28 



Miscdk CO"** 



"If they will not let you," she added, "tell them that I sent you because 1 

 wished to he alone with my child. " So the girl went. But the common 

 people would not let her sleep there, arguing that, as she was the nurse of 

 a sacred child, it was against the rule of the fapu that she should sleep in a 

 house among common people. But the girl said, "Hine has told me to 

 sleep here because she wished to be alone. And as for the child being 



tapu, that might be if it had a father; but a child without a father — ." 



At last she was permitted to stay. 



The door of Hine-te-iwaiwa's house was a slab of polished greenstone, and 

 had, therefore, a metallic sound when moved. In the night a noise was heard 

 as of the door being opened. Then some of the common people called out, 

 "Hine! who is there that opens the door of your house?" "I myself," sh< 

 replied, "I wanted to go out." But it was Tinirau, who had found his wife 

 and child. Next morning sho called all the people together, saying "Come 

 and see your brother-in-law." Then there was a great meeting and crying to 

 welcome the stranger, the husband of Hine-te-iwaiwa and father of that 

 wonderful child, that was made so much of by all the people of the place. 

 Now Tinirau abode at that place. It is still the feeling among the Maori 

 and Europeans who have lived long among them feel it too, — that when there 

 is one child, a descendant of high chieftainship, everyone in the community is 

 concerned about that child. 



We must now return to Kae, whom we left riding away over the sea on 

 the back of Tutunui, Tinirau's pet fish. When he came near shore, and the 

 water began to shoal, Tutunui shook his back, intimating to Kae that he must 

 now get off. But Kae, contrary to his promise to Tinirau, kept his seat and 

 urged the fish on toward the shore. When they came into shallow water the 

 fish kept on shaking to get Kae off; but he held on, and drove the fish still 



further into the shallow water; wl n at last his gills were filled with sand, 

 and he died. Then Kae cut him up and roasted and ate him. 



While Tinirau's mind v s occupied with s« king his wife and child he had 

 no time to trouble about his pet fish ; but now, r^ince lie had found them, and 

 when the crying over the reunion was over, he became uneasy about Tutunui, 

 and what might have become of him. Day after day ho sat on the brow of 

 the headland and looked over the sea. and sniffed at every wind, but no sign of 

 his fish would come to him. At last the south wind blew, and then a savoury 

 smell was wafted to him from some distant shore. Then he knew at once that 

 it was the savour of Tutunui, his fish and ancestor, being roasted by Kae. 

 He went home crying, "O! the savour of Tutunui, that the wind is bringing 

 to me!" Then all the women of the place gathered together and assisted 

 Tinirau, crying over the death of his ancestor. 



