Sacred Texts  Pacific  Index  Previous  Next   p. 258    ONE of
the most important myths or series of myths in the Carolines,
outside of the more strictly cosmogonic tales, is that
describing the exploits of Olofat or Olifat, the eldest son of
Luke-lang, the highest deity. In the version from the central
Carolines, which is here followed, 1 he appears as a
mischievous, almost malicious, person who stands in marked
contrast to his brother or brothers, who are beneficent; and it
is interesting to compare this antithesis of malice and goodness
with Melanesian types. 2  Olofat saw that one of his brothers
was better than he and also more beautiful, and at this he
became angry. Looking down from the sky-world and seeing two
boys who had caught a couple of sharks, with which they were
playing in a fishpond, he descended to earth and gave the sharks
teeth, so that they bit the hands of the children. When the boys
ran home crying with pain and told their troubles to their
mother, Ligoapup, who was the sister of Olofa