Title: A Cruel King's Reward

Edited by: Otto Salik

As told by: Sepe Horace

 

A Cruel King's Reward

 

 

A long time ago, there lived a woman named Sepe who had two caring sons, KIlafwa and Kun. They lived in the village of Tafunsak. The oldest son, was known for his mind and was an expert planner. Al that was developed in the village came from the sharp mind of Kilafwa. The younger son, Kun was known for his physical strenght and his fearlessness. He always won athletic contests when competing with other villages on the island.

One day all of the men of Tafunsak gathered for their monthly competition. The events were to take place from morning till sunset. That day, the mother, Sepe, went to a channel by the sea at the place called Saolung. She did not know that the king was passing that way, and so when the king’s canoe passed by her, she did not bow her head. The king felt angry by the woman and so his servants leaped from their canoe and killed the poor woman on the spot.

News of the cruelty of the king was sent to Kilafwa and Kun. The boys sworn that they would revenge the death of their mother by killing the king and his servants. Kilafwa, the planner, thought of a way to slay the king by using the strength of Kun. At the narrow channel in the Innem River leading to Lelu, they would trick the king by offering him coconuts so that his canoes would stop. The brothers hurried to the channel and waited. Soon the king came and Kilafwa bowed as he stood on the shore with a large basket of coconuts. The king stopped and ordered hem to load the coconuts into the canoes. When everyone was looking toward Kilafwa, the youngest brother, Kun, came from the other side of the channel, overturned the canoes, and killed the king and his soldiers.

The brothers were conscious that when the news of the king’s death reached his palace, they would be haunted and killed when found., so they went high in the mountain with a dog. They killed the animal and made a stone oven, an um, in which to cook the dog. They did not want the king’s servants to take credit on their death, so they decided to die together by themselves. They held hands and leaped to their death from a high cliff in the mountain. The side where the brothers last stayed is still known by many people in Tafunsak, and is considered sacred by some. The people say that the charcoal and the stone from the um made for their last meal can still be found today.