THK STORY OF TU AND REI. 605 



to carry her ashore. An immense wave rose round her. 

 Still her incantation proceeded that it might rise higher yet. 

 Even so it came to pass; the vast volume of water curled up 

 and carried her ashore to the sandy beach. And now the 

 pangs of child-birth commenced ; after awhile twins were born.^ 

 [In accordance with her husband's wish] she named the first 

 Taramaakiaki, and the second Taramahetonga. The place 

 where the twins were born was a wild uninhabited spot, far 

 from the dwelling of her husband. 



Rei carefully, tended her twin children until they became 

 able to take care of themselves. The place where they lived 

 abounded in coco-nut palms, and the sandy soil was covered 

 with fallen nuts. It was on the rich kernel (scraped fine) 

 and soft pith of these nuts that the children were nourished. 

 Fish of all kinds could easily be obtained. 



One day the twins, now grown up into big lads, asked the 

 name of their father. Rei answered, " Yon post^ of the 

 house [you see] standing is your father, and I am your 

 mother." Another day they repeated the question, but Rei 

 would not satisfy their curiosity. At length she asked the 

 boys, " Do you really want to know your father .** " " We do 

 indeed," was the reply. The mother therefore taught them 

 the house-incantation.^ In a short time they got it off by 

 heart. Rei made them chant it ; but found that whereas the 

 elder lad dropped out a word here and there, the younger 

 one recited it with absolute correctness. 



Rei then told the boys to go in search of her brother. 

 " Tell him my wish that he fell* a tree [to make] a canoe for 

 you my children ; but the tree to be felled must be one grow- 

 ing in a wild^ spot. The boys started oft" and carried out 

 their mother's instructions. The maternal uncle assented and 

 pointed out a suitable tree. The twins now scraped the 

 kernel of some coco-nuts, enough to fill two baskets. This 

 done, the elder lad called to the great land crabs (= tupa), 



' Native women on those low-lying atolls know exactly what to do for 

 themselves under such circumstances. When the husband is at hand, it is 

 hh duty to perform the office of accoucheur. 



*This is the native way of evading- an awkward question. 



^A house-incantation is one that is used on entering your own dwelling, 

 I'^st any mishap occur. It is, of course, a family secret. 



■•The uncle (to the native mind) felled the tree, because (1) he pointed out 

 a suitable tree growing on his land, (2) the scraped coco-nut was his property, 

 ( j) the crab carpenters belonged to tin; estate. No land in those atolls is 

 unclaimed. Timber fit for canoo building is especially valuable. Compare 

 the legend of " Rata's Canoe," '' Myths and Songs," page 144. 



'^ Endently to correspond with the wild place where the twins had been 

 born and brought up. The scene is still laid in Spirit-land. 



