(Please scroll down for English translations) Geba bohox, do nax elex di fogor-fogoro. Geba mtuato du jaga xmataro. Yax kitar haik e, bu yako xmata salak saa moo. Yax kitaro dae Fatu-ol-masa daeh. Geba msian, da suba tu beto. Kami xqati. Da suba, amper yako la a pefah tu e esnapa postoqe, bu da heka. Yax kitah, a doboh tu fulan naan. Lalen emsian di ta rahek. Da pakek e pakeaq moo. Olon rema. Da pakek e katuen e. Bu rine, da sabate tu wahex tifun, kau doqon, paa riqe gamdi mua raman folon. The Geba Bohot people live in rocky places. The old people used to kill them. I have seen them, but I have never killed any of them. I saw one at Fatu-ol-masa. A mal who came out at night. We were hunting for possums. I was about to shoot him with my muzzle-loader when he fled. I met him in the moonlight, only that one time. He wore no clothes. His hair was long. He wore a sword. And he had a friendship with the vines and the trees, and he was like the eyelashes of the forest. --Redi-Tama, Leksula, Saturday, April 7, 1984. Geba bohox DO RIQE eptea lian-fefa-lian-fefano, da eptea di sisiro, sisir gegeno. Ennewen, do da jaga iko pa da xnaka di gebaro nun hawar-hawaro. Da xnaka tonalo fidi gebar nun uneto, da xnaka ixnaan fi di gebar nun hawaro. Da toux eta tenix yaq naxsukah e, riqe exnaka i har di ta. Bu iqax tu geba bohoto da Buru di, eta gebar humkiseno, gebar humfenar naa, du dobo saa, do du aikor mo, tu du xmataro. Eplatax sili eplatat e, bu Geba Bohox tewa xmata beta geba humkisen, geba humfena moo, tu musti geba humfena da xmata geba bohot e. Geba bohot e, do nake todo, tod remax mo, tu todo TUren, bu da puna mae rema e! Pa eta riqe eplata-plata-plata-plata-platan tu geba di eta da pemtaix mo, do da waku nake todo turen di fixdii, pa da spelex geba di tuhah. Pe tu eta geba di pisnirax todo ha dii, pe tu bitix megex todo dii, tu geba humkisen, geba humfena, da latah, pa da lax matax. The Geba BohoT people dwell in caves, and under ledges at the bases of steep slopes. Their life is to go about stealing from other people's gardens. They steal possums from people's snares, and they steal food from people's gardens. Anything they see and like, they take. But when village people meet Geba Bohot people in Buru, they do not spare them, but put them to death. And though sword-battle be paid in sword-battle, no Geba Bohot can kill a village man, but Geba Bohot people are killed by villagers. The Geba Bohot people do not use long swords. Their swords are short, but with long handles. And if, in the course of a long duel, the Geba Bohot is unable to overcome his opponent, he will take hold of this short sword, and hurl it at him. The villager will then deflect this missile and hack the Geba Bohot to death. Elias Solisa July 1987 Geb Mua Told by Yosias Tasijawa of Wae Nibe Morin Father-in-law of Deki Wamese July 13, 1987 9:23 P.M. Geba bohot sa tu nax anax rua iko xnakah. Iko exnaka, eta du oli, du keha oto kira. Keha gamsaka kira, pee tu geb fena saa da xnoko. Geb fena saa xnoko, jaga eta sir telo du keha tu ua. Keha tu ua gamsaka lian. Eta sepo, du tatik e. Tatix ua, paa nax anato keha. Keha eta saka lian, nin elet, pee tu du--geb fena ni suba mohede, geba moa tatix sakix ua, paa nax anax saa soo ixnaan. Fale sepu ixnaan, da tatix sakix ua la nax anax keha. Na anax keha mohede, geb fena ni kadux. Pee tu geb fena ni geda, paa--fi qina aqa, paa da pese xdii geba mua ni anan, paa da pamau. Da pamau gamdii, tu geb mua ni fale nax anax tu ua. Faleh eta rete, geb fena ni da narax gampao. Terus gamnii, tu da basah. Da basa pkawah, paa da banewe hede, tu da pamau fen, "Fale kooo! Fale koo!" Pee mahi geb fena ni pese xdii nax anax, faleh e, da tatih. Da hesax mampoh moo, da tatih. Da tati, da mao, "Ku tati kooo! Ku tati kooo!" Pee tu da tatih. Geb mua ni tatih. Tatih gampao eta sepo, tam geb fena nii sgeda, "Fale ko!" Fale, da tewa mo, da faleh, da fale geb fena ni. Eta da puda gamsaka nax elex, tam da basa geba rua an tu da sekar toqi. Pee tu sira rua rete po mata, nax anax po mata, pee tu riq toho sakix tu ua, paa da olih. Gamnii saja. A Geba Bohot and his two children went out to steal. When they returned, unknown to them, a village man was watching. The Geba Bohot scaled the cliff to his cave, and let down a rattan line. He pulled one of his children up, and then let the line back down to the one on the ground. That one attached the food to the line, and the father pulled it up. Then he let the line back down for the child. But just then,the village man came, and caught hold of the child, and hung on. The child cried out, and the father started to pull up the rattan line, but the village man hung on tightly, and pulled it back down. This went on until the village man got in a blow with his sword. The child was wounded, but still alive,and kept crying, "Pull me up! Pull me up!" and the father would pull up on the line, but would not be strong enough to sustain the effort, and the village man would pull it back down. Then the village man shouted, "Let me down! Let me down!" And the forrest man let his child down. The village man finished off the child, and shouted, "Pull me up! Pull me up!" and the father pulled him up. Arriving by surprise at the mouth of the cave, the village man slashed the two of them with his sword, and ran them through, so that all three of them died. Then he let himself back down using the rattan line, and went home. That is all. Geb Fena Basa Anax Rua By Mukarehet Selwadu July 13, 1987 Late at night Geba bohox saa siru nax finhaa iko, du xneix nun anatan rua ox lian. Du defo ox lian, pee tu sirua iko, du baxdifu nun anat an rua. Sirua iko etaaa modan-modan, pee tu nax anat an rua sohix di ta mohe, pee tu du kalax qei--kalax hama nun ina tu nun ama. "Qina siru qama an e! Oli beka,tu beto re-, reden e! Qina siru qama an e! Oli beka, tu beto re-, reden e!" Gebfena di fixsaka fene, "Kim kala teeeeni?" "Moo! Kam kalax kae mo, tu kam kala qina siru qaman, tu du iko exnaka dae Waka-katin eee!" Gebfena di taga ute ran fixdii, paa da basa sepo sirua an dii. Nun ina siru nun ama oli suba mahi, du kita nax anat ano turen-tureno, du taqi et-et-eta . . . (Transcribed from track 3 of Mukarehet tape 1 by Joe Devin, 11/19/87. This is the first item on track 1). A Geba bohot man and his wife went out leaving their two children alone in their cave. By late afternoon, they hadn't returned. Their two children couldn't wait any more, so they started calling: "Mother and Father! Come home now, because it's getting dark! Mother and Father! Come home now, because it's getting dark!" Then a village man shouted down from above, "What are you calling?" "No! We are not calling you. We are calling our mother and father, who have gone out stealing at Wakatin!" The village man came, and hacked them to bits. When their mother and father returned, they saw their children carved to pieces, and cried and cried. Geba bohox Anan Told by Sakeus Solisa Neat about 4/10/84 Geba bohox anan. Da ptea, paa da bisi nake kehex laka rua, tu nake enhero laka rua fidii, paa da gampaox, paa da prepa la ana skolar fene, "Kim bisi kehex lakan, la kimi lata hama yako." Ana skolaro bisi kehex fidii, paa du lata hama, lata hamah, eta du lata pempeix riqe. Lata pimpeix riqe, pee tu riqe fen, "Supan, do kimi hansia-hansiax sohix naa, tu e yako saki la kim lata hama yako hede." Poo suban dii, riq saki dii, poo da egu nax ama nax kehet e. Da egu nax ama nax kehex tu nake enhero. Riqe egu tehuk e kau moo, tu ana skolar naa lata pimpeix haix riqe. Pee tu riqe saki logox, paa riqe eptane. Geba di lata, lata, pee tu riqe pinlata fidii, turen rua, tureno baoda. Da latar ano. Poo gebar fen, "Ee! Geba bohox anan naa, da lata haik e ana skola rua!" Poo gebar bebsis-bebsebut e, poo da lata xdedux rua, pa i har paa! Poo geba negaro taga tu mae, paa du flalih. Du flal tatax katuen di fidii, paa du frakeh, paa du hapuh. Pee tu du xmatah mahede, fene, "Kim nim elex fidoo?" "Yax, kam nam elex sax fogo saka. Kam nam elex sax fog boti saka. Ya naqu ina tu naq ama du jaga iko xnaka hawa ha mahi. Hawa dae fogo tean." Pee tu fen, "Do ku etah, tu kami exmata ka ka mox." Moox. Da gedax gebar na fen, "Da etah moo, tu kim hapuh la yax tafeh, tu asa da reqa haix gamdih." Poo gebaro nee iko, paa du ptea oto tohon esnuban. Du dohix dii, "Oo, gebar rua an du oli mahede." Nax ina tu nax ama. Aqa do nax ina tu nax ama. Sirua iko xnaka, paa du oli bafawe-fawe tu mandeqen e, biskux lolon e, uarahe. Ketu du egu gebaro nun iaro. Paa du ol tuhar fixdii, paa la du xmasa la du kaa, gedak e gebar di fene, "Kae nam anax ha di da balata kami nam anato pao nagrii dii?" Da fokaka mohede, poo du latah, paa du tor pitik e gampao kira bohin. Paa saa hai fidii, du kalax fen, "Bele uteh pao!" Fene, "Da mata haix pi moo?" Fen, "Moo. Da mata haix, tu a sekah tu a latah." Poo nax finhaa naa, poo du hapuh. Ol tuha gampao nax anax fene, "Ha ka nam ina ha q di?" Fen, "Eeh. Do tem naq ama?" Fen, "Moo. Nam ama mata haix." Pee tu, "Moox. Exmata nax anax selex. Moox. Exmatah e." Pee tu e fen, "Nax ina naa?" Fen, "Moo. Bara, la geba saa kaweq tuha, la da ganti nan anax paa na, tame exmata nax ina." Pee tu du pixbaa pa geba qasmori sa kaweq, cuma anax rua. Pee tu gebar rua psamax, pee tu nax ina mata mhewax. Pee tu sepuh. (Transcribed 1/23/88 by Joe Devin from track 1 of 4/10/84 tape). The Geba Bohot child sat down, and carved two wooden swords and two wooden spears. Then he went down and said to the school children, "Carve yourselves wooden swords and see if you can hack me." The school children carved swords, and hacked at him until they scored blows and hurt him. So he said, "Tomorrow, all of you wait here, and I will return so you can hack at me again." And the next day he returned with his father's REAL sword. He took his father's sword and spear. He brought no more wooden weapons, for the school children had scored painful blows on him. So he went back down, and took up a defensive stance. They hacked and hacked at him, and then he proceeded to carve two of them up. He carved them in two, leaving severed stumps. Then the people shouted, "Hey! This Geba Bohot child has carved up two school children!" And the people started running pell-mell. In the meantime, he hacked two more to death, for a total of four! So the villagers came with cudgels, and beat him. They beat the sword lose from his hand, caught him, and tied him up. But before killing him, they asked, "Where do you live?" "Our place is up in the rocks. Up there in the white rocks. My mother and father come here to steal from the fields. The fields by the rocks." So they said, "Then show us, and we won't kill you." But another said, "No. If he doesn't show us, then tie him up and I will keep him on a leash, as long as he has told us this much already." So six people went, and sat at the entrance to their path. They looked at the signs, and said, "The