A Melanesian Culture-Contact Myth in Pidgin English

7/28/2019 A Melanesian Culture-Contact Myth in Pidgin English

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A Melanesian Culture-Contact Myth in Pidgin EnglishAuthor(s): Gregory Bateson and Robert A. Hall Jr.Source: The Journal of American Folklore, Vol. 57, No. 226 (Oct. - Dec., 1944), pp. 255-262Published by: American Folklore SocietyStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/535357 .

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A MELANESIANCULTURE-CONTACTMYTH IN PIDGIN ENGLISH*Dictated and Commented by

GREGORY BATESONTranscribed and Translated byROBERT A. HALL JR.

I. crajt. em tufela mxn hir-wanfela majki, na wanfela pusi. em magikitru hir, i-gat l1Jfela tel. i-no pikinini, i-majki tru. crajt. em tufEla i-go lcBbug. tufela go wokim bigfela hol lj1 grawn. gIslm spaten, na wokim bIgfelahol i-go dawn tumao. crajt. wokim fInis, tufela i-go gIslm bigfela ston.bajmbaj ston i-fesim lj aj bibij hol. bajmbaj clsem dor hir. zrajt. na tufelai-go lc1j ples billr wajtman. tufEla wetim tudark, na tufEla wckabawt 1nljnajt i-go. tufela i-go kamap lci ples biljwajtman. crajt. na tufela stilimplenti samtI1j bablcjwajtman-plenti nadarkajn samtiij. tufela stilim maIIs,stillm lxplxp, stillm masket, stillm katles, stillm su, stillm tinbulmakaw,stilim E~r, stilim tebal, blaijkat, altagedar samtIj bib1 wajtman. i-no gatwanfela samtIij tufela i-no stilim. zltagedar samtiij. na bigfela glas bilZ1j uk,tufela i-stilim. bigfela tumao. crajt. na tufela liflmap zltagedar samtiij, karimi-go. tufela karim, putIm lij hol-em hol, bifor, tufla i-wokim. crajt, putImfinis, na glas bilbj luk hir-Em bigfela glas bilbj luk, tufela i-stilim-tufelai-fasim Insajd lij dor. crajt, fasIm finil, bajmbaj i-clsem: spos man i-stapinsajd, na dor i-fes, maeni-no kan lukim dor-i-lukim tasel glas bibjl luk.

2. crajt, altagedar samtIj i-redi finil, na tufela gen i-wetim tudark. crajt,tufela wckabawt lij tudark, kamap gen lcj ples bblij wajtman. crajt, natufEla i-go stret lij haws bibij kiap. crajt, tufela i-go Insajd lij haws, tufelai-wckabawt isi tumao, nogud kiap i-hirIm tufela. crajt, tufela i-go stret Injrum bilij slip-Em rum bibij slip bibij tufela pikinini bilb1 kiap. em kiapi-gat tufela pikinini. i-gat pikinini mxn, i-gat pikinini meri. crajt, na tufelaplkinini i-slip. crajt, na magiki i-go stret 1zj bed bblij pikinini mxn, lflmapplkinini mxn. crajt, na pusi clsem i-go Inj bed bilbj pikinini meri, lflmaplm

* Note by Bateson: The original story was collected in a Baining village of the GazellePeninsula (New Britain) in 1927.The native who told the story stated that he had learned iton a plantation in Kavieng (New Ireland). It is here reproduced,dictated in 1943from mem-ory. Inevitably some modificationshave,come into the story since it was told to me, andspecificallythe readershould be warnedof the followingdetails about which I am doubtful:i. I am not sureof the preciselists of items stolen at the beginningof the story.2. I am not sure that it was the Monkeywhocarried he boy child,and the Cat whocarriedthe girl.3. I am not certain that in the original telling the boy called out for his father and thegirl for her mother.4. I believe that there was anothervictory for the Monkeyand the Cat, followingon theirfirst victory by the use of fire, and precedingthe second victory in which the Monkey usesscissors.5. I amnot surewhoate the pig. As the story is told here,it wouldappearthat the Monkeyand the Cat joinedin the feast. This of coursewouldbe contraryto most New Guineapractice,accordingto which the giver of a feast nevereats the pig.Note by Hall: The Pidgintext is given in the phonemictranscriptionusedin my MelanesianPidgin English: Grammar.Texts, Vocabulary(Baltimore, i943).

