[327]
After Erdland 1914:262-263. The Marshallese text (after Erdland) is as follows: "Aoleben riailin in rejuij edal nan Jaluij; rejuij edal in °o, bue e bun °on eo ie. Ruo ligao in baran ailin in ejbikbik °odiirro: re jab likit wo ko na ibeirro. Rejro edal i ene nan baran ailin in. Ro edal, Limaro rej lo irro: ""Larrik ro re dooj ijo rej bok ilen memau ie mau!". "Ta in limaran rej ba?" "Boklok iek ne ikibin ile ne kab bokdok wut en i baran lien i lokan!" Ej illu limarouij, man ilo.
Ke larrik ro rej edal nan Eneanij, rejro ilen °o ie. Rejro bukotlok jineirro erik i Imuej. Leo e ritto ej ba: "Ilen ebokdok kineerro ibben jinerro!" Ej edal leo erik.
"Kuoj iet, le?"
"Bok kineemro jelØ!" "Ilen bok j°beko en bue kineen jeim! bok jagi en emman bue kineom!".
Ke ej edal, ro babu. Ej illu leo e ritto, ilem k°lem a–. Ej ba: "Jeiwuj, jei, idok; rejro a–; lamaran ne re b–dak i r–kdak. Lanin kein, ne je bun? ta ne ilo a° ne? Buil in leger °auwilm°ro, r°nem ba ian liger no eo!" Rejro °od–k i Mejro.
Libuirak eo ej wanarlok, bok irro bue belen. Rejro gigi, juon lillab ej ilen kane irro. °dan lillab eo: Lejeneneamemoujlin. Rej ruij. Libuirak eo ej ba: "K–mmandok kijen lama je r°!" Rejuij k–mman im ebokdok. Ak ej ba: "Lejeneneamemoujlin kane wuleorikrik in memauueo, ea °r°r°r nejin iroj eo!" "Ta in lien ej ba?" "°l°klok mok koj ne kojen lamaran ne!" Io.! re mij. [back]
[328]
According to Erdland¨s explanation (1914:262 footnote 1) both young men carried parrot fish which had been strung on a string. The colour of the parrotfish resembles the colour of the fresh tattooing pigment, which causes the women to make a joke about it. [back]
[329]
Exchanging fish for as little as a flower headband (wut) causes jealousy among the younger women with the older women trailing behind, which leads to some physical abuse. [back]
[330]
Kr°mer: Eneanij is a small island next to Imiej at the eastern point of the atoll. [back]
[331]
It is worth noting that the two brothers, who were about to complete their tattooes by themseves, fett the necessity to have a women around, possibly to sing the chants and beat a drum. Therefore they sent for their sister. [back]
[332]
Why the aunt would ask the younger brother to give the older brother an old mat rather than his sleeping mat is unclear. [back]
[333]
ABCFM Pi-A 7 October 1859, quoted after Hezel 1983:205.. [back]
[334]
This is because it was believed that a body is not human until the soul is recalled. [back]
[335]
Generally, the action contained in all the tales reflected the value and belief system of the society. Rewards and punishments were given according to the society¨s cultural rules. [back]
[336]
Whalers, mainly from New England, visited the Marshall Islands in the early 19th century. The contacts were not always friendly and there were many documented killings on both sides. In the 1840s and 1850s the atolls of the Marshall Islands had a fearsome reputation as ports of call.