Note 5 — Chapter IV · MYTHS AND LEGENDS

“The first man was J̌utpu5. He was born inside the joint of a big bamboo, just like a bird in an egg6. The bamboo split and he came out. He was a little child. When it rained he made a small hut for himself and lived in it. He made little bows and arrows. As he grew bigger he made bigger huts, and bigger bows and arrows. One day he found a lump of quartz and with it he scarified himself. J̌utpu was lonely, living all by himself. He took some clay (ko̱t) from a nest of the white ants and moulded it into the shape of a woman. She became alive and became his wife. She was called Ko̱t. They lived together at Teraut-buliu. Afterwards J̌utpu made other people out of clay. These were the ancestors. J̌utpu taught them how to make canoes and bows and arrows, and how to hunt and fish. His wife taught the women how to make baskets and nets and mats and belts, and how to use clay for making patterns on the body.”