Tailahalahaodengadubua
Tailahalahaodengadubua (Molia)
The story of Tailahalahaodengadubua, told by Molia
1966 • Nukuoro Atoll
Molia tells the story of Tailahalahaodengadubua, a demi-god who is raised from a blood clot that floats to the islet of Gausema. Tailahalahaodengadubua goes on a quest to bring back the spirit of the plants of Nukuoro, which was stolen by a group of demons called hitegaiaa, and defeats several powerful beings along the way.
This story was recorded by Raymonde Carroll on Nukuoro Atoll in the spring of 1966. It appears as story number 11-1 in the published book of Nukuoro Stories (Carroll 1980).
Muna Nuguolo (Nukuoro version)
Ga noho laa huu e dahi hai bodu. Taane laa dono ingoo go Mauadodo. Ga noho gai ga mee huu gu hai dama dono bodu. Gai dahi laangi huu gai gilaau gu hulo gi Senugu. Ga hulo huu gilaau gi Senugu, gai dono bodu ga hai ange bolo ia ga hano e honga gelegele i lausedi. Gai ga hano huu ia ga honga gelegele i lausedi, gai dana dama gu ssege.
Gai ga ssege huu dana dama, gai tibaa dodo laa ga dahea ga hano ga dau age i Gausema. Gai Tailahalahaodengadubua ga hano iho, gu gidee e ia. Gai ia ga gavage, tibaa dodo laa. Ga hhao ange gi lote gi lote kosi i mua. Ga dugudugu ai ga lava ga hhao ange gi lote bibi. Ga lava ga hhao ange gi lote kasi. Ga lava ga hhao ange gi lote duungaa gima, gu dee oo, ga lava gai ia ga hhao ange gi lote duu dange, gu dee oo ga lava gai ia ga kave gi lote mada loolodo i dua ga dugu ai. Gai ga dugu huu ia, agai de mee laa gu laumalie. Gu se dangada. Agai ia ga hagasulu, ga gave iho gi ono daha i dai. Gai ia ga hagaingoo ange bolo dono ingoo, go Tailahalahaodengadubua. Dono ingoo donu go Iaigausema. Gai gilaau ga nnoho ai loo.
Gai ia ga hai ange gi tama laa bolo, "Iainei gai au ga tala adu nei gi de goe, luoo maadua. Dahi laangi, gai gilaau ne loomai bolo e dada mee i Senugu. Gai de hine laa ga hano gi lausedi, bolo e honga gelegele ai. Gai gu ssege goe, ga dahea mai gi kinei, gi Gausema. Gai au ga gaavage goe, ga hhao ange gi lote duu kosi, ga lava go lote duu bibi, ga lava go lote duu kasi, ga lava go lote duu gima, ga lava go lote duu dange, ga lava ga kave goe gi lote mada loolodo i dua, gu se dangada, gai au ga gaamai ai nei goe.''
Gai de masavaa laa, gai Nuguolo gu onge. Gu mmae denga nui, ma denga daogoli, ma denga gulu, ma denga manu alodahi hugadoo e hanu laa me e gai ai, gu mmae. Agai Iaigausema ga maanadu age bolo, ia ga hai ange loo gi Tailahalahaodengadubua, gi hano gi hagaahe ina mai, mouli o dengaa manu. Gai dahi laangi huu, gai gu loadu denga daane e hulo e hagaahe ina mai mouli o denga manu. Agai ia ga hai ange, hanage loo goe gi Hale ga noho ai. Agai ga loadu naa huu, ga loomai naa huu de gau naa e hulo, agai koe ga hai ange bolo koe e hano. Gai ga hai adu naa huu bolo e deai koe e dee bau ange koe se gauligi, agai ga dungagi adu naa huu tama a de hodooligi, gai koe ga hagadubu gi se lango, gai koe ga lele ga hano ga noho i honga de unudi i muli.
