How the Masi Dived for a Sunbeam

How the Masi Dived for a Sunbeam

(A Tale from the Solomon Islands)

Long ago there was said to be a tribe of people called the Masi who lived in the Solomon Islands. They were noted for their foolishness and ignorance.

Solomon Islands (Wikimedia Commons)

One day six of the Masi fishermen found some bait that could be used for catching porpoises, so they decided to launch a small canoe and go fishing. Paddling the boat swiftly, they kept a lookout for a porpoise, singing as they went along.

After a little while one of the men looked down into the water beneath him, and there he saw a sunbeam.

“Friends," he said, “there is a beautiful shining pearly ornament down there. Let us try to get it. Now then, backwater with your paddles and do not make too many ripples on the surface.”

They followed his bidding and then sat very still. Gazing into the depths, they saw the sunbeam, and each one thought it was a mother-of-pearl shell.

I will dive down and get it," said the leader. So the rest kept their paddles stiff to steady the canoe, and he jumped into the water, but, alas, he could not reach the bottom. Then each one tried in turn, but not one of them was able to reach the sunbeam, for the water was too deep. Back they paddled to the shore, and there they searched for large stones with holes in them, and for long pieces of tough creeper, and these were put into the canoe. Then they paddled back once more to the place where they had seen the sunbeam.

“There it is, comrades! Steady the canoe, and I will go down,” cried the leader. He tied a large stone to his foot and told the men to wait a long time for him to come up, for it might be difficult to gather up the ornament in his arms. They lowered him over the side, and down he went, deeper and deeper-but he never came up again. They waited about, watching the bubbles float up to the surface, and told each other that he was certain to get it. He was gone such a long time that the second man said. “I will dive down also and give him a hand.” So he too tied a stone to his foot and dived into the water, while the rest waited for the two to return. When neither of them came up with the prize, the others went down one after the other.

Not one of the foolish Masi came to the surface again, and none of them lived to tell their friends of the beautiful sunbeam at the bottom of the sea.

Source:

Tales from the South Pacific Islands

Anne Gittins

1977

Pages: 88-89