164} TRADITIONARY TALES. 



discovery of his wrongs, precipitated her from 

 the top of a high rock, and dashed her to pieces ; 

 but had scarcely committed this act of violence 

 when, in an agony of repentance, he ran wildly 

 about the islands, bestowing blows and kicks 

 on every one he met. The people, astonished 

 at this frantic behaviour of the god, enquired 

 the reason of it ; on which, with the bitterest 

 expression of grief, he exclaimed, " I have mur- 

 dered her who was dearest to me !" He bore 

 the remains of Opuna into the Marai on the 

 Bay of Karekakua, and there remained a long 

 time sunk in the deepest grief. At length he 

 determined to quit the islands, where every 

 thing reminded him of the happiness he had 

 enjoyed with his beloved wife. The people 

 were overwhelmed with sorrow by the commu- 

 nication of his intention ; and he endeavoured to 

 console them with the promise that he would 

 one day return on a floating island, furnished 

 with all that man could desire, and make his 

 favourite people happy. He then embarked 

 in a vessel of peculiar construction, and set sail 

 for a distant country. 



With Rono's departure terminated the Gold- 