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256 Journal of American FolklorepIkinini meri. tufEla i-go 1IfImapImgudfEla tumao, tufEla i-no opIm aj bIlcjtufEla. tufEla i-slip jEt, na tufEla i-lIfImap. crajt, tufEla i-karim tufEla i-go lnjbus, kamap lah hol tufEla i-wokim. crajt, na tufElai-slip jet, na tufEla i-putImtufEla i-slip laj hol. crajt, na fasim dor bilbi hol naw. crajt, naw bajmbaj lacmcrnIjtajm tufela pikinini i-opIm aj, na tufela kraj luj papa mama bilpitufela. pIkinini man i-tak: "papa!", pikinini meri i-tak: "mama!" crajt, namagki i-harim tufrla, na i-go taktak lai tufela, i-tak: "a! ju tufela! ju krajlah wanem samtlj ? i-no gat wanfela samtii i-no gat, ju kraj lahj m. altagedarsamtIi bilbj wajtman i-stap. i-gat masket, i-gat katles, i-gat laplep, i-gatsu, i-gat swop, i-gat tInbulmakaw, na ju tufela no kan kraj lah wanfelasamtIj. altagedar samtI i-stap. taescl tufela pIkinini i-kraj lc13papa mamabblij tufEla.

3. crajt. na kiap i-opIm aj bibjl em, i-girap, na sIjawtim pIkinini. na i-nogat pIkinini i-bakIm. sIIawtIm natij tamscl.crajt, na kiap i-sIgawtim alta-gEdar plisbaj billi em, siiawtim altagedar workbaj, selIm al i-go nobawtbilij fajnim pikinini. crajt, samfela baj i-go laj nabiv fajnim, samfela baji-go laj altagedar hef bu, samfela baj i-go lcg altagedar rod. na i-no gatwanfela baj i-lukim pikinini. al i-tick: "pIkinini i-stap wer?" maski, al i-gobak lac kiap, na i-tak: "a! kiap, mifela no lukim pikinini bilbj ju. ajtiijkpIkinini bilbj ju i-stap wEr?" crajt, kiap i-girap, selIm al gen i-go lukawtim.al i-go lukawtim l j altagedar rod, altagedar hef bus, altagedar liklik plesbibjl kanaka. i-no gat wanfela mxn i-lukIm. maski, al i-kraj tamsel.kiap tui-kraj. crajt, al i-kraj i-stap. na bihajn, em utbaj billj kiap, em i-go wcka-bawt lai bigbus, i-go lukawtim pIgIn blbjl kiap i-kajkaj. crajt, na i-wcka-bawt, na i-go klostu laj hol hir, em hol tufela i-wokim bifor. crajt, na magkii-hirIm leg bilbi utbaj. leg blbjl em i-kuruigUtim diwaj, na magki i-hirIm.crajt, na i-sIjawt: "a! husaet ju?" crajt, na gutbaj i-tak: "mi hir." na magkii-tak: "ju baj bill husxt?" na *utbaj i-tak: "mi baj bilb kiap hir. mi nobaj bill nadarfela mxstar, mi baj bllb kiap." zrajt, na magki i-tok: "a! jubaj bilbj kiap?" utbaj i-tak: "na, wanem?"rajt, na magki i-tak: "arajt.ju ran ju go. go kamap la mastar bilbj ju. ju tk: 'kiap, tufela pikininibilbj ju i-stap lah mi tufela. i-no gat haggri, i-stap gudfela tumoa.' crajt,na ju takim kiap: 'pilkinni i-kraj tamselab papa mama. tufela i-no gat haggri,in-o gat sik, tamsl kraj.' crajt, na ju takim kiap: em bajmbaj i-kam gIslmtufela. kiap i-no ka~n krcs, i-no kan gIsIm plisbaj, gIslm masket, samtij.bajmbaj em taesel i-kam, bajmbaj mi tufela i-kilim pig, na al i-kajkaj, nakiap i gIslm tufela pikinini bblj Em, i-go'bak lab ples bilbj Em."4. crajt, na *utbaj i-ran i-go naw. i-go, i-kamap stret lcg kiap. i-tak: "kiap!em tufFla pikinini bilbj ju, tufela stilim. em magki na pusi, Em tamsel. -nonadarfela man i-stilim, Em tufEla i-ars billj trabal." crajt, na kiap i-girapnogud naw. kiap i-siijawtim altagedar plisbaj, takam al i-gIsIm masket,gIsim katles, em i-go mekim sevi tufEla naw. crajt, altagedar i-go wakabawtlaJ bug, al i-kamap klostu laIJhol. crajt, na maoki i-hajd antap laJ diwaj;i-hajd i-lukluk.-crajt, i-hajd i-lukluk. na i-lukIm plisbaj, lukIm al i-kartimmasket i-kam. crajt, na magki i-go gIsIm altagcEdarhaef diwaj. i-go redilmaltagEdarliklIk hef pIpia billn bu. crajt, altagEdarhef diwaj, son i-kukim.crajt, redilm finiS, na i-go kInIm maeIs naw, skreplm maeIs, mekIm fajr.



