. As she passed through the villages the people called her in to
rest and have a bit of food, and once and again she offered to do so
on condition that they would try and deliver her from the pursuing
eel. When they heard that, and saw the creature, they said:

"Oh no, you had better pass on; we are afraid of that thing."

Sina gave it up, thought escape was impossible, turned round and made
for her home again. As she passed through one of the villages to the
cast of Apia the people called the attention of their chief to the
young woman passing, and an eel following her. He told them to call
her in and have something to drink. She said she would gladly do so if
they would only get rid of the eel. The chief called out to her: "Yes,
come in, and we can do that." She went into the house, and the eel
remained outside. The chief gave orders to get ready a cup of 'ava for
the strangers, and quietly whispered to the young men to go off to the
bush and bring all the poisonous things they could lay their hands on
to mix with it. Soon the bowl was brought in, and the 'ava declared
ready to be served round.

"Give the first cup to the stranger outside," said the chief to the
young men; and out went one of them with a cup to the eel, which was
at once eagerly drank. But immediately the creature called to Sina to
go outside, and when Sina went out it said to her: "Sina, I am dying.
Let us part in peace. When you hear that they have cooked me, you ask
the head as your share. Then take it and bury it near the stone wall,
and it will grow up a cocoa-nut tree for you. In the nuts you will see
my eyes and mouth, and so we shall be able to look at each other face
to face still. The leaves of the tree will be a shade for you, and
you can plait them into mats, and make a fan also to fan yourself."

After saying this the creature died. It was soon in the oven; and when
served up by-and-by Sina begged the head, took it home with her, and
put it under the ground near the stone wall. It grew up to be a
cocoa-nut tree, and she got her leaves, and mats, and fans, and nuts,
marked with the eyes and mouth of her departed eel, which she could
kiss still; and there too she had a shade also when she sat down to
work or rest--and hence the origin alike of the name of the village,
Laloata, and of the introduction of cocoa-nuts.

(6.) _Safata_ is the name of the south side of the Tuamasanga. It is
said to have had its origin in Sa, who came from Fona