Best. — Food Products of Tuhoeland. 99 



" Kotahi ou kai, kotahi ou tangata" (One food, one 

 person — you have only provided food for yourself and none 

 for your companion). 



" Kaua e huirangitia te kai, engari e tau ki raro" (Do 

 not eat standing; sit down to your meal). It is an evil omen 

 for a war party on the march to eat standing. 



" Te kai a te wacivae e kimi' (When in travelling 

 we chance upon food our legs found it for us). 



" Nga uri o Mahanga whakarere kai, whakarere ivaka " 

 (The offspring of Mahanga, who abandoned food and canoe). 

 Mahanga was having a canoe made at Raorao-totara, near 

 Mount Edgecumbe, and the canoe was shattered by an 

 accident, which so disgusted Mahanga that he left his canoe 

 and his meal and at once migrated north, nor did he ever 

 return. 



" Waiho i kona nga tama a te ngahuru haere ai " (Let 

 the offspring of the autumn alone to stroll about as he 

 likes). The sons of Koira of old used to absent themselves 

 from home when work was toward in the planting season, 

 but when the crops were gathered they returned to where 

 food was plentiful. Some one asked Koira why his sons did 

 not assist him in his labours, and he made the above reply. 



" E ivhai i muri i a Behua, kia kai ai koe i te kai ' 

 (Follow after Eehua that you may obtain plenty of food. 

 When travelling always join a chief's party and you will 

 fare well). 



" Haere i raro % te kaahu korako " (Travel under the 

 wing of the white hawk) . A similar saying to the foregoing 

 one. 



To a person who turns up his nose at the food before 

 him we say, " E kore te kino kai e what ki te pai tangata; 

 ko te pai tangata e tvhai ki te kino kai." 



" Ehara ta te tangata kai, he kai titongi kaki ; e kore 

 e rite ki tana akc, tino kai, tino makona " (The eating of 

 other people's food merely tickles the palate, but that gained 

 by our own exertion is best and most satisfying). 



" Kai hoki i Waiaua ra" (There is food also at Wai-aua. 

 I won't stay to eat with you, but push on to my destina- 

 tion before I eat). 



" Tu ana rae roa, noho ana rae poto " (When visitors arrive 

 the meal will be over). 



" He ivaru ki rung a, he rare ki raro " (Summer above, in- 

 dolence below). 



" Kai kino ana a Te Arahe." Te Arahe was a person who 

 used to store up dainties and eat them in secret that she 

 might not have to share them. Hence when any one acts in 

 that manner we say, " Te Ara-he is eating in secret." 



"He oneoyxe to puku?" (Is your stomach like the earth 



