Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 2 1884.djvu/172

 1G4 MALAGASY FOLK-TALES.

" Who has taken her, and where has she gone ?" asked Rav6rombe. " Andrianibahbaka from the north has taken her, and northwards has she gone." So away went Ravbrombe to the north. And as she was getting near the child, Ramaitsoanala said, " Here comes my mother, and so the day is stormy ; just scatter some of the rice." So they scattered it about, and went on their way. But when the mother came up, she said, " Dear me, here is rice she has scattered, and I am forsaken by her." So she sat down to gather it up ; and then returned to take it back to the house, and after that went back to follow her child. But again Ramaitsoanala knew by the wind which blew that her mother was following her, and so the indian-corn was scattered on the road, and was also gathered up and taken back by Ravbrombe ; and so again with the beans.

By this time her child had come near Andriambahbaka's village; so he sent people forward, and said, " Bid the people make ready, for Andriambahbaka has come south of the village." So the people made preparations, and the pair came up. And as the people sat there, Andriambahbaka's wife would not look into the house, for she said, " How should a bird's offspring come in ? " And as the pair were sitting comfortably there, up came the mother, and said, " How is it, child, you have got a husband, and did not wait for me at all, and did not even consult me at all ? " And her child made no answer. Then she rose, and took the child's eyes, and stripped off her skin, and departed. But the child stood stripped there, and spoke to Andriambahbaka thus: " Is not this that I asked you, 'Can you bear with me, whose mother was a bird ' ? " But Andriambahbaka replied, *' Nevertheless, I can still bear with you." So when his wives heard that they said, ** Nonsense ! what sort of a wife is this, with nothing but bones, and without eyes ? We do not consent ; but let the household property be divided." Then they brought her some hisatra (the strong, tough peel of the papyrus) to make a mat.

And so Ravbrorabe's child sat down; and when the mother was going to cook rice the eyes of her child dropped down tears from above the hearth; for it was there she had placed the eye-balls, and the mother could not by any means light the fire. And when she saw that she said, " Come, let me go ; for indeed sore trouble has befallen my