T. H. Smith. ^ — On Maori. Proverbs. 115 



followed by the eye, but not the pattern or figuring of the 

 heart"). 



There are very many proverbs in praise of industry, and 

 holding up the lazy and indolent to scorn : " Taane rou kakahi, 

 ka moea ; taane nioe i roto i te whare, kurua te takataka " 

 (" Husband clever in getting the kakahi [a fresh- water shell- 

 fish] shall be loved ; husband who sleeps his time away shall 

 be cuffed"). "Tama tu, tania ora; tama noho, tama mate 

 kai " (" Son up and doing, prosperous son ; son sitting, hungry 

 son "). 



Some of the proverbs are very severe upon greediness and 

 gluttony, &c., and are rather plain-spoken than elegant: 

 " Hohonu kaki, papaku uaua " ("Deep in throat, shallow in 

 muscle"). " Tohu noa ana koe, e Eangikiato, he whata kei 

 te kakii " (" Dost fancy, O Rangikiato ! thou hast a food-store 

 in thy throat, that thou art stowing away food there at that 

 rate ? "). " He kai ko tau e pahure " (" A good trencherman — 

 feeding is the work you are best at "). " To kaha kei te kaki, 

 karapetau tonu " ("Thy strength lies in thy throat — thy feats 

 are feats of swallowing "). 



Proverbs directed against those who claim to share in the 

 products of the labour of others, having shirked tlieir sliare of 

 that labour: "I whea koe i te tangihanga o te riroriro?" 

 (" Where were you when the rirorii-o sang ?" — in the spring, or 

 planting-time). "I whea koe i te ngahorotanga o te rau o 

 te kotukutuku? " ("Where were you when the leaf of the kotu- 

 kutuku fell?" — in the autumn and winter, when the forest is 

 felled to make a new plantation). 



There are also proverbs relating to neglect or missing 

 ■of opportunities : " B kore te patiki e hoki ki taua puehu " 

 (" The flounder does not return to the place he left when dis- 

 turbed " — The same chance will not present itself twice). 

 "He manu ka motu i te mahanga ekore e taea te whai " 

 (" The bird which has escaped from the snare it is vain to 

 follow"). 



A talebearer is often checked and rebuked by a prijverb — 

 thus: " Ko korua peako Tama-arero i haere tahi mai? " (" You 

 and Mr. Tongue's son travelled hei'e together perliaps ?"). " I 

 haere mai pea koe i te kaainga i a Te Arahori ?'" (" Have you 

 come from the settlement of Arahori ? " — lying path, or path of 

 lying). " Na Tangokorero pea koe i tono mai ki konei '.' " 

 (" Mr. Newsmonger sent you here, perhaps?"). 



Among miscellaneous proverbs, 1 have selected a few show- 

 ing a discriminating appreciation of things worthy of admira- 

 tion or reprobation : " He pai kai, ekore e roa te tirohanga; 

 he pai kanohi, e roa te tirohanga " (" Choice food gives but a 

 passing gratification ; a pleasing countenance a mor-e lasting 

 one " — A thing of beauty is a joy foi' ever). " Kotuku kai 



