The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1901-10-08
THREE TESTS.
To Prove the Inequality
of Woman With Man.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.

to the tree mbaka, and a light shone II
his young eyes, SO that his presence
could be known at night. His canoe
sped with the wind, his dancing in the
war dance brought forth a great shout
from the people, his arm broke apart the
strongest breakers, and men called hin
the Kings Arrow"
Now when the meke was ended that
they had danced on the eighteenth birth
day of Ratu Tanito, Katubua called his
son to him and said:
"My son, shall my line end with your
Ratu Tanito answered, mot so, my
father, for l will marry"
Then the king said: "Ratu Tanito
choose a wife, observing these three re
uuirements-frst, that she be young;
second, that she be strong. and, third
that she be obedient'
"My father" replied the young man
sis it not also a requirement that she be
beautiful"
The king answered, obedience is
beauty"
"Tui VIII" said Ratu Tanito, II have
chosen a wife. She is young, for she was
born on the day when | first stood erect
She is strong for she can abide the grasp
of my hand without f1inching. She is
obedient, for she has honored her par
ents. And she is beautiful as the day
and lovely as the night. When | see her
my heart is as a basin in which the
springs surge hotly up and fall back in
tumult."
'Who is the maiden?' said the king.
"Her name is Ekesa," the youth re-
piled. "She dwells in Vanua Lew and
is the daughter of Savenaka, it's king"
"Have you spoken to her Of loveW the
king asked.
mo" said Ratu Tanito.
$50 and speak with her concerning her
parents" said the king.
TUT Katubua having thus commanded,
Ratu Tanito departed by night in bis
canoe to Vanua Lew. And on a day be
returned and his brow was clear, and he
came before the king and said. "Tui Viii,
l have performed your commands and
have spoken with the maiden Ekesa con-
corning her parents"
The king received the words of Ratu
Tanito and. looking on his son, said,
"Abide now with me and at the end of
the seven days go again to the maiden
and speak with her concerning war and
combats with the sharks" And Ratu
Tanito did as he was commanded and
returned with clear brow and said,
"My father, | have done according to
your commands"
And again the king commanded him
to abide for seven days and returning to
the maiden to speak with her concerning
the gods. And it was done as he COM
manded.
Then said TUT Katubua. go, now. my
son, and speak with the maiden concern
ing the government of men," And Ratu
Tanito departed and came to Vanua
Lew
But when he returned thence his brow
was couded. and his eyes were angry,
and as he reached his fathers presence
he stepped with a firm step. $50 now,
my son." said the king, your canoe has
met with a mischance and has been
dashed against a rock"
mot so." the young man replied my
canoe is safe. oh, father?
al grieve, oh. my son." said the father,
"that your safe departure has been OPP
posed by the king of Vanua Lew and
that he has sought to make you pris-
oner, for our vengeance will fall heavily
on his people,"
''Savenaka, king of Vanua Lew. has
nowise impeded my departure from his
island" said the youth. NOR has he
known of my presence there"
"And yet anger sits above your eyes"
said the old king.
Then Ratu Tanito composed his fea-
lures and said to his father: Forget, my
father, that | have given way to another
H. ;Inv,
of whom | spoke, has said foolish
thing. and, recollecting it. my spirit was
disturbed"
"And what said the maiden?"
"Truly. she is of opinion that women
are of equal spirit and understanding
with men and should divide the govern
ment of human affairs with them. |
think such were her words hut of a YER
ity | heard not certainly, being much
provoked and having driven my foot
against a root as we walked"
'Then you have quarreleI with the
maiden?' said TUT Katubua.
mo" said Ratu Tanito: II am not a
woman forbore to answer her. and
after she had spoken for a time and had
sworn she would marry no man who
held himself her superior left her."
Then said TUT Katubua. go. now. my
son. and take war canoes and fetch
Ekesa before me-"
1.-THE king commands" said Ratu Ia
nito "But. father, no longer wish to
marry the girl. and the gods forbid that
she should come to harm at my hands"
'No harm shall come to her." said Ka-
tubua do you as ! command"
Accordingly Ratu Tanito took war ca
noes and went to Vanua Lew and bore
away Ekesa by force And, returning to
Viii Lew he brought her before his IA
Their, who sat in state, surrounded by his
chiefs and priests And, seeing this ar
ray about her, as though to judge her,
Ekesa's eye flashed, and she looked de-
family at King Katubua. mighty mon
arch,' she cried, "do not fear me- Do
not surround yourself with your chiefs.
| mean you no harm and. indeed, have
come here against my will, being brought
a prisoner by this youth, one of your peo-
pie. Set me free and chastise him, and
my father, Savenaka, will thank you and
be your brother"
at is my son, Ratu Tanito, who brings
you here" said Katubua.
"Are you Ratu Tanito?" cried the prin-
cess, turning to the young man. And
she exclaimed with double force, "Then
you are the great traitor?"
Maiden" said King Katubua, "be as
sured No harm shall befall you. Yet it
has come to our ears that in Vanua Lew
the women are the equal of the men, and,
as this seems a strange thing to us, we
have desired to see it tested and espe-
cially to inquire whether the women of
Vanua Lew are the equals of the men in
Wifi Levu. For that reason we have
sent to bring you here. And we will pro-
pose to you three tests which, II you an
swer rightly and justly. you shall depart
home in safety, and we will offer you
gifts, and, moreover, you shall lead my
son home with you to be your slave as
a reparation for the wrong done you.
This | swear to you, and he shall compete
with you in the tests"
Whereat the princess cried out.
"He is ignorant what they are to be"
said the king. "'Tis fair match. Be
hold, he is as much surprised as you
are"
"And if-if / lose?" said Ekesa.
"You shall marry him." said the king.
Then the king said. princess, are you
ready for the first testF
But" said Ekesa. 81 have not yet ac-
cepted your conditions"
''Ratu Tanito," said the king, "behold
your wife!"