veraa_hhak

Once upon a time, there was a devouring-devil.

qōn̄ ne vōwal 'ama' kurkur

He ate all the people, he ate the people all around Vanua Lava.

di ga kurkur ēn 'erē 'an̄sara di ga kur ēn 'an̄sara deln̄en Vunu Lava

He started to eat people where the sun rises, ate and ate until

dim kur ... dim qē'ēg kur ēn 'a... ēn 'erē 'an̄sara lēn mē'ē lōo dim kur kur kur vavavan

he reached the place where the sun goes down, one island further down he, like he was eating there, on and on, but he had not yet reached further down. One day,

ne din̄ ma lēn 'ōnō 'ul nō lō 'anē n vunu ne vōwal rak suwēn di rekso dim kurkur vavan ba di din̄ rakrak 'ēn suwō lēn... qōn ne vōwal

they were already sleeping, and the devouring-devil came for them.

direk mimi'ir 'i n 'ama' kurkur ne van ma sir dire

Came, he came and went up into that village.

van ma di (m)? van ma van sar lēn lōlō vunu 'anē

Ate all the people, on and on, finished (them), ate the chickens, ate the pigs, ate the cattle, he ate on and on, then had finished.

kur ēn 'erē 'an̄sara vavavan ne qē' van ... kur ēn tōo kur ēn qō' kur ēn buluk dim kur vavavan m qē'

Went. One village, it got daylight.

ne van n ... nē ... nen vunu ne vōwal m ma'ava

He also went in ... He slept in the other one, and when it got daylight, he went also to that other village.

dim van lik lēn ... dine mi'ir lēn ge 'ew'i m ma'ava dine van lik lēn ge 'ew vunu 'anē

All the people of this village, they were fleeing now.

'eraga sul 'alēn vunu 'anē direk rorow va'anē

They fled from their home.

direk row den ēn vonore 'anē

They went.

direk van

They went, they were gonna paddle away from the devouring-devil, they paddled to one small island.

dirēm dirēk van dirē sok suō qelen̄ den ēn ... nēn 'ama kurkur direk suō lēn ni'i vunuō ne vōwal nē

They paddled, paddled away from that one. One woman, she was pregnant.

direk suō su den 'anēn ren̄e ne vōwal di ga wōtōqtōqō

But this woman, she was staying with ... these people ... the two ... they were brother and sister.

ban ren̄e 'anē dis 'og 'i birin̄ e 'eraga 'anē duru ... duru ... ruwa mēn 'oworuō

One man, one woman, but exactly this woman, she had got pregnant.

'am̄an ne vōwal ren̄e ne vōwal ban ren̄e 'anē sa dim wōtōqtōqō ele

This devouring-pig came down for them, and they got up to paddle, to paddle away from this village. They paddled to Rōu.

n qō' kurkur 'anēm van ma suwō sir dire direk kalrakak suō suō den ēn vunu 'anē direk suō 'a Rōu

They went to Rōu,

direk van 'a Rōu

and this woman came running to them and asked: 'Can you take me?'

n ren̄e 'anē ne vrig ma sir diē ne tek so nik me le m̄as no

He said: 'No, I can't take, because the canoe is small and there are many children of mine.'

so oo no as le m̄as nike sirēn nak susuō ga tik 'eraga nini'ik ga mew

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You have a big belly, you can't come with us, because if you come with us the canoe will sink.

ni... 'aqam ga luwo nik as van m̄as birin̄ kamam sire den nike van birin̄ kamam n nak susuō ne 'ul

Alright, then she sat there for now and she saw that some more people were still coming down.

'alē dine sagsag 'i dine 'ēn 'eraga 'aklēgik 'ēqēl lik ma

She asked them: 'Can you take me? Can you take pity on me? Will you take me?

dine vesir dire kimi me le m̄as no kimi me magarsine m̄as no kimik le no

So I will come with you?'

nok van 'a'ag kimi

They said: 'No, because the canoe is too small, we have lots of children.

dire so o siren nak susuō ga tik n 'erē ni'imam ga mew

We can't take you because your belly is big and so the canoe could sink.'

kamam as le m̄as nike siren 'aqam ga luwo den ēn nak susuō ne 'ul

(She) said: 'Ah, alright.'

so a ga itok

She went after them like this, on and on, these people came and paddled all (away).

dim van 'a'ag dire sēnēm vavavan 'eraga 'anēk van mak susu qē'

Then they had all paddled out.

direk su qē' rōw

At night she went to sleep.

lēn qōn̄ dine mi'ir

When it got night she went to sleep.

ne qōn̄ ma dine mi'ir va'agēn

She slept.

dine mi'ir

And when it got daylight again,

ne maran kel ma

the devouring devil went to look for them now, came but they had already fled from their homes.