two parents haven't yet returned." And then his mother and father returned heavy-laden with yams, sweet corn, and peanuts. But they had taken these things from other people. And as they were about to cook and eat, suddenly the people said, "Is that your son who hacked our children to death in the village?" The man had not even spread his limbs in surprise before they hacked him up, and tossed him over the cliff. Then one followed, calling, "Head him off below! Is he dead yet?" And another answered, "Yes, he is dead, because I have speared and hacked him." And they bound his wife, and led her down to her son, and asked, "Is this your mother?" And he said, "Yes. And what about my father?" And they said, "No, your father is dead." And they decided to kill the son. Then someone asked, "And what about his mother here?" And someone answered, "No. Leave her for somebody to marry, and replace our four children. Then we will kill her." So they left her for a young man to marry. But they separated after bearing only two children, and then the woman died of natural causes. And that is the end of the story. Ana Mhodo Kirax Fafan Told by Mukabui Selwadu July 14, 1987 Geba saa tu nax finhaa tu nax anat an emsian. Du kehax nun waga fidi masin, du iko dae kaku fidi mua loso mua, eta du suba oto geba nun negri tean ganaa ta, pee tu geba bohox. Sir telo keha di kirax. Kirax dae kaku, pa du puna nun huma saka kirax di olon fafan. Pee tu nax ina siru nax ama jaga iko xnaka geba negrii dii nunu ixnaano fidi hawa. Du xnaka geba nagrii di nunu ixnaano fidi hawa lea-lea-lea-lea, eta gebaro oto uteh. Nax anat an badefo di kirax di. Du oto ute nax ina siru nax ama fixdii, paa du xmataro. Geba nagriir di oto, tu du xnaka lea-lea ixnaan di hawa. Pee tu du oto uteh fixdii, paa du xmata nax ina tu nax ama sepo, nax an sohi et-et-et-et-etaa beto: watiro! Qina siru Qama, naa do du fadoo naa, do gebaro xmatar haik, tu du jaga egu geba nun ior. Ian sohi-sohi et-et-etaa du oli tagah an tehux mohe, pee tu gebar fili nagrii dii sia iko pteak e nex menet e. Du ptea xlodi, paa du ix tapa beta baa di sira bapelfoni di kirax dii tea. Pee tu lea-lea dii ian exnoko. Da kita beta gebar dii, pee tu ian exnoko, da aqax gebar dii, geba mnegar iko sepo pa du ix liqa nun surano, ix liqa nun uneto, pee tu ian aqak e geba roir an di badefo emsikan. Pee tu ian suba fixdii, paa da midi di nax taor an di. Midi di nax taor an di etaaa du xmasa pa du kaa, du laik en roin tu ixnaan pa ian kaa dii, emhawe-mhawen da aqak e geba di nunu amaro tu nunu gebaro di oli, pee tu ian hekah. Ian heka oli sakix, paa ian bage di sir nun elex di kiran fafan di. Pee tu lalen saa gamdihe, lalen saa gamdihe, pee tu geba roi an di xdohix qei nun ama: "Du iko sakix tatax kon, pee tu ian suba dih. Nax rokoro flali taxbuan dii, paa lien. Pee tu ian hai fixdii, paa da oli sakix suba nax rokor an fixdii, paa du flali taxbuan di, tu ran midi, tu--eta lea dae-dae, tu geba mnegar oli. Geba mnegar oli, pee tu riqe an d hekah. Da heka, paa ian heka oli sakix qei nun elex. Do ian kaa uhan haix fidi nax taor ano." Pee tu du dohix qei nax ama fene, "Kam nam tau an saa suba naa, do nax ina sa mohe, nax ama sa mohe, tu da bina fene difux nax ina siru nax ama exnosin haix, paa lae gebaro xmatah. Pee tu riq an jaga iko fana kami, paa kim ix tatax kami dii, do kami an di jaga midi etaa ian oli haix." Pee tu nax ama fene, "Do ian oli haix, do ian oli fadoo?" Fen, "Tewa, tu ian buji kami, pa d heka, paa ian oli qei nax elex dii da baexdohix nax ina tu nax ama mata haix dih." Pee tu nax ama kastau sira an sakix fene, "Eta ian saki suba naa, do prepa qeih en fene, 'E, kita an manaa beka, tu ku bara mtako, la ku an bara oli qei emsikan di elex di beka,tu kita an manaa. Eta nam ama si nam ina mata haik e, do qama prepa fen moo tu kam ix oli la ku polox kami.'" "Ehe." Pee tu du kaxnauk en sakix,pee tu ian iko moo. Geba di oliii, pa grukeno, pa du oli tu nun lairo, ian heka tehux moo, tu ian eptea ian bacikek e. Ri nax rokor an pese sueh, fene, "Bara heka,tu qama xmata kae an moo. Tu barisux la kam puna nam wai an, la kita oli qei kam nam huma, tu nam ina siru nam ama mata haix." Pee tu sepuh. (Transcribed 11/20/87 by Joe Devin from track 4 of Mukarehet tape 1). A man and his wife and son paddled their canoe through the sea, and journeyed inland from forest to forest to the mountains, arriving finally at a spot near a strange village. There they climbed to the top of a mountain cliff, built a house, and became Geba Bohot people. Every day, the mother and father would leave their child on the cliff, and go out to steal food from the villaggers' fields. The villagers retaliated by setting an ambush, and killing them. When it was dark, the son thought, "Alas! Where are my mother and father now? I am afraid people may have killed them, because they have been taking other people's things." But though he waited and waited, they never returned. Then during the shorea season, some of the villagers set up camp in the forest to hunt. They built their forest dwellings just next to the cliff where the Geba Bohot people had hidden, so the boy could watch their movements day after day. He saw that the adults would go out to check their suran staves and their unet snares, leaving their children behind. So he watched till the adults were gone, and came out, and played with the other children in their camp. They played for a long time. Then they cooked, and ate,and shared some of their food with him. But later in the afternoon,he saw their fathers and their people returning, and he fled back to the house at the top of the cliff, where he spent the night alone. This happened again and again, until finally one of the children told it to his father: "When the adults were gone, his friends beat the taxbuan. when it sounded, he came, and they beat the taxbuan, and played until the sun was far inland. And he ate his fill from his friends. Then the adults returned, and he fled back to his place." And the other children said to his father, "A friend of ours arrived here who has no mother or father. He says that he lost them a long time ago, and that people may have killed them. He comes looking for us when you leave us, and we play with him until he goes home." And his father said, "And when he goes home, where does he go?" And they said, "We don't know. He tricks us, and flees to where he used to live with his mother and father before." And his father told them, "If he returns here again, say to him, 'Stay here with us. Don't be afraid, and don't go back alone, but stay here with us. Our father told us that if your father and mother have died, you can return home to our village with us.'" "Yes." And they relayed the message to him, and he stayed. The creak of his footsteps could be heard on the path as the man came home. They came home with their meat, and he didn't flee, but just sat trembling, his friends holding onto him, and saying, "Don't flee. Our father won't kill you. Let us be your younger brothers. Let us return to our house. Your mother and father are dead." And so ends our tale. Geba Bohox Dear Telo Told by Sakeus, Leksula, June 3, 1988, About 3:00 P.M. Yako cerita naa, bu yax kita xbahix moo. Bu ecerita fidi Bapa Temi. Fen riqe tu nax ama,tu nake wai sa qaan e Unaq-tama sira iko di Dear-telo olon. Du suba dii, geba sa barusa tonal fisax kau luken. Du bafa saka, tage tu e geba bohot e. Baa naa da barusa kau naa, pigi sa baa ax di ta. Bakerex ba di ta. Pigi di bakerex, pee tu sira ba pixwasin, fen, "Haak e, geba sa saka di." Bu geba--geb fena moo, tu lae geba meget e. Pee tu sira basadia men-mene,tu nun asoro toqi. Asoro naa, asor exdemen e. Pee tu e Bapa Temi nax ama bakalax fen, "Sane barusa tonal fisax dii?" Da babafa logok e. "Akebakananehen e! Gebar pao naa tu nunu asor rereno!" Pee tu da basale di pigi di dea sisi uban e. Da basale di e pigi di e sisi uban naa, tu dea uban toqi. Pee tu riq basale di pigi dii tu pigi di baol-baolo etaaa exraken, paa dolax gampao dea bohin naa, heh! du aqax pao tu babanuh gampao. Pee tu du ix lilik e. Fen, "Ma hai pao, la m tou fene geba dii do lagan gamdoo." Du suba pao, tain baplama, tain bapiprakeh ba pao dihe. Bexnewax tinan moo. Tinan tifo, paa ilaq haix. Pee tu sira hama-hamah, exnewax moo, pee tu du oli, paa du bacerita baa gamdii, fen, "Geba di leqina da baolo-olo tu pigi kakun di eta baprakex pao dea bohin dii. Gamahix kam hai, paa kam hama-hamah, bu xnewax moo, pee tu kam oli." Tu sira toqi bu du ix loso. Du xmata nun tonal haro pito pi trua sa gamdi ta, pee tu du oli. Pee tu yax tewa endohin di snegen baa di ta, Defen e. (Transcribed 10/9/88 by Joe Devin, at Manoa). I tell this story even though I was not there to witness the event. It is about how Bapa Temi, his father, and a younger brother of his named Unaq-tama went to the top of the Dear-telo falls. Arriving there, they looked up, and saw a man spearing possums in the crown of a tree. They said to one another, "There is a man up there!" But he was not a village man, but a stranger, a Geba Bohot. So they stood at the ready, along with their many dogs. And Bapa Temi's father cried, "Who is spearing possums up there?" Looking down, the man said, "Woe is me! Look at those people down there, and their many dogs!" Then he transfered to a pigi palm that stood at the head of an eroded spot and the head of the falls. But the pigi palm bowed over with his weight, snapped, and went plummeting to the base of the falls. Bapa Temi and his party watched in amazement as the stranger and the pigi palm disappeared from view. They said, "Let's go down and see how he looks," and they followed by another way. But all they found was his feces spread and smeared all over the area. His body was gone. They searched and searched, but his body was no where to be found. So they went home, and told this same story I have told. They said, "Today there was a man who swung from the tip of a pigi palmtree, and smeared the base of the falls. And we followed, and searched, but he wasn't there, so we came home." They actually did some hunting first, killing about seven or eight possums, and then they went home. And that is all I know of this tale, Devin. Perna geba bohot Dear-Telo da xnaka ya naq ama nake fafu okon rua. Faf garaq. Faf sasi. Ya naq ama da sasi fafu, pa du wahakoro, pa ya naq ama iko, naq ina emsikan e. Pee ptea-ptea po fafor okono di rua difukoro. Dohi-dohi di fen fafor okon rua difukoro, pe tu Bapa Temi fen, "O, eta kimi ptea ba dii, do geba bohox Dear-Telo da xnaka fafor okono di ta, tu geba bohox sa ba di dear telo di ta. Dear-Telo di Saqkabun, Om Joo, Banulalex kolon di. Once the Geba Bohot of Dear-telo Falls stole two salted pig skins of my father's. My father had salted down the pig skins, and they had spread them out to dry. Then my father had gone, leaving my mother alone. And while he was absent, the two pig skins