CoLENSO. — On a better Knowledge of the Maori Race. 73 



My neck is caught aud held fast ; 

 I can only then squeak, Torete ! torete ! 

 Be assured that I will not go down below, 

 Seeking those nice baits ; alas ! no, no ! 

 A version of this song is to be found in Grey's " Poetry of New Zea- 

 lauders," p. 234. 



" The fruits of the pine trees : " — the names are given in the Maori — 

 " mii-o" and " kahikatea;" Podocarjms ferruginea and Podocarjms dacrydioides ; 

 the fruits grow at the extremities of the long, Hthe branchlets, so that the 

 rats could not well get at them on the trees. 



'^Torete!'' — the same word is here used in mimicry as before by the 

 green parrot. 



(8.) 

 A Ohaunt used by Children for fine Weather. 

 Fly, fly away, thou kingfisher, 

 To the thick long-leaved plants* on the tree ; 

 There snugly shelter thy wings, 

 Or thou wilt suffer much from the rain. 

 The clouds are breaking — from inland ; 

 The clouds are breaking — from sea ; 

 Behold a clear sky 1 the rain is ceasing ! 

 The rain is all over ! quite cleared is the rain ! 



(See Grey's " Poetry of New Zealanders," p. 29.) 

 Much longer ones for the same purpose were also used by adults, but 

 were just as simple. 



(9.) 

 A Charm, causing Healing of Wounds, to be recited for the fresh green gourds 

 when about to be broken-uj) and baked in the earth-oven. Then the 

 woman who is baking them must say : — 



The children, hke them ! are crying 



For their nice food of green summer gourds : 



The gourds are plentiful : 



The seeds of the gourds are sown ; 



The gourds grow ; 



The running branches stretch out, 



They grow abundantly. 

 Grow on, abundantly ! 

 Be ye many : ■ 

 Grow away fast ; 

 Be ye numerous : 

 Grow on, become good gourds ; 

 Be ye flourishing ! 

 (A version of this is at p. 388, Grey's " Poetry of New Zealanders.") 



* Lit., " Fuwha/rawhara" (Astelia banksiij. 



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