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A Melanesian Culture-ContactMyth 257)rajt, naw altagsdar plisbaj i-namFl. na fajr i-stap laB hef i-go. )rajt, na alsemnaw, fajr i-rawnim altagedar plisbaj. crajt, na altagedar plisbaj i-kuk finiS.5. na kiap tamsel-stap. Em -go bak laj ples bilaBjEm. Emi-tick: "bajmbajmi mekim wanem?" crajt, na bajmbaj mxnawar i-kam. na kiap i-go taktak1ij keptan. i-takim em, na bajmbaj mxnawar i-go gIsIm altagedar masket,

altagedar mxn bicj fajt, bajmbaj cl i-go 'utIm tufEla. crajt, na mxnawari-go. i-go stret lBj sclwatar. crajt, i-go kamap laB ples blluj tufla. crajt, tmsAlmagki i-stap antap B1i diwaj, i-hajd i-lukluk. na -m i-lukim manawar i-kam,crajt, na ran i-go laB hol, gisim wanfela sIsIs, bigfcla sIsis tumao. crajt, nakarim sIsIs i-go, na putIm alsem: wanfela najf bibar sIsis i-stap ananit laBsAlwatar, na adarfela najf bllbj sIsis i-stap bihajn tru lcj bus. crajt, na wetlmmenawwar.crajt, na bihajn manawar i-kam stret laj sIsIs. na magki markimgud, i-kam stret tru, crajt, katim naw! Em tufcla hef bllbj manawar, tufElahef i-go dawn finIs 1j sAlwatar. crajt, na altag1dar men bllij fajt al i-swimnogud naw. al i-kajkaj sAlwatar, A1-go dawn finiS.6. crajt, na kiap tmsAl i-swim i-go, kamap laB ples blbl Em. crajt, nai-kraj i-stap, i-no gat nadarfela samti bajmbaj i-mekim. Em i-bagarap finis.crajt, al i-stap, na bihajn, magki i-tijktIk taesal laBjkiap, na i-takim pusi,i-tak: "ju go la ples biblu wajtmaen, bajmbaj ju stilim wanfela hef pepar,alsem kavarap blij pepar. crajt, stillm finiS, ju brijim i-kam." crajt, napusi i-go stilIm, brliIm pepar i-kam, na stilim blajstlk. crajt, na magkii-gIslm blajstik, Em i-mekim wanfela prs. pas i-tak: "ju kiap! ju bajmbajkam gIslm pikinini blBrj ju. pikinini i-stap gudfEla tumao, tmsAli-kraj Bijpapa mama blaij tufEla. bajmbaj ju no kan gIsim maskct alsem plisbaj.bajmbaj ju kam natlU, na mifela bajmbaj Sekan. bajmbaj kilim pig, wokamblgfela kajkaj. na bajmbaj ju gIslm tufela pikinini i-go bak laBjples bibj ju.crajt, rajtim pas finis, na magki i-gIvIm 1~cj pusi, takim em. crajt, takimpusi: "ju karim prs i-go. bajmbaj ju go 1ij najt. crajt, kamap 1ij haws bilajkiap, ju putIm pa~s aij tebal. bajmbaj lai mcrnIgtajm kiap i-girap, na i-lukimpars."7. crajt, pusi i-karIm i-go, putam 1cj tebal. na bajmbaj larBmcrnlrjtajmkiap i-girap i-lukim. crajt, na i-brokim kavarap aBijem, na i-luklm pras. nai-tIk: "alsem wanem?" na i-tljk: "arajt. bajmbaj mi trajIm tufbla, ajtirjktufela i-gaman. no, ajtik i-no gat. maski, bajmbaj mi trajIm tufela naw."crajt, kiap i-girap i-go 1j bug. i-no gIsIm masket, i-no gIsim plisbaj, Emi-gonotIij. crajt, na magki i-stap antap ij diwaj, i-hajd i-lukluk. na i-lukimkiap, i-no kartim masket. na i-lukim, i-no gat plisbaj. na maoki i-ran i-gonaw, redilm kajkaj, wetim kiap i-kamap. crajt, na kiap i-kam klostu. kamklostu finis, naw tufbla i-go stret 1i aj bilIc kiap. tufela i-tak: "ju kam naw.'na tufela i-go gIslm tufela piklnlni bilwj kiap, na tufela plklnlni i-ran i-gostret li papa bilab tufla. tufela i-tak: "papa!" crajt, na magki i-kIllm pignaw, mekim redi altagedar samtIU. crajt, na kiap i-kajkaj naw, na al i-gekmn.crajt, na kiap i-tak: "a! mi lajk go naw." na tufbla i-tak: "ju tufbla! jublhajnim papa naw." crajt, na tufela i-gudbaj 1 kiap, kiap i-gudbcj laitufela, na kiap i-go stret lic ples bblaUem, na tufbla plklnlni i-blhajnim em,na al i-stap. em tamsl.i. Very well. [There were] these two men-one monkey and one cat. It