disappeared. When they told of the two stolen pig skins, Bapa Temi said, "Oh, if you live there, then it is the Geba Bohot of Dear-Telo Falls who stole the pig skins, because there is a Geba Bohot at Dear-telo Falls. Dear-Telo is at Saqkabun, Om Joe, just below Banulalex. --Elias Solisa, July 1987. Geba Bohox Wahex Tifun Told by Wentis Leslesi Selwadu july 16, 1987 8:11 A M Geba bohox saa ix keha, pa da ix keha eta lea tifun e, pe tu da xmata i ha rua. Pee da keha sakik e yawe saa. Rine kehax yawe di gamaqnaa, pa da bataho nake blafeno tu nax gomi pa rahe. Pee tu rin kehax yawe di fasaka gamaqnaa, pa da kadux saka, da xmata blafen i ha msian haix, pee geba fenaro pito di fisaka na, du batoux beta rine pao. Pee rine tahu nake blafen baa di, tu da keha tehux fen la da hama saa hede--kau di elen tehux, la da ix liqah. Pee gebaro di kita rine pao naa, tu du toho fisaka logox fisax kira fafan. Kadux pao gamaqnaa, pa du kita rin nake blafen rua di pa rahe, du ergedax fixdii tu gomir pito di,pa du taha kau di. Taha kau dii, rine ma saka kau di luken. Pee rine preqe, "Ayokanane! Cilaka yako, tu yax mata na ta!" Sika tu uardegen saa sapa fipao kau di, pa da lahin eptefa ma saka kira di olon fafan sax sir banei nin ior. Sax dii, do nin ixnaax masax, fidi nin pakeaqor, fidi--tu Murampaax tehu sira, beka sira heka ak. Paee gebar dii, mohe dukex-dakex pao kau na lahin, tu taha kau dii. Eta epax la bodih gamaqnaa, pee rine naa, "Ayo! A mata dii!" Tu da tita polox--wana polok e ua fitin di lepax, eta da kadux saka kira fafan gamaqnaa pee, gebaro pito dii tah podix kau dii gamaqnaa, tewa mo rine kadux fisaka haix. Pee tu du taga fidii kadux lawe gamaqnaa, du pida hamah et-et-et-et-etaa du bapsali. Nin tau na saa ix-ix frogo pa kau di omon fohin gamaqnaa, pa i bafuka-fuka pee, sira halaex di do geba di i ha dii, pa du basepax gomi uteh. Du dilix fakax geba di wapun--nin tau wapun--pa i h balubu baa diih! Pee sira halaex aqa do geba di i ha di, pa du baliqah, ayokanane! nin tau di rine! Pee geba saka naa, rine--geba bohox dii--waku sepu nax todrema--gebar saka di nin todremaro, nini io gosax-gosato dii. Pee tu da ego seporo. Pakeaq, fidi taser-tasero. Dii, da heka sepo tuhar gamaqnaa, ior gerano dii, nama wajar, fidi todor, fidi xbohox-bohoto dii,, do spe--da spelheix sepor qei fapao rabino pao. Pee tu rine heka tuha sepu io gosato dii, eta da heka pa d oli sakix qei nax elet. Pee tu sepuh. A Geba Bohox went climbing for cuscus possums until the middle of the day, and killed two of them. Next he climbed a yawe tree, leaving his axe and his possums on the ground. And when he had killed a possum in the yawe tree, seven village men spotted him from above, and climbed down the cliffs to where he was. Seeing his two possums on the ground, they began chopping down the tree with their seven axes. And he was still in the top of the tree. And he said, "Alas! Woe is me, for now I die!" But fortunately there was an uardegen vine hanging down to the tree, having roots at the cliff top, where the seven village men had left their gear. Up there were cooked food, clothing, etc.; because a mu-ram-paat monster had chased them, and they had fled, leaving their things behind. And from below came the thuds of the axe blades felling the tree. And when it was about to topple, he said, "Alas! I die!" and he swung himself up along the vine until he reached the top of the cliff. In the meantime, the tree fell, but the seven villagers failed to realize where he was. They went down to the crown of the fallen tree, and searched among the leaves until they had to pause for rest. One of their company actually got under the leaves, spreading them to see what he could find. Then his compannions thought they had found their quarry,and they raised their axes toward him. They split open his brains, and there he lay! Then they saw that alas, he was their companion! And the man at the top of the cliff took their long swords, their clothes, their carrying bags, and all their good things; but he threw their kindling flints, ordinary knives, and all manner of other goods over the cliff. And he fled with the good things to his home. And so ends our tale. THE HUNTER'S PEST. Gebar Telo Iko Emqadan Keri Tomhisa Selwadu July 13, 1987 A dohi gebar telo iko emqadan. Du iko emqada da mua gamaqnaa, du sela wae saa eta suba dae olon e, pee sir telo iko epsaman. Du iko epsaman dii, geba bohox sa baxnoko geba na da baiko emsikan. Geba dii da mqada eta suba ox lapix saa gamaqnaa, da aqak e boti katihi sa baptea sax kau saqan lahin. Pee da keha. Keha fasaka gamaqnaa, da xmatah. Pa d tatax fapao gamaqnaa, paa geba bohox di rohi, pa d egu blafen di, pa da hek tuhah. Dii, da liho sakix fadae, da fadae, pa d selax wae lalen dii, da logo sakix pao pee, da baplobo ute kau fefan saa, kau fefan saa, do kim bara pkaex kau aqa fefan do kim bapodo e negex***** sa otoh bu bole! Eta suba pao ganaa, pee da kehah. Da keha kau di gamaqnaa, beka da moho pao kau na fefan, tu da te keha mohe. Te keha mohe, pee tu da laun, "Geba rua e, kim fadoo?" Da laun-laun et-et-et-et-eta toma moo, tu geba bohox sa taga. Geba bohox sa taga gamaqnaa--geba bohox dii taga suba mahi fene, "Fixdoo?" Riqe fen, "Yako fixnaa, wali e!" Pee fene da taga suba mahi gamaqnaa, da mqada fisax kau luken fen, "Yako fixnaa! Keha flalo, tu yako fixnaa!" Pee tu geba bohox di fen, "Bara peni, la a soox miax." Da soox miax gamaqnaa, pa d keha suba saka, da tatax miax di eta suba pao, tu da fage miax di pao fefa di lalen ganaa, da sardika pa da gomu di-dii ax kau dii, e hiban aki gamaqnaa, paa miax bafage sroho logox. Dii riqe fene, "Ku fageh kau fanaa la a keha, wali e!" "Eh!" Tu geba bohox di dasa sapa foron. Da dasa foron tu uka ha-ha sa, pa da pesneka uteh pao gamaqnaa pee, uka di moho sleun, tu da fage epsalax, tu uka di baxdahe ma pao rahe. Da bina fene, "Ku egu miax fanaa la sapa a keha tuha!" Da keha tu miax suba saka gamaqnaa, rine fen mo tu la d pili la d keha fixpao gamahix, tu nax tau geba kau fefan naa keha pa d baoto sax kau di qadan haix. Geba bohox di keha rapax-rapax saka, tu da sgei lale emsian, teme riqe pao fohi masbeta rex miax di saxfafa, masbeta eta pao, tu miax di fage peseseh. Pee tu sepuh. (Transcribed from track 2 of Selwadu boys tape by Joe devin, 11/12/87). I tell of three men who went possum hunting in the forest. They followed a stream to its source, and split up. One of them went off alone without knowing that a Geba Bohot was watching. He went until he came to a banyan tree, and saw a large, white possum sitting at the base of a branch. He climbed up, killed it, and let it down. Then the Geba Bohot sneaked up, grabbed the possum, and made off with it. Then the man went inland again, following a creek upstream,and descending a slope. There he saw a hollow tree with a hole in it so big you could fit a truck inside! Arriving below, he climbed the tree. But then he fell into the hole, because he wasn't a very good climber. So he cried out in distress, "Where are you two men?" He kept crying in this way until he was almost out of breath, when the Geba Bohot arrived. The Geba Bohot called, "Where?" "I am here, brother-in-law!" he cried. He looked up toward the top of the tree,and cried, "I am here! Climb up after me, because I am here!" And the Geba Bohot said, "Just a minute, while I attach a rock to this line." Then the Geba Bohot attached a rock to a length of line, climbed up the tree to the hole, and threw it in. The hunter dodged and ducked in the hole, and the rock glanced off his chest and fell on down the hole. Then he said, "Throw down a pole, Brother-in-law, so I can climb up!" "Sure," said the Geba Bohot, and shaped a spear from a large piece of bamboo. Then he threw the spear down at the man, but he missed, and the spear stuck fast in the ground. And the man said, "Get another rock, and I will climb up with that." The Geba Bohot went for another rock, but in the meantime, the hunter had managed to climb up to the hole, and was waiting for him. When the Geba Bohot had climbed back up almost to the hole, the hunter startled him with a loud cry, and the Geba Bohot fell, and the rock crushed him. And that is the end of our tale. Geba Mkeda an Saa Told by Elias Solisa Leksula Probably before 1974 Geba mkedan saa tu nake ana mhanar pito, du ix defux mua. Du iko eta-teta-teta-tetaa dena di mua mkelex saa, pee tu du puna nun huma. Du puna nun huma, pee tu nax anato dii, du jaga iko hama tonal e, fafu. Riqe jaga defo baa di huma. Lalen saa, nax anato iko, poo riqe siru gomi, pa d iko. Da iko paa da ix patu midun. Da patu-patu-patu-patu-patu midun e, geba bohox saa kadux, fen, "Geba keda, ka patu ya naq midun na ta!" Pee tu geba bohox dii fasak e waskikix fidii, paa da flali geba mkedan di. Da flali geba mkedan di eta-teta-teta-teta-teta-teta-teta-tetaaa iis-is-isin e! Eglokax okon, paa is-isi mer-merat e. Da fagex geba mkeda di pao wae. Geba keda dii oli. Da oli, paa da ba-edhede di bana lahin. Nax ana mhanar pito di oli, du xnikah fene, "Aman e, kae emkua dii?" Riqe prepa ii saa mohe-mohe. Riqe fene, "Yax iko fidae di, paa a iko fidae wae lalen di, paa a moho." Pee tu nax anato xmasa tonal, xmasa fafu, paa du kaa. Kaa, nax anato iko, riq saki pa d patu midun e. Geba bohox dii, da flalix pil-pilix riqe di--geba mkedan an di, eta isi-isi-isi-isin e. Da oli, nax anato xnikah, riqe prepa ii saa mohe-mohe. Pee tu, lalen saa, nax ana mhanaro dii, du iko hansi-hansi-hansiax. Pee tu du prepa fene, "Ma bara iko moo, tu ma ptea xnokox geba mtuax di, fen SAPAN ii di haan naa!" Pee tu geba keda dii, da iko gamdae pa d saki pa d patu midun e, geba bohox di suba, pa da flalih. Da flalih e, geba mkedan an di gragaa! Da minta ampoq fidi geba bohox dii, geba bohox dii bapusiq sapan? Geba bohox dii, da geda la da heka mohede poo, ana mhanaro pito di suba. Du suba dii, paa du plata-plata-plata-plata-plata-plata-platan tu geba bohox dii, eta-teta du xmata geba bohox di. Pee tu du oli tuha nun ama. "Aman e, ku hama la kam bara nam ama di kae, do kam tete ka, tu kami xnika kae, kae eprepa ii saa mohe-mohe! Tarlama geba bohox na baxmata putaix ka!" Pee tu du ptea timu dii eta-teta-teta-tetaaa du suba. Du suba fidi mua dii, du dapax tonal exdemen, fafu xdemen. Pee tu du oli, paa du puna pesta tu nun geba ndefoto di huma di. Pee tu sepuh. (Transcribed 1/6/88 by Joe Devin, from track 1 of Elias tape 2). An old man and his seven sons went to live in the forest to hunt. They Went and went until they came to a tall forest, and there they built their house. And from there the sons went out hunting for possum and pig, leaving their father alone in the house. One day, when his sons were gone, he picked up his axe,and went looking for midun grubs. He spent a long time chopping into rotting shorea tree trunks looking for midun grubs. Then a Geba Bohot man came,and said, "Those are my grubs you are taking, old man!" And he