Samoa, A Hundred Years Ago And Long Before by George Turner
page 78 of 222 (35%)
page 78 of 222 (35%)
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soon became useful in planting, fishing, house-building, and all kinds
of manual labour. Boys were also accustomed to club together, and wander about the settlement, the plantation, or in the bush. If they fell in with a fallen cocoa-nut one boy would sit down and name some to come and join him in eating it, and to the rest he would call out, "Go and catch butterflies." Hence one who is excluded from eating anything nice is called _a butterfly-catcher_. If they called at the residence of one of themselves, then perhaps the lad of that house would select some to have food with him there, and call them "cocoa-nut princes," and the rest he would send off, calling them "cocoa-nut pigs." The latter would go off offended, and vow to each other never again to be friendly with that stingy, _stunted_ fellow! The following is a translated specimen of one of the old songs chanted for the diversion of children, or to lessen the tedium of a long canoe journey. I do not tamper with an exact translation by any attempt at rhythm or rhyme, but simply give the thoughts as they stand, and as a fair translation would explain them.:-- 1. Mailesaeia and Mailetupengia were married. They had two children, and these were their names, The boy Tulifauiave, and the girl Sinataevaeva. _Chorus_--Aue! or _wonderful!_ 2. They were unkind to their children, and deserted them; They did not wish to have children. etc. 3. Then said the girl to the boy: "Come let us go, Let us seek another home," and away they wandered. etc. |
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