"Gai ga hulo naa huu goodou, ga loo age laa lote ava gi dua, ga lilo naa huu de henua, agai Saabuga gu noho ma gu hhuge ai ana duu gaha. Agai ga hai adu naa huu Saabuga gi goodou, 'Ga hulo naa goodou gi hee?' Gai goodou ga hai ange, 'Gimaadeu ga hulo nei e hagaahe mai, mouli o denga manu i honga taadeu henua.' Agai ga hulo naa huu goodou ga loadu gai gu dige mai a Limango. Agai ga dige mai naa huu a Limango, agai ia ga daa mai de gau i mua, ga humai ai. Agai ga tai madohi mai huu, gai koe ga hanadu laa mua, gai koe ga gamai ga hhao ange gi te moni, agai koe ga gabi ange. Gai ga gabi ange naa huu goe, gai ia ga hai adu, 'Go ai denei?' Gai koe ga hai ange, 'Go au go Tailahalahaodengadubua.' Gai ia ga hai adu naa, 'Au ga sano.' Gai koe ga hagabudu ono mana, ga kave.
"Agai ga loo adu ange naa huu goodou, gai tabula, e lui hagalooloa i mada i mua o doodou moni. Gai koe ga hidi adu, ga hai togo ga hagaili ai i honga ssugi. Gai ga hagailia ina naa huu e goe, gai ia ga langa ssugi gi lunga. Gai ga langaa ina naa huu e goe, agai goe ga langaa ina naa huu e ia, agai koe ga ulu laa lalo dono sugi ga hano ai gi de baasi laa. Agai ga ui naa huu e goe, gai ia ga hai adu, 'Go ai denei?' Gai koe ga hai ange, 'Go au go Tailahalahaodengadubua.' Gai ia ga hai adu, 'Au ga sano.' Gai koe ga hagabudu hogi ono mana ga kave.
"Gai ga loo adu ange naa huu goodou, gai de baasua e hhanga de ngudu, ma e baa tuu laa i de baasi langi i dai, gai tuu laa i de baasi langi i dua. Gai koe ga hai togo ga velo ai lote ngudu. Gai ga velosia ina naa huu e goe, gai ia ga hagapuni ange, gai goodou ga hulo gi de baasi laa. Gai ia ga ssili age naa hogi, 'Go ai denei?' Gai koe ga hai ange, 'Go au go Tailahalahaodengadubua.' Gai ia ga hai adu, 'Au ga sano.' Gai koe ga hagabudu hogi ono mana ga kave.
"Gai ga loo adu ange naa huu goodou, gai gu baa mai tangada iai de galauna. Ga dau naa huu doodou moni i de galauna, gai ia ga hhudi goodou. Gai ga huudia huu e ia gai koe ga hhudi hogi. Ga hagabudu mai de galauna ga dugu i honga de moni. Gai ga lagolago naa huu au galauna ne mau mai gi honga doodou moni, agai ga tae adu naa huu goodou, gai koe ga hai de galauna, ga buulou ai. Gai ia ga ssili adu naa, 'Go ai denei?' Gai koe ga hai ange, 'Go au go Tailahalahaodengadubua. Gai ia ga hai adu naa, 'Au ga sano.' Gai koe ga hagabudu ono mana ga kave.
"Gai gu tae ai loo goodou gi de henua. Gai ga kage age naa huu goodou gi uda, gai koe gu gidee, Duuvaedahi, e duu ma e daohi de baasi langi i ngaage. Agai koe ga hagadaudau ia ga hagaili dono vae gi bigo, agai koe ga daohi age de baasi langi gi lunga. Agai ia ga ssili adu naa, 'Go ai denei?' Gai koe ga hai ange, 'Go au go Tailahalahaodengadubua.' Gai ia ga hai adu naa, 'Au ga sano.' Gai koe ga hagabudu ono mana ga kave, gai muli mai naa huu doo sauaa ne kave nei i daho tangada Duuvaedahi, agai koe ga hagaingoo ange bolo koe go Daula. Agai koe ga hano nei loo e hagaahe mai mouli o dengaa manu.
"Gai koe ga dugu, doo soa tama hodooligi i dahi momme. Gai koe ga hai ange de mee hagalilo, henua, ga hagalilo ai, gi dee gidee ai e dangada, e nnoho laa i kilaa, kana gaina ia. Gai koe ga hano.
"Ga hanadu naa huu goe, gai e kona donu de hagavvela de momme o denga hitegaiaa, e sigosigo ai laa i mouli o dengaa manu. Gai koe ga haia ... gai koe ga hanadu naa huu, gai koe ga ulu gi olaadeu daha, gai koe ga sigosigo. Gai ga sigosigo naa huu goe, gu dae mai de masavaa e dau ai dangada gai koe ga hai go koe e daulia. Gi dee iloo ai e gilaadeu, bolo dahi dangada gu ulu ange gi olaadeu masavaa. Gai ga hagadige huu goodou gu dae mai de hidu hanonga, gai koe ga hhao de hua bonga gi lotoo malo huna. Gai ga daamada ange huu de dau, gai koe ga dau hogi. Gai ga hagadige mai huu gu dae mai de mada baabaa, gai koe ga hhao gi lotoo malo huna. Gai ga lava huu i dau hhao me nei, gai koe ga hagalilo, gai koe ga ahe mai ai loo."