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258 Journal of American Folklorewas a real monkey, which had a long tail. It wasn't a child,' it was a realmonkey. Very well. The two of them went to the bush. They went and madea big hole in the ground. They took a shovel and made a big, deep hole. Verywell. When they had made it, they went and got a big stone, to fasten at themouth of the hole. Then it was like a door. Very well. Then they went tothe White man's village. They waited until dark, and then walked alongin the night. They went and arrived at the White man's village. Then theystole many of the White man's things-many things of all kinds. They stolematches, stole loincloths, stole muskets, stole cutlasses, stole shoes, stoletinned beef, stole chairs, stole tables, blankets, all of the White man's things.There wasn't a single thing that they didn't steal. [They stole] everything.And they stole a big looking-glass. A very big one. Very well. And they liftedup everything and carried it along. They carried it and put it in the hole-the hole that they had previously dug. Well, when they had put it all in, thislooking-glass-the big looking-glass they had stolen-they fastened it insidethe door. Well, when they had fastened it, it was like this: if a man was inside,and the door was shut, the man couldn't see the door-he saw only the look-ing glass.

2. Well, when everything was ready, then again the two waited until dark.Well, they walked at dark, and again arrived at the White man's village.Well, they went straight to the kiap's2 house. Well, they went inside the houseand walked very quietly, so that the kiap should not hear them. Well, theywent to the bedroom-the bedroom of the kiap's two children. The kiap hadtwo children. He had a boy and a girl. Well, the two children were sleeping.Well, then the monkey went straight to the boy's bed and lifted up the boy.Well, the cat likewise went to the girl's bed and lifted up the girl. They bothlifted them up very gently, so that neither of them awoke. The two [children]went on sleeping, when they lifted them up. Well, they took them to the bush,and arrived at the hole they had made. Well, the two [children] were stillsleeping, as they laid them down in the hole. Well, now they fastened the doorof the hole. Well, then in the morning the two children awoke, and both criedfor their father and mother. The boy said, "Papa!" The girl said, "Mama!"Well, the monkey heard then, and went and spoke to them, saying: "Eh!You two! What are you crying for? There's nothing lacking that you shouldcry for. All of the White man's things are here. There are muskets, there arecutlasses, there are loincloths, there are shoes, there is tinned beef, and youcan't cry for one single thing. There is everything." But the two childrencried for their parents.

3. Very well. When the kiap awoke, he got up, and called to his children.But there weren't any children to answer. He called them in vain. Well, thenthe kiap called all his police-boys, called all his work-boys, and sent them allaround to look for the children. Well, some "boys"' went to the beach to lookfor them, some "boys" went into all parts of the bush, and some "boys"went along all the roads. But there wasn't a single "boy" who saw the chil-

I The term maiki usuallymeans"boy (youngmalechild)."2The kiap is a White District Officer.s The wordbzj is used of all male natives in indenturedservice.



