Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 2 1884.djvu/170

162 for prey; and whenever she saw anything beautiful belonging to people she swept off with it and brought it to her child. And when she came to her house she cried out, "Ramàitsoanàla there! Ramàitsoanàla there! Why, say I, don't you peep out, and why don't you look about?" But there was no answer, for it was still an infant, and how could it speak and stand up?

So she came in, and spoke again, "I smell humankind, I smell humankind!" Then said Ikétaka, " Who has come in but we two, that you say, 'I smell humankind'?" The bird replied, "Did not I think that there was some one here, and that you had been taken away by them? " Then she spoke again and said, "But have you given the child its milk?" "Yes," replied Ikétaka. So she stopped there a while. But after a time she went away again to seek for prey; and brought again the precious things belonging to people, and gave them to her child. And, coming home, she called again, "Ramàitsoanàla there! Ramàitsoanàla there! Why, say I, don't you peep out, and why don't you look about?"

But again there was no reply, for the child was little, and how could it answer? So she came in and said, "I smell humankind, I smell humankind!" Then said Ikétaka, "Who has come in but we two, that you should talk thus?" The bird replied, "Did I not think there was some one come to fetch you away?" Then she stopped there, and said, "But how is my child? Is it getting big or not?" Then Ikétaka answered, "It is getting rather big now, and in a little time will be able to walk."

Then she went off again, and the child also began to learn to walk. And then she came again, and called according to her custom, but none answered, for the child was still little. And after a time there came Andriambahòaka from the north, and looked from the water's edge, and said, "Oh dear! there seems to be something very wonderful yonder on that island; come, let us get a canoe, and go there, and see what kind of a thing it is." And on arriving there he asked Ikétaka, "Whose child is this, that I may take it for a wife?" Ikétaka replied, "This is Ravòrombé's child, for its mother is a bird, and it is still little. But, pray go away, Sir; for the day is windy, and its mother will be here directly; so pray go away for a time, for