Ira-Waru and Hina-Uri.
(Arawa.)

Hina-uri (gloaming), a sister of Maui, was a most beautiful woman, who was taken to wife by Ira-waru (wart shaved).

Maui and his brother-in-law went to sea to fish, but Maui did not catch any fish because his hook was barbless. He observed that Ira-waru caught many fish, and he wondered why he should be so unsuccessful when Ira-waru caught so many. At last Ira-waru hooked a fish, and in pulling it in his line became tangled with that of Maui. Maui felt the jerking of the fish on his line, and began to pull it in. Soon they had pulled their lines close up to the canoe, one to the bows, the other to the stern, where each was sitting. Maui said, “Let me pull the lines to me, as the fish is on my hook;” but his brother-in-law said, “Not so; the fish is on mine.” But Maui said, “Let me pull my line in.” Ira-waru did so, and saw that the fish was on his hook. Ira-waru said, “Untwist our lines and let mine go, that I may pull page 122 the fish in.” Maui said, “I will do so, but let me have time.” But he took the fish off the hook of Ira-waru, and saw that there was a barb on the hook; then he said to Ira-waru, “Perhaps we ought to return to land.” Ira-waru consented, and when they were dragging the canoe on shore Maui said to him, “Get between the canoe and outrigger and drag.” Ira-waru did so, and Maui leaped on the outrigger and weighed it heavily down, and crushed Ira-waru, and he lay prostrate on the beach. Maui trod on him and pulled his backbone long, and turned him into a dog, and gave him filth to eat. Maui returned home, and was seen by his sister, who asked “Where is your brother-in-law?” Maui said, “He is near our canoe; I left him there.” Hina-uri said, “Why have you not both returned together?” Maui said, “He wished me to say that you were to go and bring his fish. But if you go, and do not see your husband there, you must call for him; and if he does not answer, you must call him as you would call for a dog.” She went, but did not meet her husband there, so she called aloud for him; but he did not answer. She then called, “Moi, moi, moi, moi-i-i.” Ira-waru heard the voice of Hina-uri, and answered, “Ao, ao, a-o-o, a-o-o,” and came towards her wagging his tail. She was shocked and quite overcome by the strange appearance of her husband, and returned weeping, the dog following her. She entered her house and took a girdle and apron to bind around her to go and drown herself, that she might be eaten by the monsters of the sea; and, having arrived on the sea-coast, she sat down and composed the following song:—

I weep, I call to the steep billows of the sea,
And him, the great, the ocean-god—
To monsters all now hidden there,
And seals, to come and me entomb
Who now are wrapped in mourning garb.
And let the waves wear their mourning too,
And sleep as sleeps the dead.
I weep, I call to monster shells of ocean deep,
And thou, great wave of endless roar,
page 123 To come and me engulf. Yes, me,
Who, calling now, implore a mighty host
To come and gratify my ardent wish.
Let the heavens wear their mourning garb,
And me sleep the sleep of death.
The tide of life glides swiftly past
And mingles all in one great eddying foam.
O heaven, now sleeping! rouse thee, rise to power.
And, O thou earth! awake, exert thy might for me
And open wide the door to my last home
Where calm and quiet rest awaits me in the sky.
The sun declines, and hides in dusky eve,
And I will leap to the sacred isle.
Oh! stay, thou voice of mine own heavenly bird—
The one bird, now far up in the heavens,
Whose voice with double sound
Now weeps, now sings on ocean coast,
Close by my Wai-ra-rawa home.
Smite me, thrust me into blackest night
And endless gloom,
Where I may stay upon the border-land
And rest submissive to my fate.

She then threw herself into the sea, and after many moons her dead body drifted on shore close to her home at Wai-ra-rawa (water shone on by the sun), and was seen lying in the sand by Ihu-ata-mai (comely nose) and Ihu-ware-ware (forgotten nose). They carried it to the house and put it close to the fire, and rubbed the moss and sea-weed off, and she awoke to life again. They saw how beautiful she was, and took her as their wife. They asked her name. She did not tell them her former name, but assumed a new one, and said, “My name is Ihu-ngaru-paea” (nose that has been driven on shore by the waves).

