it in the least a plantain leaf from among the mimosa bush in the garden," he said again. So he kept on bringing one, and it kept on tearing; his heart was very sad. Presently the red-necked snake came and bit it clean off, so that he could take it without tearing it. "Which is the root side of the floor?" her father said. "Below," said he. "Then the walls and the posts, on which side are their roots?" he said again, "On the ground side," he said. Then they were married, and went away. Then on the way, when they came to the place where Tonulawki lived, the Vanchung Maid said,—"I have forgotten my brass comb and walking stick; I will just go and fetch them." But Tlumtea said,—"Rather I will go and fetch them," and he went. The Vanchung Maid was sitting on a stump of a tree. "Don't cry, and don't even laugh," said Tlumtea. "Down below where you are, there is Tonulawki," he said. Presently Tonulawki, seeing the shadow of the Vanchung Maid, said,—"Is that my shadow? Why, shadow, you have not a necklace or bracelets like me." Then the Vanchung Maid laughed,—"Hi! hi! hi! Why, it is my shadow," said she. Then Tonulawki, looking up, saw her. "Come down here," said Tonulawki; "let us search for lice in each other's heads."[1] But the Vanchung Maid said,—"As for me, my father and mother made me without lice; I don't want to look for them," said she. Then Tonulawki,—"Can there be people without lice? I cannot believe it. Come down," she said. She came down. Then Tonulawki showed her her lice, and said,—"Crack them in your teeth." Now Tonulawki's lice were a span broad, so she secretly threw them away, but made a crunching noise with her teeth each time. Presently Tonulawki, in her turn, began to look for lice in the Vanchung Maid's head; then, just on the nape of her neck, she saw one. "Hei le! hei le!", she said. She cracked it with her teeth. Then she desired
- ↑ This is a common employment of Lushai women.