Gai tama laa, ga hai ai loo gi bei muna, a dono damana ne tala ange. Gai ia ga humai, ga gamai dono soa go tama a de hodooligi, ga loomai ai gilaau. Gai ga kage huu gilaau gi honga delaau moni, gai gilaau ga aahe mai, ga dele mai ai loo gi delaau henua go Nuguolo. Gai ga tae mai huu gilaau, gai gilaau ga doo de mada baabaa ma de hua bonga. Gai ga doo ina huu e gilaau, gai gu aahe age honga de henua ma gu hhua ma gu mmili. Denga gau looloa nui, denga nui i luu baasi de ava, i Gausema, gu daudau iho hugadoo denga gau looloa gi lalo.
Gai denga hitegaiaa ga nnoho nnoho huu, gai gilaadeu ga maanadu age bolo gu maakau naa loo de gau Nuguolo. Gu deai donu dangada go hidinga gu deai donu mee e gai. Gai gilaadeu ga loomai bolo e tilo delaadeu henua go Nuguolo. Gai ga loomai huu gilaadeu, ga ssula mai i mate ava, gai gilaadeu gu gidee, denga gau looloa huaa mee gu llui iho hugadoo gi lalo ma gu daakodo ai gai gilaadeu ga hagataba, "Ee laa, gu dae mai loo dahi daane sauaa gi gilaadeu, kii ange dono sauaa. Gu hagaahe age mouli o denga manu delaadeu henua."
Gai gilaadeu, ga aahe adu huu, gai gilaadeu ga ... gai a Limango ga hai ange, "E dahi dangada ne humai. Gai ia ga ... gai au ga dige adu laa honga tai, gai ia ga hhao ange au gi lote moni, gai ia ga baalasi ange luu oa de moni. Gai au ga hai ange, 'Go ai denei?' Gai ia ga hai mai, 'Go au go Tailahalahaodengadubua.' Gai ia ga hagabudu ogu mahi ga kave. Ga lava gai ia ga... gai tabula ga hai ange, "E dahi dangada, gu hagaili hogi do ... dogu sugi. Agai au ga ssili ange. 'Go ai denei?' Gai ia ga hai mai, 'Go au go Tailahalahaodengadubua.' Gai ia ga hagabudu hogi ogu mahi ga kave."
Agai de baasua ga hai ange, "Dahi dangada, gu lava hogi i de velo i lotogu ngudu. Gai au ga ssili ange ga hai ange, 'Go ai denei?' Gai ia ga hai mai, 'Go au go Tailahalahaodengadubua.' Gai ia ga kave hogi ogu mahi. Gai ia, gai tangada iai de galauna ga hai ange, "Au ne dau hogi dahi mee i lotagu galauna, gai au ga hhudi mai, gai tangada i honga de moni, gai ia ga buulou au i dagu galauna. Gai au gu tai magau donu. Gai au ga ssili ange ga hai ange, 'Go ai denei?' Gai ia ga hai mai, 'Go au go Tailahalahaodengadubua.'' Gai ia ga hagabudu hogi ogu sauaa ga kave.'' Gai tangada duu vae dahi ga hai ange bolo, dahi dangada ne humai hogi ga hagaili dogu vae, gai au ga baguu gai de baasi langi gu doo iho. Gai au ga ssili ange, 'Go ai denei?' Gai ia ga hai mai, 'Go au, go Tailahalahaodengadubua.' Gai ia ga hagabudu hogi ogu mahi ga kave. Gai ga lava huu i dana kave me nei, maanadu, gai ia gu hanadu ai donu gi oodou daha. Gai denaa ai, go ia donu ne hanadu naa ga hagaahea mai, mouli o dengaa manu, o Nuguolo. Ga gaavage gi Nuguolo. Dono ingoo, go Tailahalahaodengadubua."