Soon after this Ihu-ware-ware went and told Tini-rau (many hundreds) about their wife; so Tini-rau came to the home of Ihu-ata-mai, and took Hina-uri away to make her his wife. At this time she was expecting to become the mother of the child of Ihu-ata-mai. Tini-rau led her to his home—to Motu-tapu (sacred island)—where his two wives, named Hara-taunga (suitable) and Horo-tata (quickly), the daughters of Manga-manga-i-atua (twigs that became gods) lived. When they saw page 124 Hina-uri in company with Tini-rau they were angry with their husband, and went to kill Ihu-ngaru-paea, and cursed her. She was grieved at their conduct, and determined to bewitch them, and chanted this incantation:—

Let the booming blows of the axe be heard,
And pain the head with deafening din.
The axe, oh yes! to smite your head.
The axe to scatter all your brains.
Oh! now the blows of the axe are heard,
And chips are scattered far and wide.
Yes, the axe of Whiro the monster,
When used by you, O Kai-tangata (man-eater)!

No sooner was this charm repeated by Hina-uri than the soles of the feet of the two women were seen in the air, and their bodies were stretched on the ground, and Hina-uri (or Ihu-ngaru-paea) had Tini-rau all to herself.

Ira-Waru And Hina-Uri. (Arawa.)

This is yet another account of Maui and his brother-in-law Ira-waru; but each tribe has its own account of the acts of these two:—

Maui and his brother-in-law Ira-waru went on a visit to a distant place and stayed there for some time. When they were about to return Maui said to Ira-waru, “Take something for us to eat on the road.” Ira-waru said, “I have had sufficient to eat.” Maui chanted an incantation that the road might be extended, and that they might have far to travel, and that his brother-ill-law should feel the need of food. Maui provided a little food for himself. When they sat down to rest Maui partook of this food, while Ira-waru sat in silence without anything to eat. Maui said to Ira-waru, “Come and clean my head.” Ira-waru did so, and then Maui said, “Let me clean your head.” Ira-waru went and laid down in front of Maui for the purpose, but Maui had no intention of cleaning his head, for while he was pretending to do so he was silently chanting an incantation over Ira-waru to put him to sleep. Then while he slept Maui trod on his backbone, and pulled it, and made it long, like a page 125 tail, and when he awoke he had become a dog, and Maui fed him with filth. Maui left Ira—waru then and returned to the settlement. The women of the place asked, “Where is your brother-in-law?” Maui said, “I left him yonder. Call him.” One of the females called, “Ira-waru, where are you?” Maui said, “He will not heed a call like that.” She asked, “How, then, shall I call?” He said, “Call like this ‘Moi, moi, moi.’” She called as directed, and Ira-waru came to the settlement in the form of a dog, and went about wagging his tail.

Maui and Ira-Waru. (Nga-ti-Hau.)

Maui and his brother-in-law Ira-waru went on a journey to a distant land. On the way Maui observed that Ira-waru had a gluttonous appetite, for at each settlement they visited, when the people prepared food for them, Ira-waru invariably began to eat at once, and always ate all the preserved birds placed before them; and this was the reason for Maui acting as he afterwards did with his brother-in-law.

On their return they went to the top of a hill and lay down and slept. Maui was the first to awake, and, seeing Ira-waru still asleep, he went up to him and pulled his ears long, also his feet and his backbone, and his nose, and placed some filth near him, and left him and went home. The wife of Ira-waru, the sister of Maui, asked him, “Where is your brother-in-law?” Maui answered, “Perhaps he is asleep; perhaps he is on the top of the hill where people sit and rest.” But Maui added, “Call him.” She called, “Ira-waru, O Ira-waru! come home;” but no answer came. Maui said to her, “Call him again, and say ‘Moi, moi.’” She did so, and a dog came running to her. Ira-waru had become a dog.

Maui.(Nga-ti-Hau.)

Karakia (incantations) are repeated to Maui when parties go to catch eels, and are also chanted to him at the planting page 126 and harvesting of the kumara-crop. This is the commencement of one of the incantations chanted at such times:—

Maui, oh! give your comb
For the eel-weir.
That Maui's comb
May come with the shining moon.

