Page:Williams and Calvert, Fiji and the Fijians, New York, 1860.djvu/227

EELIGIOIT. 197 break, cast down their load about two miles short of the place they in- tended. In a very similar way the position of two rocks, Landotangane and Landoyalewa, between Ovalau and Moturiki, is accounted for, they having been intended to block up the Moturiki passage. The substance of their traditionary account of the creation of man, was thus stated by a Chief from the Kauvandra district. A small kind of hawk built its nest near the dwelling of Ndengei ; and when it had laid two eggs, the god was so pleased with their appearance that he re- solved to hatch them himself, and in due time, as the result of his incu- bation, there were produced two human infants, a boy and a girl. He removed them carefully to the foot of a large vesi tree, and placed one on either side of it, where they remained until they had attained to the size of children six years old. The boy then looked round the tree and discovered his companion, to whom he said, " Ndengei has made us two, that we may people the earth." As they became hungry, Ndengei caused bananas, yams, and taro to grow round them. The bananas they tasted and approved ; but the yams and taro they could not eat until the god had taught them the use of fire for cooking. In this manner they dwelt, and, becoming man and wife, had a numerous offspring, which, in pro- cess of time, peopled the world. Another tradition describes Ndengei as giving life to the inferior animals, but not to man. Another represents him as more directly engaged in man's creation, but as having, like Brahma, made several clumsy failures in his first attempts. He was particularly unfortunate in framing the woman ; so much so as to provoke the censure of a god named Roko Matu, who happened to meet the first specimen of woman- hood, and at whose suggestion she was altered to her present form. Ove is known in some parts of Fiji as a kind of continuous creator, on whom is laid the blame of all monsters and malformations. But the natives in other parts ascribe the origin of these to different deities. They speak of a deluge which, according to some of their accounts, was partial, but in others is stated to have been universal. The cause of this great flood was the killing of Turukawa — a favourite bird be- longing to Ndengei — by two mischievous lads, the grandsons of the god. These, instead of apologizing for their offence, added insolent language to the outrage, and, fortifying, with the assistance of their friends, the town in which they lived, defied Ndengei to do his worst. Ijb is said that, although the angry god took three months to collect his forces, he was unable to subdue the rebels, and, disbanding his army, resolved on more efficient revenge. At his command the dark clouds gathered and burst, pouring streams on the devoted earth. Towns,