386 Transactions. — Miscellaneous. 



He was an only child (yoiti). He had already pondered over the 

 want of fire, and he was tired of eating his food raw. The 

 frequent absences of his parents during the night perplexed hirn ; 

 he was convinced that they went to get fire, for they always had 

 cooked food. On one occasion his mother said to hirn, ' Child, 

 remain here ; I shall return soon.' ' I want to go with you,' 

 said the child. ' You cannot, pet (poiti) ; I am going to seek for 

 fire.' Said Maui, 'I want to go also.' His mother said, ' Your 

 ancestress will kill you if you follow me.' When the mother 

 went, the child followed afar off. Near the entrance to the path 

 which led to Havaiki the mother was stopped by a bird, perched 

 upon a kakit tree ;* thinking that it was a patiotio (a bird now 

 tapu in the Marquesas), she called her husband, and they threw 

 stones at the bird. They could not strike it ; and the woman 

 conceived the idea that it was the form of her grandmother 

 concealed within the bird. From this notion she was dissuaded 

 by her husband, and they continued to throw stones, till at last 

 they struck the winged intruder. Maui then spoke through the 

 bird and declared his identity. The parents went on towards 

 Havaiki by a long and winding road, the mother chewing a stick 

 of sugar-cane as she went. Maui also penetrated through the 

 aperture where commenced the path to the nether world ; but 

 almost at his first step perceived his grandmother, who guarded 

 the entrance. He begged her to let him pass, but she refused 

 to do so, and was hardened against all his entreaties. Maui 

 asked where his mother had gone, and was answered that she 

 had journeyed into the interior of the country. Maui, finding 

 that she was obdurate, and would not permit him to pass, killed 

 her. At that moment some spots of blood fell on the breast of 

 Maui's mother as she journeyed along ; and she said to her 

 husband, ' Someone has killed my mother.' Maui, finding no 

 further obstacle, descended into the bowels of the earth and 

 went on his way. Not far on he met his mother, coming back. 

 When she saw him, she said, ' What have you done ? You have 

 killed my mother.' 'Yes,' said Maui, 'she would not let me 

 pass ; I want to get fire, and I am determined to obtain it.' 

 His father said, ' I)o not kill or injure the old goddess.' Maui 

 promised that he would not, and then went on till he arrived at 

 the dwelling of Mauike. Maui said to the fire-goddess, ' Give 

 me some fire.' The answer came : ' Is it for you ?' ' No,' said 

 Maui, ' it's for your daughter.' The old woman replied, ' Why do 

 you come for it ? What do you want with it ?' Maui said, ' I want 

 to cook some bread-fruit.' The goddess asked him to get her 

 some husk of cocoanut. He procured this, and she then gave 

 him fire drawn from her toes. There are several kinds of fire : 



* This is the only tree in Nukuhiva the wood of which does not ignite 

 by friction. 