cut UA-skikit whips, and flogged the old man until he was raw! His skin peeled off, revealing pink flesh. Then he dumped him into the stream. The old man went home, and sat trembling beside the fire. And when his seven sons returned, they said, "What's wrong, dad?" But he never said one word. He said, "I went inland, and walked in the stream, and I fell." And the young men cooked possum and pig for them to eat. They ate, and his sons left again, and he went back to gather more grubs. And the Geba Bohot flogged him raw all over again. And when he returned, and his sons asked him, he said nothing. Then one day, his sons all left, but they said, "Let's not really go, but stay and spy on the old man,and see what is going on!" So the old man went back inland to dig out grubs, and the Geba Bohot came to beat him. He flogged him, and the old man cried out for mercy, but the Geba Bohot showed him none. But before the Geba Bohot could leave, the seven young men arrived, and put up a long sword fight with him, eventually killing him. And they brought their father home, and said, "If you weren't our father, we would hack you up, because we kept asking you, and you said nothing, and this Geba Bohot might have killed you for nothing!" And they stayed on during that southeast monsoon until it was time for them to return, when they came out of the forest with the dried carcasses of many possums and pigs. And they held a feast with the people who had remained at home. And so ends our tale. THE GOOD GEBA BOHOT. Emlomon Di Tohon By Mukarehet Selwadu July 13, 1987 Late at night Fina xgalix saaa iko. Feneee riq ix liqa nake exkoriro. Iko et-et-etaaa da suba palex nake exkorir moo, pei kakun. Pei kakaun ma di tohon e, nax anax emlomon eee, pee geba bohox sa subah. Fen, "Katefen e ka ii fux uke, ii fux loli, kae iko, namu mnaken mohe-mohe! Kae iko emsikan e, hei fux beki! San hisi pelax la ka ii ha dii? Nam anax emlomon, do san hiti kae, san asux wae? Sane exmasa la ka kaa? Fina iko, do iix aten! Ka ix gali, fuka uke-ukeh eq dii, do ix namu mnakero! Katefen e ka iko, do ka iko msikan gamdii la ku qei teni?" Da aqak e, fina di kilin tirin-tirin e, da ix hisi pelax, paa da oli, pee tu da pelax fina dii. Pela fina dii, fina di nax anax emlomon e, da prepa qeih fene, "A paha waja la ku bapaqix naa, tu yax puna huma." Da paha waja fixdii, paa fina dii paqi nax anat e, riq puna huma. Puna huma rabo-rabo-rabo fixdii, paa fina dii, da prepa qeih fene, "Ku oli fana huma lalen beka, la ku paqix gebaro nun anax, tu ku polix fina hum lalen naa. Bara polix potae-potaex gebaro nun anax fapao rahe moo, tu nax ama geba sefe xbohon." Puna huma, paa da egux fina dii, paa da paqix nax anax. An na odo ana mihan dii et-et-etaaa anat an di okon an maqi. Fene, "Ku babah, la kita ru oli fadae ya naq huma." Fina di babaaa nax anax, pa siru iko eta du suba ax geba bohox di nax huma. Geba bohox di keha fasaka nax humkolon lalen e, da tatix fafu, da tatix hala, tatix feten e, da tatik e bia, tatix eblafen e. "Ku bage tuu gebaro nun anax, tuu barisux yako xmasa." Exmasa ier di fixdii, paa sirua kaa, la da sgedax qei fina dii fen, "Iqax tu ka oli emsikan tu gebaro nun anax mohede. Ku ptea tuhah baa naah, la ya aqax odo gebaro nun anax,tu ku bara mtako yako, tu ya garu putaix kae moo." Fina dii ptea polox riqe, paa da aqax odo anat an dii et-et-etaaa anax di xlokih. Anax dii loki, pa eta da sgedax qei fina di fene, "A ptanax ka beka,tu nam anax haa haix." Fina di taqi. Fina di taqi fene, "Kae eptanax yako, bu kae lalem ute yako tirin." Fene, "Yax laleq tu kae di, bu a aqax odo pee na beka , pa a ptanax ka beka."***** Pexbreu ii, da pexbreu lai etetaaa da pexbreu kaleba. Da foki fokix rua, paa da xdedekor tu kalebat e. Da pexbreu sakix pakeaq, paa qei fina dii. Fina di egu pakeaq e, da egu lai. Siru iko et-etaaa braqi-braqin huma, pee tu geba di esgedax qei fina di fene, "Yako ptanax kae eta yax suba da huma, do yako mel gebaro xmata yako salak e." Fina di fene, "Ma iko,tu ku bara mtako, tu geba sa xmata kae moo." Siru iko et-etaaa epax-epax huma, pee tu geba di baptea tebah. Sgeda qei fina di fene, "Ya badeaq baa q nahe hede, tu ku iko dae huma, la ku leo luk e, mele kita rua iko emqesa-mqesa, do nam gebhaa xmata yako salak." Fina di fene, "Ku basohix baa na ta,tu yako iko leux hede. Sepo teme yax saki." Fina di oli suba dae, da sgedax qei nax gebhaa fene, "Iqax tu bara geba bohox na beka, do yax newe moo,tu yax mata haik e. Da aqax odo ya naq anax eta ya naq anax haa haix, pee tu da ptanax yako. Iqax tu da ptanax yako tu pakeaqoro q naa, riq balair ma dae, riq bahai tuhar na hede, tu riqe fen riq badeax teba, mele riq suba palex na huma, do kimi xmata riqe." Nax gebhaa fene, "Sakix qeih, tu geba atoraq gosax gamdii, do geba sa xmata riqe moo." Da kalax eflolik e geba huma taun dii, tu taga suba mahi fene, "Iqax-iqax fen ya naq geba sa suba na huma, do inyata-inyataq mele kimi exmatah mohe-mohe, tu fina bu lalen tuhah e, emhana bu lalen tuhah, tu da aqax odo ya naq finhaa tu naq anax eta du baoli suba na yako." Pee tu du ix eguk e. Ix egux geba bohox di fixdii, paa da leba ier di eta suba dae huma, du exmasa ixnaan qeih pa d kaa eta da kaa sepo, da ptea baa di sira dihe, paa du pteax sax fina mhuka sa, paa geba bohox di eguk e. Egux fina di, eta da baxbana baa di sira dihe. (Transcribed from track 3 of Mukarehet tape 1 by Joe Devin, 11/19/87). A pregnant woman set out to visit her parents'family. She walked and walked, and the way was so long that her back started hurting before she could get to her parents home. Her baby was about to be born on the trail when a Geba Bohot appeared, and said, "I swear! You bloated thing! You round-bellied thing! You travel without a companion! You travel alone, o Pot-belly! Who will pluck pelat nettles for you? Who will hug you tightly when your child is born? Who will cook for you to eat? When you travel, you should be careful! You pregnant, big-bellied thing! You must have companions! I swear! What are you traveling alone for like that?" And when he saw that the woman was very "kilin," he went and plucked pelat nettles, and returned, and stroked her body with them. And when her child was born, he said, "I will strike flint for you to warm yourself here, and I will build a shelter." And he struck flint, and the woman warmed her baby, and he built a shelter. He finished his work very quickly,and said, "Go inside now, and warm this child that doesn't belong to me, and lay him down on this bed. Don't lay this child, who belongs to someone else, in disorderly fashion on the ground, for his father is a man of short temper." So he built the shelter, took the woman, and warmed her baby until his skin was dry. And he said, "Carry your baby on your hip in a sling, and we will go inland to my house." So the woman carried her baby in a sling, and they went to the Geba Bohot man's house. The Geba Bohot climbed up into his storehouse, and let down dried pork, rice, millet, sago meal, and dried possum meat. "Lie down with your baby, who belongs to someone else, and I will cook." So he cooked, and they ate, and he said to the woman, "Don't go home with this baby, who belongs to someone else, right away yet alone. Remain here with him, so that I may care for this baby, who belongs to someone else. Don't be afraid of me, because I will not do anything wrong to you." So the woman remained with him, and he cared for the baby until the baby was able to crawl. Then he said to the woman, "I will escort you home now, because your baby is already big." And the woman wept,and said, "You want to escort me home, and yet you love me very much." "I love you, it is true." he said, "But let it be only that I have cared for you here, and let me now escort you home." So they prepared for the journey. He gave her gifts of clothing and food, packing them in two bundles, and arranging them on a carrying pole. Then they journeyed until they were near her home, and he said, "I would escort you all the way to your house, but I fear for my life." The woman said, "Let's go. Don't be afraid. No one will kill you." So they went on until they were close to the house, and the man stopped, and said, "I will stop here for the time being. You go on to the house alone, lest we arrive together and your husband kill me." "You wait here," she said, "and I will go on ahead, but I will return later for you." , " So she went on ahead,and said to her husband, "Were it not for this Geba Bohot, I would not be alive,but I would have died. He took care of my baby until he got big, then he escorted me here. He also brings gifts of clothing, but he has halted on the trail, because he was afraid you might have killed him if he were to have brought them straight here." Her husband said, "Go back and get him. No one will kill such an honest man." And he called together all the people of the house, and said to them, "Take care not to kill this man of mine when he comes to this house. I want the women to love him, and also the men, because he has taken care of my wife and child until they have returned safely to me." So they went and got the Geba Bohot, and he came carrying the gifts to the house. And they cooked for him, and he ate, and remained with them. And they gave him a place to stay with a young girl, and he took her to him, and bore his children there with them. THE KIDNAPPER. Geba Bohox Lian Fefan Told by Elias Solisa Leksula Probably before 1974 geba mtuax saa tu nax anato rua: ana fina an saa, ana mhana an saa. Da ptea-ptea, pee tu dekat. Riqe fene, "Anato, kim badefo, tu a ix rohok." Pee tu nax ama ix rohok e, sira rua badefo. Nax ama iko pee, geba bohox saa bene dii, paa da siru anat an rua di. Ana fina an dii, da teduh e; ana mhana an di, da pkikuh. Paa sira telo iko. Du iko-iko-iko eta dena di nax ama nax haw warahe. Nunu warehero bamkeda-mkedan. Da kali warahero di sia. Da laik e ana fina an dii tu warahero di emkedato, da laik e ana mhana an di tu waraher moran. Sir telo iko. Du iko-iko-iko-iko-iko-iko-iko eta-teta-teta-tetaaa dena di geba bohox di nax lian. Geba bohox di fipao lifafrix da baptea tu anax telo di saka lian di qadan. Pee tu sira telo du ptea ba di lian di. Pee tu geba bohox di fene, "Iqax tu geba saa da kalax fipao naa, do kim bara sade mohe-mohe, moo do me tu a xmata kimi!" Da xmasa tonal e, da xmasa fafu paa anat an rua di kaa. Da laik e ana fina di tu minano, isino: da laik e ana mhana an dii tu okono baa. Riqe exmasak e ixnaan, do riq laik e ana fina an di tu ixnaa gos-gosato, riq laix ana mhana di tu ixnaa laga xboho-xbohoto. Ana mhana an dii, da kaa rahex, da odo mele--a kaa mel a mata. Nax ama oli, "Bisopa naq anato beka, tu difokor haix!" Da ix hamaro. Da odo hai geba bohox di wahan eta-teta dena di nax hawa. Du trihix warahe pa du kaar. Du baspelek e kodono--warahero di kodono. Da odo hai wahano eta-teta-teta-teta dena di lian di. Da