This incantation is one used to take the tapu off those who have been engaged in planting, and is called Te-maire-hua-kai-a-maui (the song of Maui, the song of plenty).

Maui. (Nga-ti-Hau.)

When Maui and his elder brothers went to get worms as bait to catch eels, the elder brothers strung their worms on a piece of flax or the mid-rib of a nikau-leaf, without tying a knot at the end of it; but Maui tied his worms, when strung, into a ball: and he caught eels, while the lines of his elder brothers were stripped clean without an eel being caught. So they asked him how he caught the eels that took his bait; and then he showed them how he tied the worms on his line.

Maui. (Nga-ti-Hau.)

Maui tattooed the muzzle of the dog with his uhi (instrument for tattooing) and made it black, and the kahui-tara (flock of tern—Sterna frontalis) took the pattern and marked the sky with red, which may still occasionally be seen on it. They also caused the red glow which frequently shines on the face of man.

Maui. (Nga-ti-Hau.)

Whai (or cat's-cradle) is a game played by the adult as well as the youths, and exhibits the various steps of the creation in accordance with the Maori mythology. Every change in the cradle shows some act in the creation, and also illustrates the conduct of Hine-nui-te-po and Maui, when he attempted to go through her.

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The fire of Manona (Manono) (Coprosma grandifolia) set the world on fire.

Tini-Rau And Kae. (Nga-ti-Hau.)

With Kae originated family quarrels and cannibalism amongst our tribes. He borrowed a whale from Tini-rau to carry him back to his own home; and, instead of returning it to Tini-rau, killed it, and he and his people ate it. Then the daughter of Tini-rau took Kae prisoner, and conveyed him to Tini-rau, who killed and ate him. Tu-huru-huru was afterwards killed in revenge for the death of Kae; and in return for Tu-huru-huru's death, Whaka-tau killed Mango-pare (shark with projecting forehead) and Mango-waho (shark on the outside), and burnt the house called Tini-o-manono (many of Manono). Every succeeding generation followed this custom of killing and eating man; and when the Tai-nui, Te-arawa, and Mata-atua canoes crossed the sea and came to these islands (New Zealand), the practice was still continued.

Tini-Rau. (Nga-ti-Hau.)

Tini-rau (many hundreds), who was descended from Taka-roa-te-ihu-pu (procrastinator of the exact nose), was a chief of the islands of the north, and was celebrated for his fine form and beauty of face. To gratify his vanity, several pools of clear water were set apart for his use, in which he might admire the reflection of his face. He also kept several whales as mokai or pets. One of these was called Tutu-nui (abundant in oil).

The fame of this chief reached the ears of Hine-i-te-iwa-iwa (hiwahiwa) (daughter ever watchful), a lady of rank in a distant tribe, whose desire to see for herself became so great that she determined to go and see, and by personal inspection to test the truth of what she had heard. One day, while she was out with the women of her tribe getting mussels, she suddenly jumped into the sea, and dived until she came up near a rock at some distance from the shore. There she sat for some time, page 128 and then dived again into the water, and came up near the abode of Tini-rau. By thus going into the sea she had acquired the power to transform herself at will into a being which was half fish and half woman. She sat on the shore near Tini-rau's house for some time, thinking over the adventures she had had on the way, and her conversation with the various fish she had met in the sea—with the shark, the kaha-wai, and other fish—and considering what her next act should be to attain her object and introduce herself to this great man, before she resumed her form of woman. Knowing his vanity, she resolved to attract the attention of Tinirau by jumping into his pools of water and making them muddy. These pools were under the guardianship of a bird called Ruru-ata-mai (owl that is tame), which was perched on the branch of a tree in the vicinity. He saw what Hine had done, and at once called to Tini-rau, who was sitting on an elevated stage sunning himself. Tini-rau at once came to see what was the matter, and, seeing the lady, he at once fell in love with her; but, as he had other wives, he was obliged to keep Hine in a secret place for fear of them. This he did until the time came when she should give birth to a child, and then the fact became known to the other wives, who, wild with jealousy, came to kill Hine. She was in great fear until she observed that in their attack on her each one came from a different point. Then she uttered a powerful karakia (incantation), and threw a stone, which killed the one who was nearest. Her body burst open, and it was seen to be full of greenstone. The next wife was killed in the same way, and her body found to be like the first. And thus originated the greenstone, or pou-namu.

