Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 2 1884.djvu/142

134 bathe as the day was hot. Rafàra refused at first, but as the slave-girl pressed her she at length consented, Andrìamihàmina being asked to go on. As the girls bathed the slave proposed that they should dive, and that the one that did not go deep should be pinched. So Rafàra dived, but Itambarìra immediately rose up and put on her mistress's clothes and ornaments, and followed Andrìamihàmina, calling out to him to wait for her. This he did, but did not know her to be the slave, as the two were very much alike. And as they passed the old man's house he called out to him that he had obtained his desire.

After some time Rafàra emerged from the water, but could not find her slave-girl, nor her clothes and ornaments. But she went on her way, inquiring of the old man as she passed his house if he had seen her slave, and explaining how she had been deceived, and telling her perplexity. He advised her to follow, telling her she should overtake in the end. She accordingly did so, calling out to her husband that he had taken the evil and left the good. But, although Andrìamihàmina heard her call, he took it to be the voice of a bird, and bid the rowers ply their paddles.

As soon as Rafàra perceived that, she invoked her ancestors, and commanded that there should appear many oranges growing in front of them. This came to pass, and Andrìamihàmina wished to stop and pluck them, but Itambarìra said she would not eat, but others could do as they liked. The husband, however, would not stay as his wife (as he supposed) did not care for the fruit. So they went on. In a little while Rafàra came up, but was astonished to find that the oranges were untouched, so she called again; but again her husband thought it the voice of a bird, and bade them row faster.

Then Rafàra invoked her ancestors again, and willed that ripe and large sugar-canes should appear before the canoe. Again her husband wished to stay to get some; again the slave girl refused to eat, and again they proceeded on their way. And again Rafàra came up, astonished to find her stratagem unsuccessful, and called to her husband to stop, but with the same result as before.

As they were now nearing home Rafàra again invoked her ancestors, and commanded that young and tender vegetables (ànamàmy) should