bafax, "Ei! Naq anato, iqax tu difokor naa pee, tu geba di wahano xnewax mohe!" Poo geba bohox naa, da prepa fen, "Anax rua, kim badefo, tu a ix asu wae." Da toho hai wahex tifun saa. Fene, "Eta a oli, la a weax wahex tifun eq naa, do iqax tu e--a mqaha fipao naa, do iqax tu kim tatix wahex tifun na, la a keha." Poo da iko. Fen, "Iqax tu wae naa breman, paa gehan-gehan tem a oli." Poo geba di dena pao poo, da mqaha. Da mqaha, poo anat an rua di tatik e wahex tifun di gampao, paa nun ama keh lepax. Da keha, da dena saka, da xnika fene, "Geba na da iko fidoo naa?" Fene, "Da baix asu wae hede, la kam ino." Geba emkedan dii, da pefroni di geba di pa kabau haax saa gilin. Da bagao nhero rua, la da jaga geba bohox naa, la da xmatah. Pee tu geba keda di oli. Da oli paa da mqaha. Anax rua di tatix tali di, paa geba di keha. Da keha eta dena di lian di qadan, paa da lepak e wae di, paa ana fina an di an leux. Ana fina di ino eta da in sepoh, la fen moo tu da pili la da lepak e ana mhana dii la da ino wae di, geba di pistidih fene, "Ka sane bapalax-palax ya naq anato tu wae? Ka tewa yako moo?" Geba di dikeh, paa da moho gampao lian di, paa bisese rohin, paa d mata. Ebrarix sepu olon rohin, paa i ha mata. Pee tu geba mtuax dii, da egu geba dii nax tonalo, da egu geba di nax faforo, nake i haro di hansiax di nake lian di. Nax hartaro hansiax bu da egoro. Da ol tuha nax anax rua gamdi nin huma. Pee tu sepuh. (Transcribed 1/7/88 by Joe Devin from track 1 of Elias tape 2). An old man and his daughter and his son were living together when it started to rain. He said, "Children, you stay here while I go out stalking game." And so the father went hunting, and the two of them stayed behind. And when the father was gone, a Geba Bohot man appeared, and scooped up the two children. He rode the girl on his shoulders, and led the boy by the hand. And so the three of them went until they came to their father's peanut field, where the peanuts were almost ready to be harvested. He dug up some of the peanuts, and gave mature ones to the girl, but gave unripe ones to the boy. Then the three of them set out again, traversing the long distance to the Geba Bohot's cave. In one swift movement, the Geba Bohot transported the two children to the mouth of the cave, where the three of them sat. And then the three of them stayed in the cave. And the Geba Bohot threatened to kill them if they should respond to anyone calling from below. And he cooked possum and pig meat for the two children to eat. He gave fat and meat to the girl, but he only gave skin to the boy. He always gave good food to the girl, and bad food to the boy. The boy just forced himself to eat, thinking, "I will eat to keep from dying. The father returned, and said, "Alas, I have lost my children!" And he went out searching for them. He tracked the Geba Bohox to his field, and saw where they had pulled up peanuts to eat, and where they had tossed the stems. Then he tracked them all the way to the vicinity of the cave, where he observed, "Alas, I have lost my children now, because the footprints disappear!" But in the meantime, the Geba Bohot had said to the two children, "You stay here while I go to draw water." And going down by a vine, he had said, "When I return, and call to you from below, you let down this vine so I can climb up. The water is far, so it will be a long time before I return." And so he had gone. Now when the man arrived below, he called out, and the two children let down the vine, and their father climbed up. Arriving at the cave, he asked, "Where has this man gone now?" They said, "He has gone to draw water for us to drink." The old man hid himself down beside a big kabau box, and waited for the Geba Bohot with a spear in each hand. And the old man returned,and called up to the two children, and they let down the vine so he could climb up. And when he arrived at the mouth of the cave, he held up the water for the girl to drink first. And when she had finished, he was about to do the same for the boy when the man startled him with the words, "Who are you to be holding up water for my children to drink? Do you know who I am?" Overcome by surprise, the man fell from the mouth of the cave, and his bones were crushed, and he died. His skull was shattered,and he died. And the old man took the man's possums, his pigs, and all his possessions from his cave, and returned with his two children to his home. And that is the end of our tale. Geba Bohox tu Mhuka Rua Told by Elias Solisa Leksula Probably before 1974 Ana fina mhuka rua si tu nun ina tu nun ama, du ptea-ptea, pee tu nun ama sioko fene, "Anato, kim iko di hawa la kim kali maqkau." Hawa na breman fidi nun huma. Sirua iko. Du iko-iko-iko-iko-iko eta dena di wae saa, la du fastelax wae dii, la du riha wae dii, asu saa dule. Asu saa dule fidae, paa da tehu fafu qis-snap-telu saa. Anato di emtako tu faf kawax, du keha kau saa di wae likun dii fafan, paa ninuno baii pao wae na likun. Geba bohox dii,dda tehu fafu dii eta-teta-tetaa da dena di wae likun dii, fafu dii da heka beta tehux mohe, pee tu geba bohox dii sex matax fafu dii, paa da baweri. Da bafax pao wae di likun e, da touk e ana fina mhuka rua dii ninuno pao wae na. Riqe bamali emsika-msikan tuha ana finaro di ninuno fipao wae naa. Riq tewa anato na fisax luke na moo. Da toux anato di ninuno pao wae dii, da modo pao liku di. Da molo pao liku di, paa da hamaro di fator fefano, exnewax anato di moo. Da hamar di fator sohono, da cakar ena pao, da cakar fatoro. Da tewa anato di moo. Da hama-hama-hama-hama! Da molo selax-manux di liku dii eta raman isin isin mer-merat. Anax rua saka naa, nax wai caan e la da bastef baa. Da prepa la nax kai fen, "Kain e, a thefo! A thefo!" Nax kai fene, "Ku thefo, la ku thefo geba bohox pao naa la da tatix kita la da xmata kita!" Riqe, da bamali, me da molo-molo moo, da kerex, pa d mali tu anato di ninuno. Da mali-mali moo, da molo pa d hamaro. Exnewakor moo. Anax saka naa tahaq emtaix stefun waen moo, da thefo. Da thefo hai--fene, "Gamdii do ku thefo hai kau nhelan." Da thefo hai kau nhelan e, nax thefun waen saa elmegex fidii, paa da fage geba bohox di kakun fafan. Geba bohox di dikeh e, da baf lepak e, "Kimi rua theix ta miha! Kim toho rabo gamahix! Yako fili emqina-qina naa, ya bamali emsika-msikan e tu kimi rua ninunim fipao wae na!" Pee tu ana finaro rua di, du toho. Du toho, pee tu da prepa fene, "Sane da bathefu yax kakuq dii?" Nax kai fene, "Ya naq wai thefu kae kakum." Pee tu riqe fene, "Mex! Ma iko, la kimi rua hai tu yako, moo do a xmata kimi!" Pee tu anat an rua dii, du hai esex tu geba bohox dii. Riqe wada fafu dii, paa sira telo iko. Du iko-iko-iko-iko-iko, sirua fidi tohon dii poo du egu pexnegak exnoi. Du lata xnoi, paa du pibreoh tu nun fodo rua dii. Paa du iko. Iko-iko-iko eta dena di kau haa saa, pee tu du modo di kau haa di guhen. Fiaki naa do ri nax ele enbaget e, nake ele exmasat e--fina kau haa na guhen. Pee tu da dena aki, paa da xnahi fafu dii, pa d fotoh, paa da pefa fafu pa du kaa. Sirua naa tedak e exnoiro dii tu uka. Uka kaseno har nee, paa du bapsare. Du kaa, eta du kaa sepo, beto. Sirua fene, "Kami la kam ix pele emnakun la kam pali fodo." Sirua ix pele emnakun, paa du--beto dii, geba bohox dii bage, sira rua pali fodo, nax kai prepa fene, "Eta geba bohox na bage toron e, do iqax tu ma pefa xnoiro q naa hansi-hansi-hansiax, la m titih, la m tit matax, la m oli." Pee tu geba bohox di bage. Da bage, paa da tewa ii saa mohe-mohe, tu mloox exbohox tu fafu haax. Sirua pali-pali-pali-pali fodo, du aqax geba bohox di bage, paa toron-toron, da prepa la nax wai fen, "Wai e, ku pefa rabo xnoiro di la ma xmatah, moo do iqax tu liwax finaa pee, me tu geba naa ma xmata betah moo!" Pee tu nax wai caan aqa, da pefa xnoi kasen nee di rabo-rabo. Nax wai fisax olon e, riqe pao kadan. Nax wai titi raman rua, riq titi geba bohox di kadan e, da titi geba bohox di nake emgean e. Pee tu geba bohox dii, da pun beta ii saa moo, pee tu da MATA! Da mata, pee tu sirua fene, "Lea rabo, la ma oli." Du jaga eta eghasik en pee, du pibreo fafu dii tu nun fodo rua dii, paa du oli. Du oli eta-tetaa dena di nun ina tu nun ama, du prepa fene, "Aman ei! Bara kam puna akal beka, naa kami tu kimi mohe, tu geba bohot e da heka tuha kami haix, paa da modo tuha kami di kau guhen, bu kami jaga da bage, pee tu kami titih tu xnoir kasen nee, paa i ha mata." Nax ama fene, "Gamdii do ku saki la kim toke kau guhen di la yax elah, me tu nake iero si salax, do ma egoro, tu da mata haix." Pee tu sira telo saki, paa du dena di kau guhen dii, paa du egu geba bohox di nake xwaliro, nake pirino, nake enheroro, nax katueno, gamdi gebaro di nun huma. Pee tu sepuh. (Transcribed 1/7/88 by Joe Devin from track 1 of Elias tape 2). Two girls were living with their mother and their father, when their father asked them to go up to the garden and dig up some cassava. Now the garden was a long way from their house. They went and went until they cane to a stream, and waded across. But just as they were about to climb up the other bank, they heard a dog barking further inland. It was in the process of chasing a pig with three-centimeter tusks. The girls, fearing a wounded pig, climbed up on a tree that grew out over a bend in the stream, and their reflections could be seen in the water. The Geba Bohot chased the pig to the bend in the stream, where it could no longer flee, and speared it to death,and it lay motionless on the ground. Then he looked into the water, and saw the reflections of the two girls in the stream. He laughed alone at the reflections of the two girls in the water. He was unaware of the girls in the tree. Seeing the girls' reflection in the water, he went down into the stream. He dove into the pool, and felt for them in the holes of the rocks, but they were not there. He also dug up the pebbles and the sand, but he could not find the girls. He searched and searched up and down the stream, and dove until his eyes were very bloodshot. Meantime, the smaller of the two girls in the tree felt a compelling urge to urinate. She said to her sister, "Sister, I'm going to piss! I'm going to piss!" And the older one said, "If you piss now, and you piss on this Geba Bohot under us here, he will take us down out of this tree and kill us!" And he was laughing. He had stopped diving, and stood smiling at the two girls reflections. Then he dove in, and started searching for them again, but they were not there. Now this little girl in the tree was unable to hold it in any longer, so she piddled. Her sister said, "Then piss along the tree trunk." And she did, but some of the urine went astray,and fell on the Geba Bohot's back. The Geba Bohot was startled, and looking up he said,May the two of you defecate red feces (a curse)! Climb down from there right now! I have been laughing alone all this time at your reflections in this stream!" And so the two