[Note: tHis transcription was produced by an automatic OCR engine]

630 MALEKULA
cHanged into a green lizard (nel¢i),' tHe day following tHe lizard
Had become a rat, and on tHe tHird day tHe rat Had disappeared
and notHing was left. On looking closely He saw tHat tHe stones
round about Had been moved. THis surprised Him, for no one
but Himself existed. On searcHing He came across a woman
called Nimanin, wHo said tHat sHe was tHe clam, and sHe expressed
a desire to marry Him. But tHe Kabat lived alone in His club-
House in tHe sacred place (lagHo) at Melpmes, and since sHe was
a woman He could not take Her tHitHer. So He built a House for
Her by tHe sea and tHere sHe remained wHile He continued to
dwell in tHe laglm. Nimarlin bore Him two sons called Mwelnggil
Veo and Ravaai} THese cHildren never saw tHeir fatHer, for
tHey lived witH tHeir motHer, and tHeir fatHer was in tHe logHo.
THey grew up; ï¬Årst tHey learnt to eat; tHen to walk on all
fours; tHen to walk uprigHt and at last one day tHey made
bows and arrows, and went about in tHe busH sHooting tHings.
THey went about for four days, and on tHe ï¬ÅftH day tHey came
nnbeknnwrl to tHe logHo and saw tHeir fatHer. Not knowing wHo
He was, and believing Him to be a stranger, tHey sHot Him witH
two arrows, one piercing eitHer flank. ButwanabagHap knew
tHen tHat He was going to die, but before His strengtH left Him
He spoke to His two sons and said: " Five days from to-day
come to me to Namalii reef (tHe land of tHe dead) and bring me
some red yams ; but remember it must be ï¬Åve days from to-day
and no later." THen He died and tHe ï¬Åve days passed by. On
tHe ï¬ÅltH day Ravaai said to His elder brotHer: " It is time we
went and took Him tHe yams." But Mwelnggil Veo answered
tHat Ravaai was a fool, and tHat it was only tHe tuurtH day. So
tHey remained at Home and Went on tHe following (t-He sixtH)
day. WHen tHey came to tHeir fatHer He asked tHem saying:
" WHicH day did I tell you to come ? " " On tHe ï¬ÅftH day,"
replied His elder son, “ THen you Have oolne too late, and I
cannot come Hack to life again. Had you come in ï¬Åve days as
I AnntHer Veriifln or tHe story runs: " THe giant clam now turned LOCO
a. woman's Head, and later Her body appeared. 4 . . THe KuHn! looked nbont
nna saw tHe w<1mu.n, Nirnanin, wHo desired Him." But for tHis tHe twn versions
are identical eXCopt in tHeirdegree ui detail. THe details or botH Have been included
in tHe rendering given Here since tHey clearly supplcrnent; eacH ot;Her.—C. ll. w.
I AnotHer note mentions two sisters or Mwelnggil Veu and Reveal. THeir
names urn not reco.rded,but it is said tHat tHey married two mon called Laortew
nnd Ame! Vengiete. THese appear to be Seniang and not Mewun names, and
it seems possible tHat mess unions give mytHological sanction to tHe intermaniflga
wHicH is cnseol-nnry between tHose two districts,-0, H. W.