After some time Hine returned to her friends, and Tini-rau, missing her society, went after her. When he approached the pa where she lived, he saw some children playing at the back of the pa in a swamp covered with the kakaho reed. He hid himself amongst the reeds, and made a noise to attract the attention of the children, who went to see what occasioned it. page 129 He recognized his own son amongst these children, by a mark which he had on his body. He had a talk with the child, and sent by him as a present to his mother a bag tied round his neck, filled with kara-mea (a moss that has a strong sweet smell). This bag had been a present from Hine in the days of first love, and Tini-rau had from that time constantly worn it round his neck as a charm. The child took it to his mother, who at once recognized it, and came herself to see Tini-rau, and took him into the pa, where he was welcomed, and received with marks of great distinction. He remained there for some time. By-and-by the people of the pa suffered severely for want of food. Tini-rau promised them a plentiful supply of fish, provided they all remained in their houses, and kept their doors fast shut until he gave the orders to come out. This they agreed to do. He then uttered a powerful incantation, and at once the people heard a loud sound like that of a rushing wind, which continued all through the night; and when morning came, and the order to look out was given, to their great amazement they found the inside of the pa filled up to the food-store (whata) with all kinds of fish. After a time Hine returned with Tini-rau to his own home. A man named Kae, who was a great friend of Hine, accompanied them; and when Kae wanted to return home to his own people and country, Tini-rau lent him, as a mark of his regard, his pet whale Tutu-nui, to carry him across the sea. Kae safely reached his own pa on the back of the whale; but, instead of letting it return, he drove it ashore and killed it, and made a large fire with koromiko shrub and roasted it. Tini-rau smelt the odour whilst the cooking was going on; and at once guessed the cause. To be revenged for such a wrong act, Tini-rau called his two sisters, and bade them go and kill Kae, whom he described to them in this way: “Kae has lost his two front teeth, and is ashamed to open his mouth for fear of being made sport of for his loss; therefore try by every art you can devise to make him laugh, and you will be able to discover him by his lost teeth.” The sisters went as directed, and arrived at the pa page 130 where Kae lived. They were not long there before they saw a person whom they thought was Kae, and tried in every way they could think of to make him laugh, but for a long time without success. At last they sang some very indecent hakas (songs), which made this man laugh outright, so that they were able to see that the man they had supposed was Kae was the man they were in search of, because he had lost his two front teeth. And now that Kae was discovered, the sisters consulted together as to how they should get him to the home of Tini-rau. Now, Kae had built a nice new house for himself: of this the sisters made an exact design, and sent it to Tini-rau with directions to build one exactly like it; and when this was done they caused Kae and all the people of his settlement to sleep a long sleep under the influence of their karakia; and while Kae thus slept the sisters lifted him into a litter, and conveyed him to the house made by Tini-rau, where they laid him down until he awoke; and then they questioned him, saying, “Kae, where are you?” He answered, “In my own house, to be sure. Where else?” Again they asked, “Kae, where are you?” He answered, “In my own house.” They again asked, “Kae, where are you?” Kae then looked out of the door of the house, and, seeing a different country from that around his own place, he began to suspect the truth of his situation; and then they rushed upon him and speared him to death.

Tini-Rau. The Haka That Made Kae Laugh. (Nga-ti-Hau.)

This is the haka, which was sung with an accompaniment on the pakuru:—

[The pakuru was made of a piece of matai wood about eighteen inches long and about an inch in diameter, slightly flat in the centre, and tapering a little at each end; the ends were carved, and the middle was left smooth. It was suspended on the thumb of the left hand, by a piece of string tied to each end of it, so page 131 that one end should be a little within the teeth when the mouth was partially open. The performer held in his right hand, interlaced between the three middle fingers, another piece of matai wood, about ten inches long and about as thick as a man's middle finger, and with this he struck the suspended stick gently, while he breathed the words of the chant, producing the higher or lower tones by closing or opening his lips.]