'erē qō' ... ēn qō' ... ēn 'ama' kurkur ne van siksik dire va'agēn van ma ba dir man rorow den san vovonore

Alright, when the ghost came to this village, that woman had already gone. She went into a cave.

'alēn .... n 'am... 'ama' dine van din̄ man vunu 'anēn ren̄e 'anē man van ... van dim kal ba'a lēn qoro liē

Entered the cave, she hid right there.

ka... kal ba'a lēn qoro liē dine 'aq'a sa kēnē

She stayed in the cave on and on.

dim 'ogo lēn qoro liē ne 'ogo 'ogo 'ogo vavavan

Then she felt (that it was time to give birth).

dine ... dine rōn̄ sier

Then she gave birth.

a qē dine ... dine visis

She gave birth to two babies, twins.

dim visis ēn ... n m̄ērm̄ēre ne vōruōn varaba

Two twins, alright, she stayed like this, on and on.

varaba ne vōruō 'alē d... 'ogo ... 'ogo vavavan

When it got night, she went into the cave (for the night) and when it got daylight she came out again, went and got food for them in the garden.

ne qōn̄ dine mul ba'a lēn lōlō qoro liē ne maran dine kalu ne van ne lele gor e gengen lēn 'ēqē

Went over there, got food, then she came back to her two children in the cave.

van din̄ mule len gengen dine kel ma lēn qoro liē sir e ruwa nini'igi

Alright, she took rocks and blocked the openings of the cave.

'alē dine len mēdēr dine burbur gōr san 'erē qoro liē

She came down took one rock and blocked (it).

dine van qēl ma dine len mēdēr ne vōwal ne bur gōr

Went down, took another rock and blocked (it).

ne van qēl suwo ne len ge 'ew'i mēdēr ne bur gōr

She did like this until ten.

dim da 'esēnē din̄ san̄wul

Ten rocks, she blocked the cave.

mēdēr san̄wul dim mom gōr ē(n) (?) qoro liē

Alright, they stayed like this, on and on, she looked after her children like this.

'alē direm 'ogo 'ogo 'ogo dim 'ēn gōr ēn 'erē nini'igi 'asēnē

On and on ...

van vavavan

her children grew up and when they had become young men

'erē nini'igi 'anēm luwo durum lulumgav qē'

they said to her: 'But where are all the people from here?'

duruk tek mē di so ba 'eraga sul 'a kēnē 'a ve ē

(She) said: 'Oh, the people from here, we lived here, but the devouring devil, he ate the people all around Vanua Lava.

so o 'eraga sul 'a kēgēnē kamam 'og 'i kēnē ban qō' kurkur ... en 'ama' kurkur dim kurkur 'eraga sul deln̄en Vunu Lava 'anei

They paddled to Ruo2.

direm susu kal 'a Ruō

But one of my brothers, I said that he should take me so that we go there, he didn't want me because I was pregnant.'

ban 'owok ne vōwal nom tek so dine le no kamak van kal dim 'awi no sire so no ga 'oqo

...

'alē dim ...

'Alright.'

so oo ga itok

'But the devouring devil lives where?' 'No, no, he wanders all around Vanua Lava.'

so ban 'ama' kurkur ne 'og'og kivie so oo di ga van deln̄en Vunu Lava

'Okay, that's alright. But can you cut us bow and arrow?'

so okay ga itok ba nik me 'es m̄as mumadu e vus

'Yes.' Cut them bow and arrow. The two stayed like this on and on, the two went and shot fish for the three of them, came upwards, stayed like this: 'But can you cut us a canoe?'

so 'e'e e 'es ēn murun vus durum 'ogo 'ogo 'ogo duruk vanēk karkar gor'ōl e mes van kal ma 'o'ogo so ba nik me 'es m̄as komadu e nak susuō

'Yes, that's all right. I can cut a canoe for you.'

so 'e'e ga itok no me 'es m̄as komru e nak susuō

Alright, then she cut a canoe for them.

