THE ORATORY, SONGS, LEGENDS, AND FOLK-TALES OF THE MALAGASY.
By the Rev. James Sibree, Junior.
(Continued from page 243.)
INDÉSOKA, CHILD OF ITRÌMOBÉ.
NCE upon a time, it is said, Indésoka, child of Itrìmobé, and Ifàra, was called by her fellow-servants to draw water. So Indésoka called from the house, "Just wait a bit for me, for I want to eat a little rice first." However, her companions did not wait for her, but went off. So when Indésoka's rice was eaten she took a water-pot (but it was Itrìmobé's silver vessel she took) and went after her companions. And when she came there her companions looked at her water-pot, and it was a silver one. So they said, "Oh dear, Indésoka! do you see these broken pots of ours? we've broken, lass, everyone of our water-pots" (but that was a lie, for they had hidden them in the water-channels). Then Indésoka looked at the pieces of broken pot, and supposed that they were really their water-pots. So they spoke to her again, and said, "Do you break up yours, too." Then Indésoka tried hard to break her's and struck it smartly; but it would not break, for it was silver and therefore hard. So Indésoka said again, "Let that do, friends, lest I be killed by Itrìmobé for breaking his silver vessel." But all of them called out at once, "Ours are broken and gone all to pieces, and you alone are going to carry water-pot and water home to the village!" So Indésoka tried hard again to break her's, but still it would not break; but at last she hammered it with a stone, and then at length the vessel was broken. And as soon as Indésoka's vessel was broken, they all hastened and took their water-pots out of the ditch, and shouted out with glee, "Ha, here are our pots! here are our pots!" And upon that Indésoka stood confused and troubled, but after a little