Salt sea, fresh water,
Salt sea, fresh water,
Follow to the sea-side—
To babbling Tu.
Add to the power—
To the giddy space
On the tree's high twig—
To the side-power.
The trembling chest,
With bursts of laughter,
Repaying my game.
The game is yours;
But who shall receive
The honour gained?
Oh! give it to Tu
Of the ocean-shore.
Oh, no! not so—
Not to Ngarue-mata-puru-titohea.
Oh! why refrain
To beat his head
With a round-plait line
Or a three-, or four-, or five-plait rope?
Skip, yes, fly on to Roto-rua—
To the fountain-head
Of Tama-kopiri—
And elude the Tanga-roa stream.
And then let it die?
Oh, no, no! be brave.
Hine-nou cursed you,
And Hine-nou alone.
She of the red head,
Of the fire of Kou,
Consuming you now, even
Of Haere-iti and
Of Ko-ngutu.
The tui-flesh
And the flesh of the kaka;
But the flesh of man

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Is nobler still.
Give me a band
To tie me round,
To make me calm.

Tini-Rau. (Nga-i-tahu.)

Tini-rau was descended from Taka-roa-te-ihu-pu. One day, whilst he lived at his home with his people, Ruru-ware-ware and Ruru-ata-mai came to Tini-rau and said, “Your house containing the pool in which you bathe and see your reflection has been broken down, and the pool has been destroyed. The enclosures also are destroyed by two men, one of whom has eight tuki (knobs of hair) on his neck.” So Tini-rau went to see what had taken place. Now, Hine-te-weiwei (Hine-te-iwa-iwa) had just come from a distance to see Tini-rau, and as she came by the pools she trampled grass into the end of one of them, and went into the house and lay down. When Tini-rau went, in company with Ruru-wareware and Ruru-ata-mai, to see Hine-te-weiwei, he fell in love with her, and she with him, and they lived together till a child was born. Then Makamaka-i-tu-riri (the enraged one) and Makamaka-e-tu-hae (the jealous one) came with enchantments to kill Hine-te-weiwei. Hine-te-weiwei took her weapons and killed them, and, because they had swallowed the bait and hooks and line belonging to Tini-rau, Hine-te-weiwei cut them open and recovered these articles.

One night, while Tini-rau and his wife slept in the open air, Rupe came and took Hine-te-weiwei and her child from him. Then Tini-rau called aloud to his progenitors to come to his help, and Tutu-nui and others came out of their caves and carried Tini-rau in pursuit of his wife and child. Tini-rau went overland and arrived at the place where his wife was. He met his child and asked, “What are those things you are carrying?” The child said, “They are garments I am taking to be washed.” Tini-rau said, “Do not tie the fastening of these things with a knot.”

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The child went to the settlement and said to the people, “I have seen a man who has eight pori (rings) of fat round his neck.”

In the evening, when Tini-rau met his wife, they wept over each other, and he stayed there. But, because her relatives said, “Get some food for Tini-rau,” she was much ashamed at her forgetfulness.

Tini-rau ordered an altar, or medium betwixt the gods and man, to be made, and went and called aloud to his progenitors to send food for him. At the same time he threw a piece of wood into the sea, and two fish came on to it. The altar or medium was made, and put on the two fish, and they were allowed to go where they pleased; and as they went fish jumped on to the altar or medium, so that when day dawned the place where the people resided was covered with fish and seals, which kept the people occupied one moon in killing the seals and cutting them and the fish up.

Now, Kae, who had come to baptize the child of Tini-rau, had placed four pieces of wood across from other pieces to form a raft for the back of Tutu-nui; and on this raft Kae was taken home. But, instead of sending Tutu-nui back again, Kae pushed him on shore, and, in revenge for the abduction of Hine-te-weiwei, killed him, and the people of Kae cut him up on the sea-shore of Wai-o-newa (water of the grey stone). Tini-rau went to the peak of the hill to watch for the return of Tutu-nui, and said, “How sweet the north wind smells with the odour of Tutu-nui!” Tini-rau's sisters then joined him, and they went away in search of Kae. They danced and made grimaces at each settlement. They went to many settlements till they found Kae; and the bones of Tutu-nui rattled in recognition of their presence as the sisters went near them. They danced in the presence of Kae, and recognized him by his broken tooth, and when he slept they tied him up in a mat, one end of which was held by Tini-rau, and thus they carried him to the home of Tini-rau, and laid him outside of the house. In the morning Kae was untied, and when the mat was taken off he was seen page 134 sitting up. Tini-rau screwed his ears off and ate them raw. His body was eaten also, and the ceremony of thank-offering to the gods was performed, and also the ceremony performed at the planting of the kumara, because of the capture of Kae and the ample revenge they had obtained.

