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CHAPTER VII

Folk Tales and Proverbs

" Let them tell thee tales

Of woeful ages long ago betid."

SHAKESPEARE.

" I cannot tell how the truth may be,I tell the tale as' twas said to me."SCOTT.

[ It is customary when a tale is told in the villages for one of theauditors to take the place of hunkari. This word comes from hun,meaning yes. The man is literally the" yes- sayer," and it is hisbusiness to say" yes" at appropriate intervals, and to make anexclamation or token of surprise or sorrow as the narrator pro-ceeds with his story. The story- tellers have a way of taking along breath at certain periods. They do this by drawing in theair through their closed teeth, and make a prolonged noise with thespittle in the mouth similar to the sound made by the uncouthwhen partaking of a plate of soup. This sound, together with aforward and backward swaying of the whole body when the manis seated on his haunches, is supposed to add much importance tohis ability as a story- teller.]

The Little Black- bird.

HERE was once a little black- bird( the litia) who

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was the proud owner of three kauries, or shells.This bird used to come to a king and say," I have threekauries, O king, I have three kauries, O king." The kingwas so much annoyed by the continual chirping of the

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