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A Melanesian Culture-ContactMyth 259dren. They thought: "Where are the children?". No use, they went back tothe kiap and said: "Eh! kiap, we haven't seen your children. Where can yourchildren possibly be?" Well, the kiap got up and sent them all again to go andlook for them. They went and looked for them on all the roads, in all parts ofthe bush, in all the little native villages. There was not a single man who sawthem. No use, they all just cried. The kiap cried too. Well, they all kept oncrying. Then later, a shoot-boy of the kiap's was walking in the deep forest,looking for birds for the kiap to eat. Well, as he walked along, he came nearthis hole-the hole which the two had previously dug. Well, the monkeyheard the shoot-boy's leg. His leg hit against a piece of wood, and the monkeyheard it. Well, then the monkey called out: "Eh! Who are you?" Well, thenthe shoot-boy said: "Me." Then the monkey said: "Whose 'boy' are you?"Then the shoot-boy said: "I am the kiap's 'boy.' I'm not the 'boy' of anyother master, I'm the kiap's 'boy."' Well, then the monkey said: "Eh!You're the kiap's 'boy,' are you?" The shoot-boy said: "Yes, now what?"Well, then the monkey said: "Very well. You go running. Go and come toyour master. Talk to him. I have a speech for you to take to your master.Say: 'Kiap, your two children are with the two of us. They are not hungry,they are very well.' Well, then say to the kiap: 'The children are just cryingfor their parents. They are not hungry, they are not sick, but they are justcrying.' Well, you talk to the kiap, that he may come and get the two. Thekiap musn't be angry, he mustn't take any police-boys, guns, or anything.He must come alone, then we two will kill a pig, and all will eat, [and then]the kiap will take his two children and go back to his village."4. Well, then the shoot-boy went running now. He went and came straightto the kiap. He said: "Kiap! Your two children, the two have stolen them. Amonkey and a cat, just they. Nobody else has stolen them, they are the causeof the trouble." Well, then the kiap got angry. The kiap called all his police-boys, and told them all to take guns and to take cutlasses, and go and attackthe two now. Well, they all went marching along in the bush, and arrivednear the hole. Well, the monkey was hiding in the top of a tree, hiding andlooking. Well, as he was hiding and looking, he saw the police-boys, saw themall coming carrying guns. Well, then the monkey went and got many pieces ofwood. He went and made ready all the little pieces of rubbish in the bush.Well, all the pieces of wood, the sun dried them. Well, when he had gottenthem ready, he went and took a match, struck the match, and made a fire.Well, now all the police-boys were in the middle, and the fire was in their way.Well, in this way the fire surrounded all the police-boys. Well, then all thepolice-boys got burned up.

5. Then only the kiap was left. He went back to his village and thought:"Now what shall I do?" Well, then a man-of-war came. Then the kiap wentand spoke to the captain. After he had talked to him, then the man-of-warwent and got plenty of guns and plenty of fighting men, to go and shoot thetwo. Well, then the man-of-war went. It went straight along in the ocean.Well, it went and arrived at the place of these two. Well, but the monkey wasup in the tree, hiding and looking. When he saw the man-of-war coming,well, he went running to the hole, and took a pair of scissors, a very big pair



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26o Journal of American Folkloreof scissors. Well, he brought the scissors along, and put them like this: oneblade of the scissors was underneath the sea, and the other blade was wayback in the forest. Well, he waited for the man-of-war. Well, then the man-of-war came right up to the scissors. Then the monkey aimed well, so that itcame absolutely straight, and cut it! The two pieces of the man-of-war, thetwo pieces went right down into the sea. Well, all the fighting men swamwithout success then. They all swallowed water and went right down.6. Well, then the kiap alone went swimming along, and got to his village.Well, then he wept continually, there wasn't anything else for him to do. Hewas done for. Well, they lived on, and later the monkey just thought of thekiap, and said to the cat, he said: "Go to the White man's village, to steal apiece of paper and an envelope. Well, when you have stolen them, bring themback." Well, then the cat went and stole them, and brought the paper back,and stole a pencil. Well, then the monkey took the pencil, and wrote a letter.The letter said: "You kiap! Come and get your children. Your children arevery well, but they cry for their parents. You must not bring any guns or po-lice-boys. You shall come alone, and we will shake hands. We will kill a pig,and make a big feast. Then you will take your two children back to yourvillage." Well, when he had written the letter, the monkey gave it to the cat,and spoke to him. Well, he said to the cat: "You take the letter. Ycu will goat night. Well, when you come to the kiap's house, put the letter on the table.Then when the kiap gets up in the morning, he will see the letter."7. Well, the cat took it along and put it on the table. Then in the morningthe kiap got up and saw it. Well, he tore open its envelope and looked at theletter. Then he thought: "What the dickens?" Then he thought: "Very well.I'll try them. They're probably deceiving me. No, probably not. Oh well, I'lltry the two now." Very well, the kiap got up and went into the bush. Hedidn't take any guns, he didn't take any police-boys along, he went alone.Well, then the monkey was up in the tree, hiding and looking. Then he sawthe kiap, who wasn't carrying any gun. And he saw he had no police-boys.Then the monkey went running, got the food ready, and waited for the kiap.Well, then the kiap approached. When the kiap approached, then the twowent straight to meet the kiap. The two said: "You come now." Then theywent and got the kiap's two children, and the two children went runningstraight to their father. The two said: "Papa!" Well, then the monkey killedthe pig, and got everything ready. Well, then the kiap ate, and they all shookhands. Well, then the kiap said: "Eh! I would like to go now." Then the twosaid: "You two! Follow your father now." Well, the two said good-bye to thekiap, and the kiap said good-bye to them, and the kiap went straight to hisvillage, and the children followed him, and they "lived happily ever after."That's all.

