They had also guessing sports. One party hid, the other bundled up one of their number in a large basket covered over with a mat or cloth. Then they too hid, all but three, who carried the basket to the other party for them to guess who was in it. If they guessed correctly, then they in turn got the basket to do the same. The successful guesses were counted for the game.
They were in the habit of amusing themselves with riddles, of which the following are a specimen:—
"1. A man who continues standing out of doors with a burden on his back.—Explanation. A banana tree, with a bunch of bananas.
"2. There are twenty brothers, each with a hat on his head.—Explan. A man's fingers and toes; the nails of which are represented as hats.
"3. A man who stands between two ravenous fish.—Explan. The tongue, as being placed between the teeth of the upper and lower jaws.
"4. There are four brothers, who are always bearing about their father.—Explan. The Samoan pillow, formed by four legs and a bamboo; the legs being the four brothers, the bamboo the father.
"5. There is a man who calls out continually day and night.—Explan. The surf on the reef, which never rests.
"6. There is a man who, when he leaves the bush, is very little; but when he has reached the sea-shore, becomes very great.—Explan. The bark of the paper-mulberry, which, when first taken off the wood, is very narrow; but, when beaten out to make the native cloth, becomes very broad.
"7. A man who has a white head stands above the fence, and reaches to the heavens.—Explan. The smoke rising from the oven.
"8. The person who sleeps on a bed of whales' teeth.—Explan. A fowl sitting on her eggs.
"9. Many brothers, but only one intestine.—Explan. A string of beads. The beads being the brothers, and the string the intestine.
"10. A long house with one post.—Explan. The nose; the septum being the post."
They had also games at rhyming. One party would choose the names of trees and another the names of men. Those who sided with the trees would say: "There is the Fau tree, tell us a name which will rhyme with it." The reply would perhaps be Tulifau.
Again, there is the Toa, and the other party would reply Tuisamoa. And so on they went till one party had exhausted all the names they could think of, owned the defeat, and paid the forfeit.
In a similar game one party would name a bird or beast, and the other a fish with a corresponding rhyme. For example, for the birds:
Lupe, they would give the name of the fish, Une.
Ngongo, Do. do. do. Alongo.
Tiotala, Do. do. do. Ngatala.
Here, too, there was a forfeit if beaten. They had tripping and stammering games also. One party would say to the other—you repeat
"O lo matou niu afaafa lava le la i tuafale,
Sasa, ma fili, ma faataa, ma lafo i fongavai."
If any one tripped when repeating it he had to pay a forfeit.