Tini-Rau. (Nga-i-tahu.)

The fame of the nobleness of Tini-rau was heard by Hine-te-iwaiwa (daughter of the mediator), and she determined to go and see him, and, if possible, obtain him as her husband. On her way she saw stranded on the sea-beach a shark of that variety the teeth of which are prized as ear-ornaments. She said to it, “O fish! O fish! you are not a messenger of Tini-rau.” And she threw some filth on it. She next saw a whale in a similar predicament, and said and did the same as to the shark. Seeing a karaerae she repeated the same words and action; but when she saw a repe (a sea-shell from which a sacred dye is obtained) lying on the sea-beach she placed her maro (apron) on the point of the shell, and then went to the settlement of Tini-rau, and saw the four pools where he bathed, and where he went to see his own reflection. She broke the doors and fences of three of these. When Ruru-wareware (stupid owl) and Ruru-mahara (thoughtful owl), the guardians of these pools, saw her, Ruru-mahara spoke, and said to his companion, “The pools, the reflecting waters of Tini-rau, have been destroyed;” but Ruru-wareware said, “No such thing.” Then Tini-rau ordered them to go and see if it were so; but they had not to go far, as from a distance they could see the destruction at the pools. Then they returned, and Ruru-mahara told Tini-rau that the enclosures of the pools had been battered down; but Ruru-wareware said, “Those are words of fiction.” But Ruru-mahara persisted, and said, “Who will support your assertion? The enclosures of the pools are knocked down.” Tini-rau said, “You two stay here, and I will go and see for myself.” Hine-te-iwaiwa page 135 saw him coming, and saluted him. He returned her salutation, and they sat down together, and she said, “When you go out on the sea to fish do you obtain any?” He answered, “No, I do not catch any.” She said, “When you pull your line up do you always find your hook and sinker there?” He answered, “I find my hook and sinker gone.” Tini-rau's wives, Maka-i-atua-uriuri (black god like a barracouta) and Maka-i-atua-haehae (rending god like a barracouta), sent Ruru-mahara and Ruru-ware-ware to see where Tini-rau was staying. They found Tini-rau with Hine-te-iwaiwa, and returned, and Ruru-mahara said, “We saw two heads and four feet;” but Ruru-wareware said, “It is all fiction.” Then Tini-rau lived with Hine-te-iwaiwa till she expected to be a mother. One day he said to her, “Let us go to my settlement, as we shall have food provided for us there;” but she chanted,—

Let it down, let it down—
Descend, oh! descend,—

and sufficient food came down before them. They ate this, but they were cold for want of clothing; and Tini-rau said, “Let us go to my home; we shall be chilled here.” She repeated her chant again, and garments came down before them, and they were kept warm. They continued to live there till her child was born, and when he was some moons old the other wives of Tini-rau came to see them. Tini-rau said to Hine-te-iwaiwa, “Be cautious how you deport yourself before your sisters-in-law (my other wives).” She answered, “If they come in anger it will be evil.” When they came near to Hine-te-iwaiwa she rose and stood erect, holding in her hand the obsidian with which the umbilical cord of her child had been cut. One of the visitors, Maka-i-atua-uriuri, made a blow at Hine-te-iwaiwa with her weapon. She warded it off, and struck her assailant with the obsidian, and killed her. Then Maka-i-atua-haehae made a blow at Hine-te-iaiwa with her weapon, but Hine-te-iwaiwa killed her also; and as she ripped the women open she called to Tini- page 136 rau and said, “Look here. Here, lying before you, are your sinkers and fishing gear, and other things which you had lost from your home.”

