Thus it was that Bateta, anxious for the comfort of his wife, and for the nourishment of his children, sought to find choice things, but could find little to please the dainty taste which his wife had contracted. Whereupon, looking up to Moon with his hands uplifted, he cried out:
“O Moon, list to thy creature Bateta! My wife lies languishing, and she has a taste strange to me which I cannot satisfy, and the children that have been born unto us feed upon her body, and her strength decreases fast. Come down, O Moon, and show me what fruit or herbs will cure her longing.”
The Moon heard Bateta’s voice, and coming out from behind the cloud with a white, smiling face, said, “It is well, Bateta; lo! I come to help thee.”
When the Moon had approached Bateta, he showed the golden fruit of the banana—which was the same plant whose leaves had formed the first bed of himself and wife.
“O Bateta, smell this fruit. How likest thou its fragrance?”
“It is beautiful and sweet. O Moon, if it be as wholesome for the body as it is sweet to smell, my wife will rejoice in it.”
Then the Moon peeled the banana and offered it to Bateta, upon which he boldly ate it, and the flavour was so pleasant that he besought permission to take one to his wife. When Hanna had tasted it she also appeared to enjoy it; but she said, “Tell Moon that I need something else, for I have no strength, and I am thinking that this fruit will not give to me what I lose by these children.”
Bateta went out and prayed to Moon to listen to Hanna’s words—which when he had heard, he said, “It was known to me that this should be, wherefore look round, Bateta, and tell me what thou seest moving yonder.”
“Why, that is a buffalo.”