girls climbed down. And he said, "Who was it that peed on my back?" The older sister said, "My younger sister peed on your back." He said, "Let's go. You two come with me, or I'll kill you!" So the two girls went unwillingly with the Geba Bohot. He carried the pig on his back, and the three of them went. And as they went the long way, the girls gathered Damar gum for future use. They cut chips of damar gum from the trees, and packed them into their two carrying baskets. And they went, and went,and went, until they came to a large tree, where they descended into a cave in its bowl. Here they found his bed and his cooking place--in the bowl of this large tree. And arriving there, he singed off the pig's hair, cut it up, and roasted it for them to eat. And the two girls filled six lengths of bamboo with the damar gum, and stood them against the walls. They ate,and by the time they had finished, it was dark. The two girls said, "We want to go cut emnakun bamboo to weave carrying baskets." They went and cut emnakun, and that night the man lay down to sleep while they wove carrying baskets. And the older sister said to the younger, "When this Geba Bohot has gone to sleep, we will set fire to all this damar gum, and we will drip it on him,and kill him, and go home. And the Geba Bohot slept soundly because he was so tired after carrying home the heavy pig. The two of them wove and wove and wove until they saw that the Geba Bohot slept soundly. Then the older said to the younger, "Set fire to the damar gum quickly now so we can kill him, little sister. We may not be able to kill him later on!" And when her little sister heard that, she set fire quickly to the six torches. Then her little sister positioned herself at his head, while she positioned herself at his feet. Her little sister dripped hot damar gum into his two eyes, while she dripped damar gum onto his feet, legs, and genitals. And the Geba Bohot could do nothing, so he died. And the two girls said, "May the day dawn quickly, so we can go home!" Then they watched until it began to get light, packed the pork into the two carrying baskets, and went home. Returning to their mother and father's house, they said, "O Father, if we hadn't thought up this trick, we would not be with you anymore, because this Geba Bohot kidnapped us, and brought us down into the bowl of a tree. But we watched until he was asleep, and dripped six sections of bamboo full of hot damar gum over him, and he died." And their father said, "Then go back and show me the bowl of the tree, so I can mark it, and perchance he has some possessions there, we will take them, because he is dead." So the three of them returned to the bowl of the tree, and took home the Geba Bohot's clothes, his China plates, his spears, and his swords. And so ends our tale. Geba Bohox tu ana fina mhuka rua saa Told by Elias Solisa April 1984 Ana fina mhuka rua saa, du ptea-ptea. Nax kai,da prepa la nax wai fene, "Wai here, ma kaa tonal tu fafu eta sei kita, paa ma iko mhoro." Fen, "Eeh." Sirua, du mhoro wae di, gebar pila! wanax bu du xmatah e, sehe bu du frakeh e, wanture bu du frakeh e, wankabux bu du frakeh e, fedu bu du frakeh e, edhakat e, owe, du frakero sepo miti-miti. Sepe du ladik e sehero di kasen rua, wanax kakua gleku. Paa du mhoro gamdae-gamdae, gamdae-gamdaex, paa du caan e asu lien emdi-mdii, asu lien emdi-mdii! Nax kai da baprepa la ie nax wai an fene, "Wai here, nipik e lea lalen leqina kita rua, ma mata, tu asu lien aqa, geba bohox nax asu lien!" Nax wai an e fene, "Kai e, ma heka! Kai e, ma heka!" tu lie cari-cari, "Kai e, ma heka, mel ma mata! Kai here, ma heka!" Her older sister said, "La ku heka gamdoo? Ku biasa fidi ramam isim! Naa la m keha kau q naa, la ie ma pefroni fisax kau luken." Fen, "Eeh." Sirua keha lepax, paa du pefroni saka kau luken dih. Poo geba bohot e nax asu, da tatik e manjaqan na beta ba naa ie liku naa, kau naa lahin, paa da badulex kahak e manjaqan na aki, paa geba bohox dena dii, paa da fag matak e manjaqan di fixdii, paa da rihax, paa da baweri sax maqin. Paa da bakerex, paa da baaqax pa liku, "Apastai! Bisopa ana fina rua san pao na beka,tu du baptea pao liku bohin?" Kabatage fina mhuka rua na ptea sax kau luken e, lipoton seran, pee tu ie naa, ie ninuno pao wae na. Da labu nax pifa fixdii, paa ie da holu nax todo,da lagu nax pifa, da werix nake enhero, nax waja. Da xmulun pao liku naa, paa fator bu da srairo, fator sohono bu da rusaro, pa hama sela, hama manuk e, fina mhuka rua di pao naa. "Haah! Exnewak e fina mhuka rua na moo!" Da riha saka,paa da aqax, "Apastai! Fina rua di i haro q dii!" Mela. Fene, "Moh. A feda naq nau! A feda naq nau fene fina mhuka rua na fixdoo." Poo da alik e wihix isin, paa da soo nax tatut, paa da prepa fene, "Iqax tu eta finar naa fi pao naa,do ku gido. Eta finar na fisaka naa, do ku gido." Fina rua saka naa, poo du ptea, du bacari-carin! Poo da egu wihix isin di fixdii, paa da xnarak e nax tatut an. Fa pao, moo, fasaka. Fene, "Finar di fisax q naa?" Paa da banarax gamaqnaa, pee tatut an di baiix geda-geda. Pee, sambeta nax tatut an di ii, fina saka naa bu da thefo. Nax wai emtako tirin, tam da thef baa,tam da bathefu ba-baa ox geba bohox kakun. Pee tu da mqada lepax, fene, "Lolo-lolo-lolo, fina mhuka lua gosa-gosa, kimi lua toho mahi!" Poo fina mhuka rua na tooooho. Fene, "Kimi rua haix yako heix rabo moo, do wadunim tola bahatux asix, wadunim lulu bahatux asix! Kim tewa yako mohede?" Fina mhuka rua dii, du hai, du basbirix raman waeno faha xbali, faha xwana, tu du haix geba bohot. Et-et-et-et-et-et-etaa du dena oho lahi haax sa, poo du rogo aki oho naa guhen. Geba bohox di nax huma ha ax na ta. Geba bohox dii, da xmasa manjaqan di fixdii, paa du kaa tu di beto dii. Sup-supan e, da salhakak e ie tohono hansia-hansiak e, da iko. Da keha,paa da reqe tona xnene, da fage fafu qis snap telo saa,paa da baplabuk e, da bapinu tona xnene. Da oli, paa fina mhuka rua dii xmasak e, du xnahi tona xnene dii, du xnahi fafu qis snap telo dii, paa du fotoh paa du kaar. Poo geba bohot e, da iko lalen saa, poo sira rua defo pamori, paa du ix lata xnoi fodor paa, paa du bapteakoro. Du pele emnakun e eflolox rua. Paa du tedak e exnoiro naa, kasen-kasen-kasen-kasen-kasen-kasen-kasen, eta lae kasen poltelo pi pol-paa saa. Nax kai an eprepa fen, "Wai, eta da oli, pa d bage, kita rua pali fodoro. Da xnika fen, 'Kimi fasak emnakun la tenix?' prepa, 'Pali fodo.' 'Kim loho xnoi la tenik?' eprepa fene ie, 'Exnoir naa la m pefar la ma wanax nam fodoro.'" Fen, "Eeh." "Eta da oli naa, pa d bage, do iqax tu ma pefa xnoiro q naa, do yako saka ie raman rua, kae pao ie nax dulat e, tu xnolono, tu napan fafan e, yako saka raman rua, exliqan fefan e, hiban e, fahan rua." Fen, "Eeh." Geba bohot e,da oli, da bahoo-hoo tu tona xnene paa da bapinuh e manjaqa sod nee paa da baplabux. Paa da oli dii, pa da alix manjaqan dii, du xnahi tonalo dii, paa du xmasa tu di beto di paa du kaa. Geba bohox naa, poo da bage paa, "efroo! ho! ho! ho!" Nake kai baprepa la nax wai fene, "Oo, gos-gosa mel ma xnalah!" Nax wai fen, "Eeh." Da siux nax wai fen, "Tau e, su toloh an dae, fene ie da bawana pii toron." Da ptoloh. "Geba Bohot e, Geba Bohox! Hosax la ku kaa nam lair geranoo!" Lien teden sa moo. Mtoroo. Tuux. Sira rua fahan rua xnoi kasen rua-rua. Du waku xnoir kasen rua di fixdii,paa sirua tu xnoir kasen paa di, paa nax kai sax raman isin e tu enhelan somon saka, riqe pao enhelan somon pao. Paa du toda geba dii tu xnoiro dii et-et-et-et-et-et-etaa du pef matax geba di tu exnoir di. Pee tu sira rua du oli. Du suba fidi kau guhen di, paa du ol taga nun ina tu nun ama. Nun ina tu nun ama hama lepax hama logox, kabatefen! Du olih. Du prepa, "Qinan tu Qaman e, kami sika kaukur gosax, moo kam mata! Kami emhoro dae dii, geba bohot e nax asu lien emdi-mdii, kam heka, paa kam keha kau merax sa ba di liku di fafan e. Wain e ie da mtako,pee tu ie da stefu geba bohox kakun fafan, pee tu ie da prepa fene kam hai la kam kaweq tu riqe moo,do da fas telax kam wadunam!" Fene, "Bisopa kim beka, ama sira, betah di ta la kim banewe. Bara eta kim mata." Da prepa la anax rua di fene, "Kimi rua oli haix, paa ma puna festa, la ma rame, tu kim mata palex moo." Geba mtuax dii,da basiru ie nake enhero, da sex matax nake fafu nboax musun pito fixdii,paa du rame beton pito lear pito. Ptea-ptea, defo-defo, pee tu sepuh. (Transcribed 6/14/89, at Honolulu, by Joe Devin). There were once two sisters. One day, the older said to the younger, "Dear little sister, we have eaten possum and pork until we have grown weary of their taste. Let us go gather fish in the stream." "Okay," she said. The two girls went, and had a very successful hunt. They killed eels, caught prawns, wanture fish, wankabut fish, fedu fish, edhakat, and owe crabs. In short, just about every kind of creature there was to be caught in the stream! It took two sections of bamboo to carry their prawns! They had so many eels that it took a doubled strand of rattan to string them together. And as they pushed further and further inland, they suddenly heard the barking of a dog. It was very near,and approaching fast! The older then said to the younger, "The barking we hear is that of a Geba Bohot's dog, dear little sister, and today we die!" "Big sister, let's flee! Big sister, let's flee" the little sister whimpered, "Big sister, let's flee, lest we die! Dear big sister, let's flee!" Her older sister said, "And where will you flee? You stupid thing! Let's climb this tree,and hide in its top." "Okay," she said. The two of them then climbed up and hid in the top of the tree. And the geba bohot's dog brought the deer down to just this bend in the stream,to the base of their tree, and blocked off the deer by barking at it. The Geba Bohot arrived, speared the dear to death, pulled it out of the water, and laid it on the bank. Then he stood looking down into the water, and said, "I'll be damned! Who are these two dear girls sitting at the bottem of this pool?" Now the two girls were actually up in the tree, but the sun was shining brightly, and he sawtheir reflections in the pool. He removed his sword, stripped off his loin-cloth, and set down his spear and his flint. Then he dove into the pool, and started clearing away rocks, and even probing holes in the larger rocks with a stick, searching up and down the stream for the two girls. "Haah! " he said, "They aren't here!" Then he climbed out of the water, looked back into the pool, and said, "I'll be damned! There they are now! No," he said, "I will enquire of the spirits, and ask them where these two girls really are." So he prepared a string, and tied it to his penis, and said, "Depending on where these two girls are, I want you to erect." The two girls now sat trembling in the tree. He took the string in his hand, and jerked his penis. Down? No. Are they up above? And as he jerked the string, his penis suddenly came erect. Just then, the younger sister became so terrified that she had to piddle, and she piddled right onto the Geba Bohot's back! Then he looked up,and said, "What good fortune is mine! Two very pretty girls! Now you two come down here!" So the two girls came slowly and deliberately down. "Follow me quickly," he said, "or your heads will roll in the dust! Do you know me yet?" The two girls followed, casting their tears to the left and to the right, because they were following a Geba Bohot man. They went, and went, and came at last to a great oho tree, and entered a cave in its roots. This was the Geba Bohot's home. The Geba Bohot cooked the deer for them to eat that night. In the morning, he covered all the paths,and left. He climbed for possums, and speared a three-centimeter tusked pig. He carried the pig like a rucksack, while he carried the possums on a length of ratten slung around his neck, and with these he went home. The two girls cooked. They singed the hair off the possums and the pig. Then they butchered the pig, and they ate. And one day, the Geba Bohot went, and the two girls stayed behind. They later went gathering damar gum. They gathered four fodo baskets full, and set them down. Then they cut two bundles of emnakun bamboo. Then they stuffed damar gum into sections of emnakun bamboo, about thirty or forty sections in all. The older sister said, "Little sister, when he comes home, and lies down to rest, we will sit up and weave fodo baskets. If he asks, 'Why did you cut emnakun?' say, 'To weave fodo baskets.' 