384 BEPORT— 1891. 



Sir George Grey has preserved two specimens of Maori fairy- 

 tales which bear a strong family likeness to similar stories 

 fomid in Europe and elsewhere. The first tells how the art 

 of netting was discovered by a certain chief, who found the 

 fairies one night drawing their fishing-nets on the coast near 

 the North Cape. He joined them, and, by delaying their 

 departure till dawn, secured their nets, and so learnt the 

 stitch, and taught his descendants. The other story relates 

 how a hunting-party on the ^Yaikato were terrified by fairies, 

 who swarmed all round their camp-fire, climbing over the 

 roots of the trees to peep at Te Kanawa, who, to propitiate 

 their good-will, presented his greenstone and other ornaments. 

 The fairies, contenting themselves with the shadows of the 

 ornaments, retired before dawn. 



The fairies are described as a numerous people, merry, 

 cheerful, and always singing, diminutive in person, with fair 

 hair and skin. Upwards of forty years ago I used to hear the 

 Maoris continually talking about the doings of the fairies, and 

 often met persons who declared they had seen them. One man 

 described how he saw the fairies building a pa on the sumiiiit 

 of a hill enveloped in mist. From the way he told his story 

 1 felt sure he had actually seen what he was describing, but 

 that probably what he took to be fairies were the shadows of 

 jnen building a pa at some distance, thrown upon the curtain 

 of mist. 



Some of the stories of sorcery and magic are very curious. 

 On Banks Peninsula, near Gough's Bay, the trees were 

 thought to be enchanted men, and able at times to move 

 about. Sorcerers were said to have the power -of striking^ 

 people dead by a look, and withering up trees and shrubs. 

 Persons of ignoble birth or unskilled in magic were warned 

 never to look upon any enchanted object for fear of losing their 

 sight or their lives. 



The legend of the magical wooden head explains how 

 sorcerers accomplished their ends. The story throws some 

 light upon the ideas prevalent amongst the Maoris regarding 

 the manner in which supernatural aid was to be obtained, to 

 enable men to accomplish what was beyond the ordinary 

 power of mortals. A sorcerer possessed of a magical wooden 

 head caused the death of all who came within a certain dis- 

 tance of it. A brave warrior renowned for skill in magic 

 resolved to rid the country of the pest. To gain his object he 

 enlisted by the agency of powerful charms and incantations 

 the services of thousands of spirits kindly disposed to man- 

 kind, to fight the malignant spirits who guarded the liead. 

 A battle ensued, the evil spirits were defeated, the fortress was 

 taken, and the cruel sorcerer and owner of the magical head 

 was put to death. 