Tini-rau and Hine-te-iwaiwa continued to live together for some time at their home, and one sunny day Tini-rau said to Hine-te-iwaiwa, “Clean my head.” And then he cleaned her head; but while he did so he made some disrespectful remarks about her, and a mist covered the settlement and settled down on them, and the voice of Ruru was heard in the fog singing,—

It is Rupe, yes, Rupe
The elder brother.
And I am here,
Hine-te-iwaiwa.

Ruru came down and took his sister away. Tini-rau exclaimed, “O Ruru! let our sister come back, as I now for the first time have heard her called by this name (Hine-te-iwaiwa). O Ruru! send her back. Hine-te-ngaru-moana (daughter of the sea-wave) was her name to us.” Ruru took her away; but Tini-rau determined to go after his wife, so he got on to the back of his progenitor Tutu-nui (fountain of oil-a whale), and while he went by sea his birds flew over the land to gain, if possible, any news of Hine-te-iwaiwa. As they passed over the various settlements, when the birds uttered a cry Tini-rau knew that his wife was not there.

He went on his voyage, and met Kai (food) (or Ngai—shell of a shell-fish), who was sailing on his way in an ou-titipa (shell of the shell-fish tipa, or a canoe made of a bundle of twigs). Kai called to Tini-rau and said, “Let me have your canoe, that I may judge what it is like.” Tini-rau said, “And let me have yours.” So they each changed into the conveyance of the other, and as Kai left him Tini-rau called and said, “Go in the deep water, and do not let my progenitor (the whale you are on) go into shallow water, but get off him whilst in the deep water.” Kai went away, but, instead of getting off as soon as Tutu-nui shook himself, he remained on the back of the whale until the page 137 gills of the fish got filled with mud, and he died and was cut up (by Kai).

After Tini-rau parted from Kai he made very little progress with his paddling, so he called to Tau-tini (numberless) and Whare-reperepe (house of dowry), and got into them, and went on in the Whare-reperepe listening to the voices of his attendant birds, until he heard them make a prolonged cry and saw them hover over a settlement; and there he landed expecting to find his wife. As he went forward he met the younger sister of Hine-te-iwaiwa, and asked her, “Where are you going?” She said, “I am going to the place where the garments of the child of my sister Hine-te-iwaiwa and of Tini-rau are being washed.” He said, “Let me wash one of them.” She answered, “Who says so? No; I will do it.” But he importuned her and washed one garment, and when it was clean he gave it back to her to take to Hine-te-iwaiwa; to whom she said, “I met a man who asked me where I was going, and when I told him he desired to wash one of the child's garments; and I let him do so.” Hine-te-iwaiwa said “Give me some karetu (Hierochloe redolens) grass;” and, having selected two bundles, she made a knot on each— one for the male line of ancestors and gods, and one for the female line—and then said to her sister, “Take these knots of karetu, and go and throw them at the man. First throw the bundle with the knot for the male line, and if he catch it come back to me.” She did so, and Tini-rau caught the first bundle. She then returned and told her sister. Hine-te-iwaiwa said, “When it is evening you must go to the house (whare matoro) where the young people amuse themselves with games, and if they order you out you must persist in staying, and if necessary say, ‘Hine-te-iwaiwa told me to come and stay here.’” The sister went, and they ordered her away, saying, “You are sacred: you nurse the child of Hine-te-iwaiwa, and cannot stay with us for fear of the tapu on you.” She answered them, “The child might be sacred if both his parents were with him, but as only one is here his tapu is harmless.”

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That night the greenstone door of the house of Hine-te-iwaiwa was dragged aside (d); and when those in the playhouse heard it, they called, “Who is it, O Hine-te-iwaiwa! Who is opening the door of the house of your child?” She answered, “I have been out, and have come in again.” This was not the fact, for it was Tini-rau who had opened the door and had gone into the house. On the following morning Hine-te-iwaiwa rose and went out and called to all the people and said, “Your brother-in-law has come.” Then all the people assembled and wept over Tini-rau, and bade him welcome. He stayed with them some time, until he again began to think of his pet whale which he had lent to Kai. Then he went up on to the peak of a hill and began to sniff for his pet. He had sniffed all the winds: at last he sniffed the land-breeze, which carried on it the savoury smell of Tutu-nui; and when he smelt this he uttered these words, which have been used as a proverb ever since,” Oh, how savoury is the smell of Tutu-nui brought by this air!” The people heard him utter these words, and said, “He is uttering proverbs.” Then Tini-rau returned to the house and wept, and when his sisters heard it they went and wept with him. He said to them, “Do you go and visit each settlement in succession and try to gain news of Kai and my pet whale. You will not mistake Kai: he is fully clothed, and his garments are pinned (d) up, and if he laughs you will see a broken tooth—that is Kai.”