Gai gilaadeu ga pasa ai, gai gilaadeu ga maanadu age bolo, "Tangada nei, dagu maanadu huu, gu sauaa ange i gidaadeu alodahi. Ia gu maua i de hagadubudubu, ange gi denga bouli gee. Denei ai ana gu mau ai nei i de humai. Dangada alodahi ne loomai laa, i denga i denga hanonga gu hulo laa, teai donu se dangada ne maua i de humai. Agai go ia donu huu, ne maua i de humai, ga dae mai gi i kinei, ga hagaahe age ai mouli o dengaa manu, ga mouli ai delaadeu henua go Nuguolo. Denei ai iainei, gidaadeu gu dee iloo de loage, gu deai sedaadeu henua. Gilaadeu, e mouli ma e nnoho i honga delaadeu henua, gai gidaadeu ga nnoho ai donu huu i honga taadeu henua, gai gilaadeu, ga nnoho i delaadeu henua."
Gai dua huu mee nei, gai gu magau ai loo tamana o Tailahalahaodengadubua. Agai Tailahalahaodengadubua, go ia ai loo gu sula, ma gu noho i honga taadeu henua, ma gu tilo ange ai, gu odi ai loo, agu momo mee e iloo.
Muna abasasa (English version)
There once lived a married couple. The man's name was Mauadodo. As they lived, it happened that his wife became pregnant. So one day, they went to Senugu. When they went to Senugu, his wife said that she was going to poop in the ocean. But when she pooped in the water, she miscarried her child.
When her child miscarried, a clot of blood drifted and went and reached Gausema. And Tailahalahaodengadubua went down and found it. And he took it to shore, the blood clot. He put it inside a kosi shell first. He left it there, and then he put it inside of a bibi shell. Then he put it inside of a kasi shell. Then he put it inside half of a gima shell until it didn't fit anymore, so he put it inside of a half of a giant clam shell until it didn't fit anymore, and then he took it to a depression in the reef on the ocean-side and placed it there. When he put it there, the thing became larger. It became a person. So he retrieved it from the water and took it back to where he lived by the lagoon. And he named it Tailahalahaodengadubua. His own name was Iaigausema. So they lived there.
And he said to the child, "Now I'm going to tell you who your parents are. One day, they came to pick taro in Senugu. And the woman went to the water to poop, and you were miscarried, and you floated here, to Gausema. So I brought you to shore and put you inside a kosi shell, then inside a bibi shell, then inside a kasi shell, then inside a gima shell, then inside a dange shell, and then I put you inside a depression in the reef on the ocean-side until you became a person, and then I brought you here."
At that time, Nukuoro was in a famine. The coconut trees had withered, and the swamp taro, and the breadfruit, and each and every plant that produced food to eat had withered. So Iaigausema decided that he would tell Tailahalahaodengadubua to go and bring back the life of all the plants. So one day, when the men came to go and bring back the life of the plants, he said, ``Go up to the main islet and live there. And when you go, when the people come to leave the island, ask if you can go with them. And when they tell you no, you can't come because you're too young, and when the chief's son nods to you, turn into a fly, and fly over and sit on the stern of the canoe.
"As you leave, as you go through the channel to the outside, and when the island disappears, Saabuga will sit and uncover his coconut husks. And when Saabuga asks you, 'Where are you going?' You say, 'We are going to bring back the life of the plants of our island.' So as you continue sailing out, Limango will roll in. And as Limango rolls in, he will start killing the people in the front of the canoe and proceed back. And when he gets about halfway, go up in front of everyone and take him and put him in the canoe, and restrain him there. And while you are restraining him, he will ask you, 'Who is this?' And you will say, 'I am Tailahalahaodengadubua.' And he will say, 'I surrender.' And you will collect his life force, and take it.
"As you continue to go out on the ocean, a lizard will lay across your path in front of your canoe. So you will get up and take the canoe pole and strike the lizard on the tail. And when you strike it, it will lift its tail up. And when you lift it, I mean, when it lifts up its tail, you will go under his tail to go to the other side. And when you pass under it, he will ask you, 'Who is this?' And you will say, 'I am Tailahalahaodengadubua.' And he will say to you, 'I surrender.' So you will collect his life force too and take it.
"As you continue to sail, a clam will open its mouth, and half of it will touch the eastern sky and the other half will touch the western sky. So you will take the togo and poke it into its mouth. As soon as you poke it, it will snap shut and you will go to the other side. And he will also ask, 'Who is this?' And you will say, 'I am Tailahalahaodengadubua. And he will say to you, 'I surrender.' So you will also collect his life force and take it.
