Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 1 1883.djvu/283

Rh And when they had thus answered each other by singing, Indésoka spoke again thus: "If I be noble by father, if I be noble by mother; let this stone door open." Then the door opened. So Ifàra handed to her the rice and the fowl's leg, and Indésoka took and ate them. And when Ifàra had gone, Indésoka spoke again: "If I be noble by father, if I be noble by mother, let this door be shut." Then the door shut to.

And when Ifàra had come into the house Itrìmobé asked her, "Did you see Indesoka?" So Ifàra replied, "I did not see her." Then said Itrìmobé, "Where did she go, and where is the rice and the fowl's leg?" Ifàra said again, "I ate the things."

And upon the morrow again when the rice was cooked, Itrìmobé said again, "Where, Rafara, is my child's rice, for me to take and seek her?" So Rafara handed it to him. Then Itrìmobé went and came to the cave; so he called with an evil (feigned) voice and said,

(and repeating the same words already used by Rafara as above.)

Then Indésoka did not reply, for she knew Itrìmobé's voice. So then Itrìmobé went and consulted the divination through Rànakombé. So Rànakombé worked the divination, and the oracle replied, "Do thou, Itrìmobé, drink a raw egg, for then your voice will change a little." So Itrìmobé drank it, and his voice became like that of Rafara. Then he returned to the cave, and called with pleasant song, thus:

(repeating the words of Rafara exactly as before.)

Then Indésoka replied thus:

(as before she had replied to Rafara.)

Then Itrìmobé said in his heart, "I'll devour her on the spot." So Indésoka spoke and said, "If I be noble by father, if I be noble by mother, then let this open." Then the door opened, and Itrìmobé entered, and Itrìmobé struck and killed her, because she had broken his silver vessel. And the rice and fowl's leg he had brought he took home again, after killing Indésoka. And when he had come into his