'alē ne 'es ēn korun nak susuō

One day, she said to them:

qōn̄ ne vōwal dine tek mē duru so

They said to her: 'We're going hooking.'

duruk tek mē di so kamaduk vanēk gogo

'Alright.'

so okay ga itok

When you go

[UNCLEAR] kumru wom van

you will have an ear on me back here because the devouring devil could come for me.'

kumru me rōn̄rōn̄ gōr kel no ma sire den ēn 'ama' kurkur ne van ma sir no

'Alright.'

so ga itok

Alright, the names of these two children, the one, his name is Mule2mule2o, the other, his name is Mule2mule2marino2.

'alēn son e ruwa m̄ērm̄̄erē 'anē ge'ew'in sogi e Mulēmulēo ge'ew'in sogi Mulēmulēmarinō

Alright, the two got up ... They stayed like this, and when it got evening, the two went. Went hooking.

'alē duruk kalraka ne ... direm 'o'ogo ne revrev duruk van va'agēn van lēn gogo

The two took their ... took bows, took their canoe, the arrows, then the two went.

durum len korun nak... len vus len korun nak susuōn 'erē wo'iqē duruk van

Went down to the sea, dragged down the canoe, then the two went.

van rōw 'alo rēv sur ēn nak susuō duruk van

The two went out, floated in the open sea.

durum van rōw salsal 'i lēn lama

While floating in the open sea, (they) listened landwards to the shore.

salsal 'i lēn lama rōn̄ sar lēn n̄ērē'iē

Then they hooked, just heard, the lastborn

duruk gogo e rōn̄ wuvan lasbon

said: 'Hey, Marino, listen landwards.

ne te2k so hei Marino rōn̄ sare2 lēn ... rōn̄ sarē n

I hear noise, mum is singing a song.

nok rōn̄ 'i son qorotot e ote ne sursur ēn nes

maybe...'

wunva

...

e 'm ... mm Mulē... Mulēo so 'oo n

Then Marino said to him: 'No, it's the seaoaks. The wind is shaking the seaoaks, and the seaoaks are making a noise.'

n... e Mulē... Marino ne tek mē di so oon ner n ner ne ... n lan̄ ne vever ēn ner n ner ne dan qorotot

'No, while we are floating (here), we should listen to it.'

so 'o gēduk sal duk rōn̄da

'No, let's just hook, let's just hook.'

so 'o gogo den gogo den

Then the two were floating there and listening.

duruk salsal 'ik rōn̄

No, is singing a song.

'o sursur ēn nes

Mule2mul2o said to Mule2marino:

'alē Mari... Mulē... Mulēmulēo ne tek mēn e Mulēmarino so

'Marino, listen, a song, it's mum who is singing this song.' 'Oh, (it's) the seaoaks, the seaoaks.

Marino rōn̄ 'i nēn nes e ote sas sursur ēn nes 'anē so 'o n ner ēn ner

When the wind is shaking the seaoaks, the seaoaks make noise.'

en masōgin lan̄ ne ver ēn ner n ner ne dan qorotot

Mule2o said: 'Wait, let's float quietly and listen carefully.'

'a logi so duru so o e Mulēo so qe'i gēduk sal rōn̄ gēduk rōn̄da

So then the two floated quietly, and when the two floated quietly,

e duruk sal rōrōn̄ duruk sal rōrōn̄ 'anē

listened landwards, their mum was singing a song now.

rōn̄ sarē ote muru ne surusur ēn nes va'anē

Sang a song, the song to it goes like this:

sur ēn nes lēn nes 'a bēne dim van esēgēn

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Then she removed one rock, came out and went down.

'alē dine le den ēn n mēdēr ne vowal kal lu ma sagē ne 'ēqēl suwō

Then got up, the two floating there they heard, sang the song again:

e ne kalraka durus salsal 'i durus rōn̄ ē sur lik ēn nes

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Then the two paddled landwards, paddled landwards, paddled landwards.

duruk susuō sar susuō sar susuō sar

'Oh dear, the devouring devil today, he will eat our mother.'

so 'ekē n 'ama' 'ama' kurkur qiri ne kur ēn vēvēduō