"As you continue to sail, you will approach the person with the fishing net. And when your canoe hits the net, he will pull you in. But when he pulls, you will pull also, and gather in the fishing net and put it on the canoe. And when you are able to put much of the net on your canoe, and when you reach him, you'll take the fishing net and catch him. And he will ask you, 'Who is this?' And you will say, 'I am Tailahalahaodengadubua.' And he will say to you, 'I surrender.' And you will collect his life force and take it.
"Then you will reach an island. When you go up on land, you will find Duuvaedahi standing and holding the southern sky. And you will wrestle him and strike his leg so it buckles, and then you will hold up the sky. And he will ask you, 'Who is this?' And you will say, 'I am Tailahalahaodengadubua.' And he will say to you, 'I surrender.' So you will collect his life force and take it, and after you take the power from the man named Duuvaedahi, then you will name yourself Daula. And then you are going to bring back the life of the plants.
"You will put your friend, the young king, in one place. Then you will make a cover for the island and cover it, so that he can't be found by anyone that lives nearby, otherwise they would eat him. Then you will go.
"When you go, the place where the hitegaiaa are throwing and catching the life of the plants will be very hot. So when you go there, you will go inside where they are, and you will throw and catch with them. And as you are throwing and catching, it will come time to chant the names of people, and you will make it so that you chant them. So they won't know that someone has entered into their midst. So as you go around the seventh time, you will put the defective fruit inside your loincloth. And when the chanting begins again, then you will chant also. And when it comes around to you again, and the mada baabaa reaches you, you will put it inside your loincloth. So after you have finished putting these things inside your loincloth, you will disappear and return back."
So the child did as his father had told him. He came, and brought his friend, the son of the king, and they came. And when they climbed onto their canoe, they returned, and sailed to their island, Nukuoro. When they arrived, they planted the mada baabaa and the defective fruit. And when they were planted by them, the spirits of the plants returned to the land and the plants bore fruit and were plentiful. The coconut bunches, the coconut trees on each side of the channel, at Gausema, all the bunches hung down.
As the hitegaiaa stayed and stayed, they thought that the people of Nukuoro were all dead. There were no more people because there was nothing to eat. So they came to visit their island, Nukuoro. But when they came and appeared in front of the channel, they saw that the bunches of fruit were hanging down the way they were, and they said, "Oh wow, a powerful man has reached them, whose power is very great. He brought back the life of the plants of their island."
So when they returned, they... Limango said, ``There was a person who came. And he... I was rolling on top of the sea, and he put me inside the canoe, and he pressed me against the two gunwales of the canoe. And I said, 'Who is this?' And he said, 'I am Tailahalahaodengadubua.' And he collected my strength and took it." And then, he... then the lizard said, "There was a man who also struck my tail. So I asked, 'Who is this?' And he said, 'I am Tailahalahaodengadubua.' And he also collected my strength and took it."
And the clam said, "A man also had stabbed me inside my mouth. So I asked him, saying, 'Who is this?' And he said to me, 'I am Tailahalahaodengadubua.' And he took my strength as well. So he, the person who had the fishing net said, "I caught something in my net, so I pulled it in, but the person on the canoe, he caught me in my net. And I almost died. So I asked, saying, 'Who is this?' And he said, 'I am Tailahalahaodengadubua.' And he collected my power too and took it.'' And the man standing on one leg said, "A man came to me too and struck my leg, and I fell, and half of the sky fell down. So I asked, 'Who is this?' And he said to me, 'I am Tailahalahaodengadubua.' And he collected my strength too and took it. And when he was finished taking these things, I think he went up to you all. And so, it was him who came and returned the life of all the plants of Nukuoro. He brought them back to Nukuoro. His name is Tailahalahaodengadubua."
So they talked about it, and they thought, "This man, I think, is more powerful than all of us. He can shapeshift into different spiritual forms. So this is how he was able to come. All the people who came in the past, none of them were able to make it in. It was only him that was able to come and reach here, and return the life of the plants, and bring their island of Nukuoro back to life. And so now, we cannot go back, it's not our island anymore. They are alive and living on their island, so we will stay on our island, and they will stay on their island."
So after this, Tailahalahaodengadubua's father died. So Tailahalahaodengadubua, he was the one who succeeded and stayed on their island, and looked after it. And this is it, the few things that I know.