Tebwere, Tebarere, and Tetintiri

Tebwere, Tebarere, and Tetintiri

(A Tale from Kiribati)

Once, on an island in Kiribati, three boys lived with their mother. The children were well taken care of, but they were not very obedient. They always ran away from their mother and did naughty things.

Kiribati

They lived on the north end of their island and were allowed to play in the lagoon all day. There was only one rule: They were never to go to the south end of the island, for a giant lived there and would kill and eat them.

Of course, the boys could not wait to go to the south end of the island. One day, when their mother was taking a nap, they quietly ran out of their hut and down the path leading south. They did not believe the giant was real. Besides, they knew magic and could take care of themselves. Foolish children.

When they got to the south end of the island, they found a large pool of clear water that was full of fish. Just across the pool stood a hut. There was no one around. The boys were hot from their walk. The pool looked so good that before you could say, “Don’t do that," they did. They jumped right into the pool and began to splash and play. By the time they were done, the clear water was all muddy.

Suddenly a large voice called out, “Who is playing in the giant’s pool?" Then a huge old woman came out of the hut. “I see you naughty Children! You are lucky that my husband is taking a nap! Now you better go away before you get into trouble."

The boys were not only naughty, but they were also rude. They teased the old woman and called her bad names. Now the woman was angry. “I will tell the giant about you and you will be in big trouble. Now tell me your names!"

“We are Tebwere, Tebarere, and Tetintiri," they answered. Then the silly children giggled and the youngest chanted a magic spell:

Old lady, old lady, this spell will tie your tongue

And you will never tell by whom this deed was done.

When the giant woke from his nap, he asked “Who dirtied my pool?"

“Three naughty boys," his wife replied.

“Well, tell me their names.” demanded the giant. But his wife could only stammer. No matter how hard she tried she could not say the names of the boys.

The next day, the boys returned to the pool. This time they went fishing. They caught every one of the giant’s special fish.

Once again the great voice boomed. “Who is there fishing in the giant’s pool?" Once again the children cast their spell on the poor woman's tongue.

That night the giant went to his pool to catch some fish. The pool was empty. All the fish were gone. “Who has been catching my fish?" he demanded. His wife could only stammer. She could not tell him the names of the boys.

The next day was the worst day. The boys came once again to the giant’s house. This time they cut down all of his coconut trees. The old woman was so angry! When the giant came home he saw what had happened. His wife could still not tell him the names of the boys.

The giant and his wife decided it was time to punish these boys. They began to follow the tracks the careless children had left in the sand. The tracks led straight to their little but in the north!

Soon the giant and his wife came near the hut where the children lived. “I will catch you now!" the giant roared. He began to walk up to the hut. This time the youngest child's magic spell made the giant's feet walk away from the house. Although the giant started right toward the hut, he suddenly found himself on a beach far to the east. He had missed the hut entirely! “How did I get here?" he wondered. “I know the hut is in the north. I will be more careful." This time the giant found himself far to the west. No matter how hard he tried, his feet seemed to have a mind of their own and led him every place except to the hut.

This giant was not so stupid as the children thought. “Hnnnmm,” he thought. “My feet will not walk in a straight line. So maybe I will just crawl on my hands and knees. This way I will go right underneath their magic."

That is just what he did, right up to the hut. Then he ate the hut and everyone in it. And this is the end of this story, and the end of the foolish children as well.

Source:

Pacific Island Legends: Tales from Micronesia, Melanesia, Polynesia and Australia.

Nancy Bo Flood, Beret E. Strong, William Flood

1991

Pages: 85-88