The Rat and the Squid
(A Tale from Tuvalu)
Then he went to the land creatures, and he spoke to the crab, asking him to come on the journey. The crab said he would come and would bring his relatives with him.
“What will you do if my canoe sinks?" asked Manu-Manu again.
“We will crawl along the bottom of the ocean,” said the crab and all his relatives.
Now the rat crept up, and he begged to be taken on the voyage with them. “I will swim if your canoe sinks," he said. So Manu-Manu agreed to take him, and they all embarked in the canoe and set sail.
All went well at first, but after a time the canoe sank in a rough sea. The birds of the air flew homeward, and the land creatures crawled along the bottom of the ocean. But the rat swam. He swam until he was so tired that he could scarcely swim any more. Then a squid came by and peered at him with an inquisitive glance. The rat jumped quickly onto its head and begged the frightened squid to carry him to land, where the rat's grandparents and family lived.
The squid felt his head and found that it was quite bald; and being very angry at the rat’s trick, he turned and swam back to punish him. The rat, however, had run away inland. So the squid went back to the sea, and he waited and watched each day for the rat to return.
By and by the rat came down to the shore again, and looking about for food he went into a crab hole. The squid thrust one of his tentacles into the hole to catch him, but the rat, too quick for him, turned and bit off the end. Then the squid put out another tentacle, and this time it went right into the rat's ear and killed him.
From then on, because of the trick that the rat had played on the squid, the squid taught his children and his grandchildren to chase all rats. That is why, to this day, the people on many islands use bait that is shaped like a rat when they want to catch squids. It is made from the backs of two brown cowrie shells, bored and tied together with thongs, and it even has a small shell for the head and a wooden tail.
(A Tale from Tuvalu)
There was once a man called Manu-Manu who built himself a fine big canoe. When it was finished he thought he would like to go on a journey, and he looked around for a few creatures to accompany him.
First, he asked the frigate bird to come. It replied that it would, and asked if it might bring along its friends.
“What will you do if my canoe sinks ?” asked Manu-Manu.
“We will fly,” said all the birds in chorus.
First, he asked the frigate bird to come. It replied that it would, and asked if it might bring along its friends.
“What will you do if my canoe sinks ?” asked Manu-Manu.
“We will fly,” said all the birds in chorus.
Then he went to the land creatures, and he spoke to the crab, asking him to come on the journey. The crab said he would come and would bring his relatives with him.
“What will you do if my canoe sinks?" asked Manu-Manu again.
“We will crawl along the bottom of the ocean,” said the crab and all his relatives.
Now the rat crept up, and he begged to be taken on the voyage with them. “I will swim if your canoe sinks," he said. So Manu-Manu agreed to take him, and they all embarked in the canoe and set sail.
All went well at first, but after a time the canoe sank in a rough sea. The birds of the air flew homeward, and the land creatures crawled along the bottom of the ocean. But the rat swam. He swam until he was so tired that he could scarcely swim any more. Then a squid came by and peered at him with an inquisitive glance. The rat jumped quickly onto its head and begged the frightened squid to carry him to land, where the rat's grandparents and family lived.
By this time he was very hungry, so he nibbled the hair off the squid's head.
“What are you doing, rat?" said the squid.
“Oh, nothing," said the rat “Go on swimming a little farther, since I can see the shore and we are almost there.”
So the squid swam on until they were close to the land and the rat was able to jump ashore.
“What are you doing, rat?" said the squid.
“Oh, nothing," said the rat “Go on swimming a little farther, since I can see the shore and we are almost there.”
So the squid swam on until they were close to the land and the rat was able to jump ashore.
“Good-bye, squid" called the rat as he watched his benefactor making for the ocean once more. And then he shouted, “Oh, squid! Feel your head; it's bald!"
The squid felt his head and found that it was quite bald; and being very angry at the rat’s trick, he turned and swam back to punish him. The rat, however, had run away inland. So the squid went back to the sea, and he waited and watched each day for the rat to return.
By and by the rat came down to the shore again, and looking about for food he went into a crab hole. The squid thrust one of his tentacles into the hole to catch him, but the rat, too quick for him, turned and bit off the end. Then the squid put out another tentacle, and this time it went right into the rat's ear and killed him.
From then on, because of the trick that the rat had played on the squid, the squid taught his children and his grandchildren to chase all rats. That is why, to this day, the people on many islands use bait that is shaped like a rat when they want to catch squids. It is made from the backs of two brown cowrie shells, bored and tied together with thongs, and it even has a small shell for the head and a wooden tail.
Source:
Tales from the South Pacific Islands
Anne Gittins
1977
Pages: 82-84
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