COMMENTThe main interest of mythology springs from the fact that it is in stories ofthis kind that people express their own emotional phrasings of the world andtheir own fears and fantasies.



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A Melanesian Culture-ContactMyth 261In its main structure the present story has a form such as we would expectin a New Guinea myth. Initiation in New Guinea has the typical structure of

a rite de passage, in which there is first a separation of the novices from thehome life which may be symbolized as a form of death; the novices may, forexample, be "eaten" by some supernatural figure. This separation is followedby a period of confinement, and this again ends with a ceremony for which theboys are elaborately dressed and returned to secular life. I do not, however,know of any New Guinea myth which precisely follows this pattern. Thereare, of course, myths dealing with initiation, but these simply refer overtlyto local initiatory practices. In the present story the initiatory reference issubmerged in the structure of the story, so that the hearer will probably getthe emotional satisfaction associated with the idea of initiating White child-ren, without suffering the anxiety which might come from a cruder lesemajest6.The special character of New Guinea initiation derives from a strong em-phasis upon feeding up the novices and making them grow. The initiatorsmay even describe themselves as "mothers" of the novices, and the wholere-birth theme of the rite de passage becomes, for the initiators, a compensa-tion for that inadequacy of the male which prevents him from competing oneven terms with women in the "mysteries" of parturition.In this myth, this basic structure of the New Guinea initiation ceremony isclearly recognizable, and the fantasy may be summed up as one in which theMonkey and the Cat take two children away from their white parents, putthem in a hole, guard them carefully, feed them richly, and finally returnthem to their father.This particular story has, however, a special interest because in it are ex-pressed the fears and fantasies of the New Guinea native vis-a-vis the Whiteman. It is a myth created and told in the contact situation. It was probablyinvented by some native in the labor line on some plantation, and has prob-ably been embroidered by other natives on plantations and schooners. Thestory has thus come to express the fears and fantasies of these natives in theirculture contact situation.The story, as a whole, may be viewed as a dream that, somehow, if onlythe native people could be victorious over the White, in the end the Whiteman and the native could eat together and be friends. It is not a simple dreamof victory over the White man, but rather a dream of achieving equality withhim. After each defeat the District Officerremains alive and unhurt, but eachconflict is told with gusto and with evident satisfaction in the triumph of theMonkey and the Cat.If we examine in detail the characterization of the various people in thestory, the picture becomes even clearer:The Monkey and the Cat are clearly the heroes, and it is with them thatthe native narrator gladly identifies himself. Neither Cat nor Monkey isnative to New Guinea, and it is perhaps no accident that these culture-con-tact animals are chosen to personify the mythical hope of the native. They arecharacterized as all-powerful, clever, able to handle all the complexities of the



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262 Journal of American FolkloreWhite man's culture-writing and shoes and muskets. And yet they aregentle in their treatment of the White man's children and magnanimous intheir final victory.The District Officer is not a villain. He is explosive and ready to believe theworst of the Monkey and the Cat, but he loves his children and he is coura-geous and determined. At the end, totally defeated, he is willing to believein the good intentions of the Monkey and the Cat.The District Officer's children are scarcely characterized, but runningthrough the story we can recognize the passionate tug on native maternalinstincts which the White child seems to exercise throughout New Guinea.The real villains of the story are the native servants of the District Officer.Of these the most criminal is undoubtedly the shoot-boy, who perverts thefirst message sent by the Monkey. It is the shoot-boy who makes the DistrictOfficer believe that the Monkey and the Cat have "stolen" his children, and,later, vengeance is exacted of all the other employees of the government, thepolice-boys and the men on the Man-of-War. The dominant race may beregarded with affection, but its Quislings are to be ruthlessly exterminated byfire and water.Columbia University, New York, N. Y.Brown University, Providence, R. I.

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A Melanesian Culture-Contact Myth in Pidgin English