Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 5 1887.djvu/262

254 men are present, but as spectators only. On the appointed day troupes of natives of all classes, and of course all dressed in their best, may be seen going in the same direction, viz. towards the lake, one side of which abuts on the native city. Some little time beforehand preparations have been made for this feast: wheat or other grain has been sown in earth placed in pots of very ingenious fashion, made of large leaves held together with the thorns of a species of acacia. Owing to its having been grown in a dark place the stems are of a pale straw colour, though the plants are quite small ones. The richer women walk along in a stately manner, each followed by her train of attendants carrying trays filled with such pots; the poorer ones carry their own plants. As soon as each procession arrives at the open square at the top of the ghât (or flight of steps leading down to the lake) every family or circle of friends deposit their pots upon the ground, and commences dancing round them. After a time the dancers descend to the water's edge, taking their pots of earth and corn with them. They then wash away the soil from the plants, and distribute these latter amongst their friends. Every available point of observation is occupied by the men, but they take no part whatever in this ceremony, which probably fixes the season for sowing some particular crop.

TWO SOUTH PACIFIC FOLK-TALES.

MR. LORIMER-FISON, who is well known to students of anthropology, and is joint author with Mr. Howitt of Kamilaroi and Kurnai, and has lived many years in Fiji, has kindly sent me two folk-tales which he obtained from the natives, and which he considers as bearing some resemblance to our favourite nursery stories of "Jack and the Giants" and "Jack and the Bean-stalk"; be this as it may, they will prove both interesting and useful to story-comparers:

"The hero of the first tale was the son of a Tongan chief by one of his inferior wives. During a sea voyage a sudden whirlwind carried