The sisters went, accompanied by their pet birds, which flew above them as they travelled. Over each settlement the birds uttered a short cry and went on; but the sisters stayed a short time in each and danced, and then followed after the birds until the birds arrived at Kai's settlement, where the birds cried and stayed. So the sisters knew that Kai was there, and there they found him, sitting at the foot of the principal post that supported the ridge pole of his house. They began to haka (dance); but Kai did not laugh—he sat with his head bowed down. Again, in the evening, they performed a dance; still Kai would page 139 not laugh. But when they performed the haka with ogling, and grimaces, and contortions of the body, Kai burst into a loud laugh, and their object was accomplished, and they ceased their game, and chanted incantations to lull Kai to sleep. They then left the house, and performed the ceremonies and chanted the incantations to Rangi, and wove a basket to carry Kai in. They made a hand-net also. This is the chant they sang whilst making this net:—

Weave the hand-net, weave it.
The hand-net of whom?
The hand-net of the trifler,
The net of the bald.
Weave the net, weave it.
Weave the inevitable.
What he may expect.
The fate of whom?
The fate of the trifler,
The doom of the bald.
Weave the fate, weave it.

They entered the house with the baskets, and, as Kai was still asleep, they lifted him into the long basket (Pure-rangi), chanting as they did so this incantation:—

Lift him, lift him, the dandled-to-and-fro;
Lift him into the net.
Into the net of whom?
The net of the trifler,
The net of the bald.
Dandle him to and fro, to and fro,
While still the shade of night is here.

Kai was carried to the settlement of Tini-rau, who became aware of their approach by hearing his sisters' loud laughter. They brought Kai to the house and said to Tini-rau, “There is Kai.” Tini-rau asked, “Where” They said, “Outside of your house.” He went to satisfy himself that there was no mistake about the man the women had taken. When day dawned Tini-rau went to Kai and said “O Kai! awake and look around, and see if this is your own land.” Kai arose, and, seeing where he was, uttered loud cries of wailing. Tini-rau said, “Did Tutu-nui make page 140 so loud a wail, when his skin was cut?” Kai was then killed in payment for Tutu-nui, and satisfaction was obtained.

Tini-rau lived some time with his wife's relatives; but one day when his wife went and sat down to eat with them they nudged her away, and said, “Your husband does not go to get food.” She wept, and, being seen by Tini-rau, he inquired the cause. She told him that her younger sisters had said, “Your husband does not provide food for you.” Tini-rau said, “Oh! these are but words. On the morrow go to your elder brothers and say, ‘Go and cut much timber to build a stage to put food on,’ and let your brothers and sisters build the stage.” They went for many days and obtained much timber to build the stage, and then they said, “Let this suffice. Where will all the food come from to fill such a stage as this will build?” Tini-rau said, “Go and tell them to build the stage still larger.” They did so, and again they said, “Where can food enough be obtained to fill this stage?” They still added to the stage, until they became weary because of the size they had built it. Then Tini-rau told them to cease extending it, and to commence to make the floor. When this had been completed Tini-rau told his wife to go and procure two pieces of wood by which to obtain fire by friction. These he took, and went to the sea-coast and made a fire, and performed ceremonies and chanted incantations, and returned and entered his house. Soon afterwards a fish fell in front of the house of his child; but, as the people had retired to rest, they did not hear it fall. Then, when they were all asleep, fish began to fall in such quantities that the stage was soon full, and all the space in the settlement was covered, and the fences were being broken down by the weight of the fish, and even the houses were now being covered. And when morning came all was covered with fish save the house of his child, where only one fish lay, and that was the first fish of the sacrifice.