Note 17 — Chapter IV · MYTHS AND LEGENDS
Reading edition
“The ancestors had no fire. Bilika had fire. The ancestors tried to steal fire from Bilika. Lirtit (Kingfisher) went one night while Bilika was sleeping and stole fire. Bilika awoke and saw him going away with the fire. She threw a pearl shell (ba) at him, which cut off his wings and his tail. Lirtit dived into the water and swam with the fire to Bet-’ra-kudu and gave it to Te̱pe. Te̱pe gave fire to Mite (the bronze-winged dove). Mite gave it to the others17.”