'Why have you gathered damar gum?' say, 'To burn for light, so we can stay up and weave our fodo baskets.'" "Okay," she said. "When he comes home, and lies down to rest, then I will be up at his two eyes, and you will be down at his genitals, and his knees, and his feet. I will be up at his two eyes, his ear holes, his chest, and his two arms and his hands." "Okay," she said. Now when the Geba Bohot returned, he was panting under the burden of a string of possums around his neck, and a six-antlered deer which he carried like a rucksack on his back. He skinned the deer, and they singed the fur off the possums, and they cooked that night,and ate. The Geba Bohot started snoring. "Efroo! ho! ho! ho!" And the older sister said to the younger, "Be careful not to let him get away!" "Okay," said the younger sister. "Try to awaken him now, my friend," said the older, "and see whether he is awake or asleep." And she tried to wake him up. "Geba Bohot, Geba Bohot! Get up and eat the rest of your meat!" But he didn't make a sound. He was very quiet. So they raised their damar-gum torches. The two girls held a length of bamboo filled with damar gum in each hand, so that there was a total of four between them. And the older sister got the two eyes,and the upper part of the torso, while the younger got the lower. And they poured hot damar gum over his body until they burned him to death. Then they went home. They came out of the cave at the base of the tree, and returned to their mother andfather, who had been searching up and down for them. And when they arrived home, they said, "Mother and Father, It was lucky for us, otherwise we would be dead! We were gathering fish from the stream when we heard the Geba Bohot's dog almost on top of us. We fled,and climbed a tree over the bend in the stream. Little sister was afraid, and piddled on the Geba Bohot's back, and he told us to follow him and have sex with him, or he would cut off our heads!" "Bless you, my children," said their father, "It was right that you did so and REMAIN Alive. I WOULDN'T HAVE YOU DEAD." And he said to his two children, "You have returned,and now let us make a feast, and make marry, because you didn't die after all!" And the old man grabbed his spear, and killed the pig he had raised for seven years, and they made merry for seven nights andseven days, and life returned to normal once again. And so ends our tale. Note: Elis Jacob, Pingelap Micronesian, was here while I was transcribing this tale, and I told her a little of it. When I got to the part about the pool, she came alive, and I asked her to continue. She said the man dove in looking for the girls, and they saw his buttocks, and laughed while he was submerged. Then they got to laughing so much,they couldn't hold back when he was out of the water. He saw them,and tried to chew the tree down with his teeth. A bird came and rescued them by taking them away. Geba Bohox Kapun Hawa Told by Wentis Leslesi Selwadu july 16, 1987 Geba fena saa tu nake finhaa tu nax anax rua, sirua defo-defo tu nagri alamax saa, bu geba Murampaax naa tehor gamaqnaa, pa du heka. Sira rine tu nax finhaa tu nax anax rua heka gamaqnaa et-et-etaaa du liq posik e lian saa fefa bajiqaq, pee tu du defo baa dii. Paa nax gebhaa naa ix hama emhisin gamaqnaa, pa da tahu saka xrugu di fefan qadan gamaqnaa, pee tu sir toho defo fixpao. Du kihih pa gida-gida, pee tu du defo pao, pa lian dii do jiko-jikoro, pa i ha gosa pexbate. Pee tu e supax-supax gamaqnaa, nin ixnaan sepu du iko xnaka oto geba bohox sa nake hawa. Hawa dii, do ixnaan na naa do, ixnaa tu paralaqan***** sepo. Obit e, kofot e, sepu baa dii! Pee tu du xnaka sepu gamaqnaa, geba bohox kadux mohede. Pee tu sirua oli tu ixnaano di qei nini in anat ano. Tu du kadux mahi gamaqnaa, du fuka mhisin di gamaqnaa, emnax kadux pao nin anat ano. Nin anat ano baliqa. Du psarex taqga fixdii, pa sirua toho tu ixnaano di. Kadux pao gamaqnaa, du kaa sira di, pa defo-defo eta--kaa eta beto rua sa gamdii, seporo, du iko xnaka pilix. Du iko xnaka pee lau geba bohox pee, geba bohox naa tewa beta wahan haix, tu du kadux mahi gamaqnaa, du xnaka, pe du oli, geba bohox naa xnokox betar haix. Barhaix la qei du saki sakix pee da xnoko. Pee tu sira naa oli tu ixnaano di sakix ganaa eta du kadux lawe pa fuka mhisin di gamaqnaa, pa du toho kadux pao--nin anat ano epsarex taqga, pa du toho kadux pao gamaqnaa pee, du xmasa ixnaano dii, pa kaa, bage eta beto rua sa gamdii sepu sakix pee, du iko xnaka pilix, fene, "Kim badefo naa, tu e kam iko hama ixnaan la m kaa, mo do ma kaa sapan naa, tu ixnaan sepo haix." "Eh." "Baso defo do bara hean mo." Pee tu du iko sakix gamaqnaa eta kadux oto geba bohox nax hawa gamaqnaa, geba bohox naa xnoko haix fen, "Sane sir naa****kutenux jaga xnaka naa, do asal du kadux sakix beka!" Pee geba bohox naa xnoko-xnoko gamaqnaa, tu sirua e egu-egu ixnaan gamaqnaa, geba bohox naa odox leux sirua wahano haix et-et-etaaa da kadux, eh! tohtina gamaqnaa, sirua sali. Da dohi-dohi hama wahan eta da liq posix, pa da baliqa oto emhisin dii, wahano kadux oto emhisin, newax mohe. Pee tu da fuka mhisin di gamaqnaa, da liqa pao, bamnaax ged-geda pee anat ano rua di faeko. Ana fina an saa, ana mhana an saa. Faekor gamaqnaa, pa i har baliqa. Rine fene, "Anat an rua q dii, kim fale taqga qei yako,tu nim meme-lahi na yako naa! Kimi psarex taqga la yax toho fadii pee!" Ehe. Anat an rua di halaex aqa resex, tu du psarex taqga, pa, rine toho fixdii, kadux pao gamaqnaa, anat an rua di, ana mhana an di fene, "Meme lahi, qama nake samaraq i q naa." Pee tu rine fene, "Dii do mahi la yax eguh." Pee tu da egu samaraq dii, rine prepa fene, "e nim ama tu nim ina oli kadux naa, do prepa fen, 'Meme-lahi kadux naa leqina, pa da egu nake samaraq haix.'" "Ehe." Pee tu rine keha sakix fixdii, kadux saka ganaa, pa da iko oto kau lahin morin saa, pa i baptea. Geba rua dii oli kadux mahi gamaqnaa, du kalax nin anat ano fene psarex taqga la sirua toho. Sirua toho kadux pao gamaqnaa pee, geba bohox naa bosih, pa da bakerex tede pekak e exrugu di fefan saka gamaqnaa. Geba bohot e jaga saka naa, peka haix tu samaraq naa. Beka geba fena fixpao naa aqak e bamnaax ged-geda. Dikeh fixpao, da sepa la da bakerex saka gamaqnaa, geba bohox lax tatak tu nax samaraq emhewax. Rine toho kadux pao gamaqnaa fene, "Anax rua, kim rua garboho pa geba bohox di sirbodox kimi fen mo tu kim nim meme-lahi dii, bu mo. Geba bohox, pa lei aq ma mata!" Do rahan e et-et-etaa . . . Pee tu dikeh sakix, pa d sepa sakix fasaka gamaqnaa, da lax tatax pilik. Eta lalen telo pee, da lax matak. Pee tu da toho fixdii qei pao. Toho fixdii kadux pao gamaqnaa, pa da fged ute nake anatano dii tu nax finhaa dii, pa da xmatar ano. Sepo gamaqnaa, pee tu da liqa baa dii, pa nama sapan-sapan baa di, io gosax-gosato ax dii da ego seporo, pa da egu fixdii, pa da egor qei la nax huma. Moo, da piara nax ana fina an dii eta da haa, pee tu da kaweq tuha, pa da anafa***** warox sakix, pa du loa sakix nagri alamax baa di rin nake huma diih. Pee tu sepuh. (Transcribed from track 4 of Selwadu boys tape). A man and his wife and two children lived in a large village, but a mu-ram-paat monster chased them away. They fled until they found a fine cave, and there they remained. The man went looking for an emhisi parasitic plant, covered the mouth of the cave with it, and they lived down inside. They scrubbed it clean, and lived down inside. It was a squarish cave, and really nice. Now in the morning, having no more food, they went to steal from a Geba Bohot man's field. And there was all manner of food in this field: yams, taro--all were there! And when they had finished stealing, the Geba Bohot still hadn't arrived. So the two returned to their children with food. And when they removed the emhisin plant, the light came streaming down to their children, who saw them, and leaned a ladder to the mouth of the cave so they could come down with the food. And they remained there eating the food and resting for about two days. Then they ran out of food, and went stealing from the Geba Bohot's field again. But by this time,the Geba Bohot had seen their tracks. He would let them come back, and he would watch. And so they returned inland with food. And when they removed the emhisin plant, their children leaned the ladder up for them, and they came down, and cooked,and ate, and rested for another two days or so. And running out of food, they went out to steal again, saying, "You stay here while we go look for food to eat. Else what will we eat now? because the food is finished." "Okay." "Just don't make any noise while we are gone." And so they went again to steal from the Geba Bohot's field. But the Geba Bohot had been watching, saying, "Whoever it is that is stealing my food, I only hope they come back again!" So the Geba Bohot saw them taking food from his field, and followed their footprints back along the trail, until he saw where they diverged from the main trail. He searched and searched for their footprints, until he saw where they disappeared by the emhisin plant. Then he removed the emhisin plant, and looked down. When the light suddenly streamed down, the two children appeared--a female and a male--and looked up at him. He said, "Raise the ladder to me, children! I am your mother's brother! Please lean the ladder so I can come down