Part 6 (1/2)

xlv.--_The Old Man of the Sea._

The Old Man of the Sea (_Atui koro ekas.h.i.+_) is a monster able to swallow s.h.i.+ps and whales. In shape it resembles a bag, and the suction of its mouth causes a frightfully rapid current. Once a boat was saved from this monster by one of the two sailors in it flinging his loin-cloth into the creature's open mouth. That was too nasty a morsel for even this monster to swallow; so it let go its hold of the boat.--(Written down from memory. Told by Ishanashte, July, 1886.)

xlvi.--_The Cuckoo._

The male cuckoo is called _kakkok_, the female _tutut_. Both are beautiful birds, and live in the sky. But in spring they come down to earth, to build their beautiful bottle-shaped white nests. Happy the man who gets one of these nests, and lets no one else see it. He will become rich and prosperous. Nevertheless, it is unlucky for a cuckoo to light on the window-sill and look into the house; for disease will come there.

If it lights on the roof, the house will be burnt down.--(Written down from memory. Told by Penri, 16th July, 1886.)

xlvii.--_The [Horned] Owl._

There are six owls,--brethren. The eldest of them is only a little bigger than a sparrow. When perching on a tree, it balances itself backwards, for which reason it is called ”The Faller Backwards.” The youngest of the six has a very large body. It is a bird which brings great luck. If anyone walks beneath this bird, and there comes the sound of rain falling on him, it is a very lucky thing. Such a man will become very rich. For this reason the youngest of the six owls is called ”Mr.

Owl.”

[The rain here mentioned is supposed to be a rain of gold from the owl's eyes.]--(Translated literally. Told by Penri, 16th July, 1886.)

xlviii.--_The Peac.o.c.k in the Sky._

A cloudless sky has a peac.o.c.k in it, whose servants are the eagles. The peac.o.c.k lives in the sky, and only descends to earth to give birth to its young. When it has borne one, it flies back with it to the sky.--(Written down from memory. Told by Penri, July, 1886, and by Ishanashte, November, 1886.)

xlix.--_Trees turned into Bears._

The rotten branches or roots of trees sometimes turn into bears. Such bears as these are termed _payep kamui_, _i.e._ ”divine walking creatures,” and are not to be killed by human hand. Formerly they were more numerous than they are now, but they are still sometimes to be seen.--(Written down from memory. Told by Penri, July, 1886.)

l.--_Coition._

The Ainos think it very unlucky for the woman to move ever so slightly during the act of coition. If she does so, she brings disasters upon her husband, who is sure to become a poor man. For this reason, the woman remains absolutely quiet, and the man alone moves.--(Written down from memory. Told by Penri, July, 1886.)

li.--_Birth and Naming._

Before birth, clothes are got ready for the expected baby, who is washed as soon as born.[F] The divine symbols are set up, and thanks are offered to the G.o.ds. Only women are present on the occasion. Generally in each village there are one or two old women who act as midwives.

The child may be named at any time. Ishanashte said that it was usually two or three months, Penri said that it was two or three years, after birth. The name chosen is usually founded on some circ.u.mstance connected with the child, but sometimes it is meaningless. The parent's name is never given, for that would be unlucky. How, indeed, could a child continue to be called by such a name when its father had become a dead man, and consequently one not to be mentioned without tears?--(Written down from memory. Told by Penri and Ishanashte, July, 1886.)

[F] For the only time in its whole life!

lii.--_The Pre-eminence of the Oak, Pine-tree, and Mugwort._

At the beginning of the world the ground was very hot. The ground was so hot that the creatures called men even got their feet burnt. For this reason, no tree or herb could grow. The only herb that grew at that time was the mugwort. Of trees, the only ones were the oak and the pine. For this reason, these two trees are the oldest among trees. Among herbs, it is the mugwort. This being so, these two trees are divine trees; they are trees which human beings wors.h.i.+p. Among herbs, the mugwort is considered to be truly the oldest.

Listen well to this, too, you younger folks!--(Translated literally.