TRADITIONARY TALES. 163 



the harsh treatment they had endured from the 

 fire-god. Rono, enraged at this intelligence, 

 threw the fire-god into the crater Kairuo, on 

 the side of the mountain Mou-na-roa, where he 

 still chafes in vain. The men now lived tran 

 quilly on O Wahi, increased in numbers, and 

 sought, by great sacrifices, to prove their love 

 and thankfulness to their protector, Etua-Rono. 

 To his honour were established the solemn 

 yearly games called Makahiti, in which who 

 ever obtained the victory in running, wrestling, 

 and warlike evolutions, was crowned with a 

 verdant wreath and presided as king over the 

 ensuing feast. 



The other islands were gradually peopled 

 from O Wahi; the number of the gods also 

 increased; but they all remained subject to 

 Etua-Rono. 



Mankind had enjoyed a long period of peace 

 and content under the beneficent protection of 

 Rono, when their happiness was suddenly dis 

 turbed by a distressing occurrence. The god 

 dess Opuna, the beautiful consort of Rono, de 

 graded herself by a clandestine connexion with 

 a man of O Wahi. Her husband, furious on the 