there!" Yes. The two children thought it it was really so. So they leaned the ladder, and he came down. And when he was down, the boy said, "Uncle, here is my father's samaraq sword." And he said, "Let me have that." And taking the samaraq sword, he said, "When your father and mother return, tell them, 'Uncle came here today, and took his samaraq sword.'" "Okay." And he climbed up again, and sat behind a tree. And when the two returned, they called to their children to lean the ladder so they could go down. And when they were down inside, the Geba Bohot suddenly appeared, and stood blocking the entrance above. The Geba Bohot stood at the ready with the samaraq sword. And the villager, surprised by the sudden light, sprang up and stood at the entrance,and the Geba Bohot cut him down with his own samaraq sword. Falling back into the cave, he said, "You two children made a mistake,and let the Geba Bohot fool you into believing him to be your uncle! He is a Geba Bohot, and today we die!" And he bled and bled. Then he sprang up again, and leaped to the mouth of the cave, but he cut him down once more. And on the third try, he killed him. Then he went down, and went for his wife and children, and killed them, leaving only the girl. And when he was done, he looked around,and took every good thing back to his house. And when the girl was big, he married her, and they had many children, and built another big village in that place. And so ends our tale. THE THIEF. Geba Bohox Baduba By Mukarehet Selwadu July 15,1987 Geba bohox saa tu gebaro ptea xlodi. Tea xlodi, bekaaa geba bohox saa exnoko pee geba kaptea xlodiro. Exnoko etaaa gebaro di torono, pee tu du xmasak e nun puter, paa du batabar di kalafel. Tabar sax kalafel e, riqe na xnoko etaaa gebar bagex torono, tu riq suba mahi,tu da tatix pute di saa, paa dae qafi pa d kaah. Kaah et-et-et-et-etaaa da kaa bage-duah e, da soox turen epsiax tu saa, paa da pinoro, pa da pinor la kakun fafan e, pee tu da rarah. Rara di gebar kadano dii, gebaro di torono tirin pa du kita riqe mo. Riq rara, barisux nax puter baa. Riq bapinu nax puter. Rara etaaa geba di saa wana. Tu bana di prarax riqe, beka riq duba selex. Duba, paa baduba-duba di bana lahin, paa da tewa tehux mohe,tu geba di saa bahosax. Da opix bana, pa d liqa geba di pupan lalen e: Kam nam gebaro q naa saa na mo, tu geba bohot e! Hei kanane! Geba bohox na tatix eskihix puter na pa d kaaro, pa hax sia na da bapinor na! Tu geba di basgedax qei nax taor fen, "Eeee, hosax, hosak e! tu geba bohox! geba bohot e! tu da kaa skihix nani eblafeno haik e!" Tu da bafgedaaa! Gebaro di tuux bana fixdii, paa du flalix yaux tu bana ne-newe saa, paa geba bohox di heka. Da heka pa d heka, banar isino banewe ox kakun fafan e! Da heka pa d heka, banar isino banewe ox kakun fafan. Eta, da heka fixdii eta da suba wae liku wae haa saa, da uka et-et-et-et-etaa da rihax wae di nhain kahan e, kete le skele da mata di wae dii. Pee tu sepuh. (Transcribed 11/20/87 from track 4 of Mukarehet tape 1). There was once a Geba Bohot who spied on a band of hunters living in the forest during the shorea season. He saw the hunters cook their possums, and set them on the smoke rack. He watched until they were all asleep, then he came into the camp and took down one of the possums, and walked over to an eroded spot to eat. He ate about half of it,then strung it together with a whole possum,and slung them across his back. Then he sat warming himself at the fire near the feet of the hunters, who were sleeping so soundly they didn't see him. He paid little attention to his possums, which remained slung across his back. The fire warmed him,and he too became drowsy, and fell asleep at the fire's edge. And he didn't know it when one of the hunters got up, blew on the fire, and looked at his face. "Oh my goodness!" thought the hunter, "This is not one of our men,but a Geba Bohot! Oh my goodness! This Geba Bohot has taken down all the possums and eaten them! And see, here are some of them slung across his back!" And the man said to his comrades, "Eeee! Get up! Get up! It's a Geba Bohot! A Geba Bohot! And he has eaten all our possums!" And he raised a racket! And the man raised brands from the fire, and they drove him away by striking him with a fire-brand, and the Geba Bohot fled. He ran and ran with living flames on his back! He ran and ran with living flames on his back. He ran until he came to a bend in a river, and swam and swam until, almost drowning, he climbed out on the other side. And so ends our tale. Geba Bohot By Mukarehet Selwadu July 13, 1987 Late at night Geba bohox saa iko paa da xnaka biskutu. Egu biskutu et-etaaa da bihux pa d bihux etaaa sepo, pee tu da sgedax--tewa moo Bukhena sa leo, pa da bage fisax lian haix. Bage fisax lian, pee tu riqe naa bihux nax biskuturo, da sgedax fene, "Yako la a oli fisax lian naa pefan kutu tea lema kaan, kutu tea lema, tu pefan kutu tu ka bidi laka fini lawan, la kaan kutu tea lema, pefan kutu tea lema. A liho fisax liaq naa, pefan kutu tea lem kaan, kutu tea lema, tu ka bidi la ka fini lawan." Da liho saka pa da nhewex bana dii, da narak e Gebfena dii kadan e, Gebfena dii exriuk e, geba bohox di sisa tu nax biskutu fokito dii, paa da, paa bernaman, paa da mata baa pa dihe. Gebfena di hosak e, da aqak e geba bohox di mata haix tu nax biskutur dih. (Transcribed from track 2 of Mukarehet tap #1 by Joe Devin, 11/18/87). A Geba BohoT went out to steal maize. Unknown to him,a young girl went up ahead of him,and lay asleep in the cave. He kept gathering maize, and putting it in his upturned skirt. Then he said (the interpretation of this quotation is uncertain because of the highly stylized Buru words:), "I will go back up to the cave now. I will roast maize, sit for a long time, and eat maize. I will eat there,and whistle." He went up, and prepared to build a fire there, and pulled the village girl's leg. She screamed, The Geba Bohot fled with his bundles of maize, and passed out,and died. Then the village girl got up and saw the Geba Bohot lying dead because of his maize. THE FOOL. Mukarehet Selwadu July 13, 1987 Late at night Geba bohox saa exmasa sax kirax saa olon fafan. Da xmasa sax kirax sa olon fafan e, moix riqe emsika-msikan. Eplea et-et-etaa--meja rema sa eta taun-taun e. Da basgedax emsika-msikan fene, "Geba mtuax sira, kim kaa beka, tu kim suba sambetak e musun kakun e, iqax tu ixnaax gosax sa ox yako moo. Kim kaa beka, tu yako aqa do iqax tu ya naq i mtaku dikat an sa moo, tu ya naq ii mtako sian baa di 'ecikiliiq, ecikixlekex! Do riq baxlekex baa-baa!' Eta kimi eprepa ii an ha aqa, do yax baba naqu xbuku liti an, liti an e, yax tola ela baq, pa dea an eq pao! Geba mtuax sira, ya naq ii mtaku dikax saa moo. Ya naq ii mtaku sia ha aqa. Eta kimi esgedax fene, 'Cikiliiq, ecikixlekex! Riq baxlekex baa-baa!' do iqax tu yax baba naqu xbuku liti an, liti an, la yax tola aq, pa dea an eq pao." Ii--fina rua di fixsaka fene, "Cikiliiq, ecikixlekex! Riq baxlekex baa-baa!" Da waku nake exbuku fixdii, tu da bihux, pee tu da tola pao dea di, pa fina rua di aqax i h bamata tu nake exbuku pao dea fnage! (Transcribed from track 2 of Mukarehet tape 1 by Joe Devin, 11/19/87). A Geba BohoT cooked all alone at the top of a cliff. He then heaped a long table with food, and said to himself, "Honorable elders, please eat now. You have arrived at a time between seasons, when I have no good food. Please eat, for I fear no other thing but this one, namely, 'ecikiliiq, ecikixlekex! Do riq baxlekex baa-baa!' If you say this thing, I will carry my "liti" gong on my back, and try tumbling to the falls below! O elders, I fear no other thing. I fear only this one thing. If you say, 'Cikiliiq, ecikixlekex! Riq baxlekex baa-baa!' I will carry my "liti" gong, and tumble now to the falls below. Then two women said from above, "Cikiliiq, ecikixlekex! Riq baxlekex baa-baa!" And he snatched up his gong, carried it in his upturned skirt, and tumbled to the falls below, and the two women saw him die with his gong at the base of the falls! Dubu-dubu-dubu Told by Mukarehet Selwadu July 15, 1987 Geba bohot e dubu-dubux nax anax fene, "Dubu, dupu, dubu! Ya naq ana laga xbohon, Riq bakeha, riq batoho, Miato exboho-xbohoto. Dubu, dupu, dubu! Faha tibar, matar kase, Kada tibar, matar kase." (Enmalit). (Transcribed 11/20/87 by Joe Devin, from track 4 of Mukarehet tape 1). A Geba Bohot bounced his child on his knee saying, "Dubu, dupu, dubu! My ugly child Ascends and descends The ugly rocks. Dubu, dupu, dubu! Hands tibar, matar kase, Feet tibar, matar kase." (At this point, the audience laughs). The last two lines have been left partially untranslated, because the exact meaning is not understood. San Paha Tuba By Mukarehet Selwadu July 14, 1987 Geba bohox sa fixdii fen, "San paha tuba, 'Di ki doq?' Paha tuba, Paha sela, Wati konix, Riq baretex fene, 'Wihiii!' San paha tuba, 'Di ki doq?' Paha tuba, Paha sela, Wati konix, Riq baretex fene, 'Wihiii!'" (Transcribed 11/19/87 by Joe Devin from track 3 of Mukarehet tape 1). A Geba Bohot said, "Who beats the drum, 'Di ki doq?' Beats the drum, Moving upstream, Wati konix, From up there he cries, 'Wihiii!' Who beats the drum, 'Di ki doq?' Beats the drum, Moving upstream, Wati konix, From up there he cries, 'Wihiii!'" Kerex Kaku Saa By Mukarehet Selwadu July 14, 1987 Geba bohox saa sgedax fene, "Kerex kaku saa, paa Kerex Kaku Hasaluu. Toux sakix na fadae Qisi mite ere-ere Betu tewa naux saa!" (Transcribed 11/20/87 by Joe Devin from track 4 of Mukarehet tape 1. This was the first item on this track). A Geba bohot said, "Standing on a mountain On the mountain, Hasaluu. Looking from the black gap inland back this way Perhaps you know one for me!" (This interpretation is unreliable because the author does not know the intent of the original poem). Geba Bohox Haex By Mukarehet Selwadu July 13, 1987 Late at night Geba bohox saa haek e. Da ptea, pa d haex nax iero. Fene, "Aqka baka elino msisi ribu staki stou! An hai an hai an, turun peti kamu Raja Slam kou! Aqka baka elino msisi ribu staki stou! An hai an hai an, turun peti kamu Raja Slam kou!" Da haex sakix saa fene: "Ici, min, sam, si, goo! Roko cici hatiku cu! Do ici junin, do sam da gu!" (Transcribed from track 2 of Mukarehet tape 1 by Joe Devin, 11/19/87). A Geba Bohot counted. He sat down and counted his possessions as follows: "Aqka baka elino msisi ribu staki stou! An hai an hai an, turun peti kamu Raja Slam kou! Aqka baka elino msisi ribu staki stou! An hai an hai an, turun peti kamu Raja Slam kou!" And he also counted another way, like this: "Ici, min, sam, si, goo! Roko cici hatiku cu! Do ici junin, do sam da gu!" Geba Bohot By Mukarehet Selwadu July 13, 1987 Late at night Geba bohox saa nake endohin: "Kaa kau naa kau tou La Binoqko pigi para nax ka lawan Sigeno, sigeno, La bilale bilalu!" (Transcribed from track 2 of Mukarehet tape 1 by Joe Devin, 11/18/87).