433 Chapter Seven Cosmos For the Matsigenka of Shimaa, kameti ...

will kill you so that you cannot prevent them from taking your sisters. I will take you to the place
from which I return [the land of the Unseen Ones]. There you will sleep, there you will live.”
The father and sons bid goodbye to their mother and sisters and went far into the forest.
A bird flew up. “Father?” said one of the sons [he was asking if it is all right to shoot this bird].
“Where?” asked his father. “No, not that one, he is your (spirit) sister’s pet [the youth’s “sister”
among the Unseen Ones has this bird as her pet; to kill it would offend his spirit-sister]. Let’s go
on.” Another bird flew up, a spirit sister’s pet, “No, not that one.” This happened again and
again.
They went on, far away. The son said, “Father, where is the trail?” “See, there,” he
answered, “you walk along there.” They continued. The old man said, “You can say, ‘Father,
where?’ You can say, ‘Father, which?’ And I will say, ‘See, go that way.’” They went along far
away. The son said, “Father?” His father replied, “See, you go along here. Now, this one here is
theirs [the Unseen Ones]. This other trail is the one you use.” As they went, their father pointed
out landmarks to them. They came across a beautiful trail. “That is the trail of the terira ineenkani,”
said the father [they live inside the mountain, Tasorinkamairorini]. “Do we take that trail, Father?”
“No, take this one. Let’s go.”
On they went, until their father said, “We will stop here. Here we will sleep. Make dams
here.” When they had dammed up the river, he said, “Now, look for fish.” They looked under
rocks and found two maronto (fish, about 15 cm long)--one son got one, another got the other.
They brought them to their father. “Yes,” he said, “that’s it.” He opened the dam (pulled the rocks
out). “Now,” he said, “I will roast it in leaves for you. We will stay here.” The old man wrapped
the fish in leaves and turned them in the fire, shonka, shonka, shonka. “Now,” he said, “keep this
one for your mother.” He unwrapped the other one. “Father, what about this one?” “That one is
OK,” he said. They ate...they ate... they ate. “Now, give me the bones.” They took them out and
gave them to him. He took them and threw them in the river [a courtesy to their spirit ruler, so that
more maronto would become available in the future].
485