And as she did thus the wagtail which had warned the other woman, lighted on a bough of the tree over her head, and he sang,—

And this woman even as the other was afraid when she heard the song, and cried to her husband, "Dost hear, lord? The bird is singing that I am to be eaten."

"Nay, woman," lied the man again; "he doth but speak of the taro." And he called, "Is the food ready for eating?"

"It is ready," answered his wife.

Then came her husband, armed with his sword, and cut off her head and ate her flesh with the taro she had roasted. And after he had eaten, he returned home and told the same tale, and though the women wondered greatly wherefore the other two did not leave the gardens, they spake not, but cared for their husband and watched over him as he slept.

Then on the morrow, he called his third wife to go with him to the gardens, and there he served her as he had done the other. And in like manner did he with his fourth wife, and the one who was left was sore afraid, for she knew that her turn would come on the morrow. Now this woman had two children, a boy and a girl, and when she was alone with them in the house she told them that she feared she had only one more night to live, for all her