ðə mˈʌdmɛn kʊd nˌɑːt kˈʌvɚ ðɛɹ fˈeɪsᵻz bɪkˈʌz lˈɛdʒəndz sˈeɪ ðætðə pˈiːpəl ʌv pˈæpjuːə nˈuː ɡˈɪni θˈɔːt ðætðə mˈʌd fɹʌmðɪ ɐsˈæɹoʊ ɹˈɪvɚ wʌz pˈɔɪzənəs.
The mudmen could not cover their faces because legends say that the people of Papua New Guinea thought that the mud from the Asaro river was poisonous.