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Once there was, it is said, a man named Andriambahòaka-in-the-midstof -the-land, and this man had three children, one son and two daughters . The son’s name was Andrianòro, and those of his two sisters were Ràmatòa and Rafàravàry.88 Andriambahòaka was rich and had large estates, and these two daughters of his were unmarried. Then the son named Andrianòro said to his father and mother, “Get me a wife.” So his parents agreed to obtain a wife for their son. But when they had fetched the wife for Andrianòro, he did not like her at all. So his father said, “We will not again seek a wife for you. You yourself shall choose whom you like.” And, after some time, so the story goes, some one spoke to Andrianòro and said, “There is a most enchanting lake over there, with delightful sands and the water as clear as crystal. And there are three sisters whom we have seen swimming in that clear lake and whose beauty we have never seen the like of.” Then Andrianòro said, “I will capture one of them for my wife.” Then he said to his subjects, “Where does the person most skilled in divination live?” The people replied, “Go to Rànakòmbé; he is the most skilled diviner.” So Andrianòro went to Rànakòmbé and said, “Be so good as to divine for me, Rànakòmbé, for there is a person whom I wish for a wife in this lake. But if any one approaches the lake, then she flies away—it is said that her dwelling place is in heaven. So please give me good counsel as to what I should do to capture her.” Then Rànakòmbé answered, “Go to the lake and change into three very ripe lemons. Then, while the three sisters are playing, make them desire 130 25 Andrianòro 86 Malagasy (Madagascar)87 you. And when the three take you, then change again into a man, and then lay hold of one of the three sisters for your wife.” So when Andrianòro had come to the sand where the three sisters played, he changed into three lemons, according to Rànakòmbé’s directions . And when the three sisters came there and saw the lemons, they were exceedingly astonished. Then the youngest of the three said, “Come, let us take these lemons for ourselves.” But the eldest and the second one replied, “Don’t let us touch these lemons; it is a snare, for from long ago there have been no such lemons here.” Then they flew away and went up into the sky. So the lemons changed again, it is said, and became Andrianòro once more, and off he went afresh to Rànakòmbé to inquire what divination would enable him to obtain his wish. And the divination worked by Rànakòmbé gave answer: “Change into bluish water in the middle of the lake, and when the three sisters swim there, lay hold of them.” So Andrianòro went away again. But when the three sisters came again to swim, they were afraid to do so, saying, “That water is a snare, like the lemons we saw before.” And after a while, again, Andrianòro changed again in an instant into the seed of the ànamàmy89 growing by the water side, but the sisters knew all about it. So Andrianòro was perplexed and did not see what he could do, for he wished to obtain one of the three for a wife. And off he went again to Rànak òmbé to ask some more suitable counsel as to how he might obtain her. Rànakòmbé said, “Change into an ant, and walk on the sand.” The three sisters came down from the sky again and sat on the sand; then Andrianòro caught one of them, the youngest, and said to her, “You are my wife, Ifàravàvy.” But she replied, “I am not your wife, Andrianòro.” Andrianòro said, “What is it that makes you unwilling to marry me?” She answered, “There are many things about you that trouble me.” “What things are they?” he asked. Ifàravàvy replied, “My parents live not here on the earth but in the skies, and you are of humankind here on the earth and are not able to live...

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