CoLENSO. — On fJie Maori Baees of New Zealand. 391 



46. Like other rude martial unlettered nations, the New Zealanders had 

 many traditions, legends, and myths. These were on all subjects, from the 

 gravest and most sublime to the most puerile and ridiculous, not unfrequently 

 the same myth containing both. Some of them are, no doubt, of very ancient 

 date ; others, while still old, are more modern, and have modern interpola- 

 tions. The language in all is modern, much more so than in several of their 

 songs. With most if not all nations their early religion and early history is 

 blended with fable ; but there is this difference with the New Zealander, that 

 the large proportion of his traditions and myths are neither religious iior 

 historical, and were not believed to be such by the intelligent among them. 

 Their common myths vary a little ; a few considerably in the various districts, 

 especially those relating to the arrival in New Zealand of their immigrant 

 ancestors ; but not more than might be reasonably expected from such a 

 people. They all show their common New Zealand source ; and, as far as is 

 known, vary very much indeed from anything similar among the Polynesian 

 race. To understand them, they should be read and studied in their original 

 New Zealand language, in their roughness and originality ; not in either the 

 meagre or the polished semi-classical dress which some of them have been 

 made to assume in translations. The celebrated myths of dry land and sky ; 

 of Maui fishing up the North Island of New Zealand ; of his obtaining fire 

 for man ; of his seizing and beating the sun, to have longer daylight ; and of 

 the untimely death of the hero through the laughing of the little New 

 Zealand flycatcher ; of the ascent to heaven of Eupe and Tawhake ; of the 

 arrival of the first New Zealanders in this country, and many others,* are all 

 so many indications of the mind of man groping after truth in ages long 

 past. In the writer's opinion many of those myths will be found to be 

 allegorical. 



" The intelligible is food to that ■which understands. 



For the paternal intellect, which understands 



Intelligibles, and adorns things ineffable, has sowed 

 Symbols through the world." 



— ZOEOASTEE. 



47. A few words must be said about their oratory, or rather oratorical 

 language. Some of the New Zealanders were truly natural orators, and 

 consequently possessed in their large assemblies great power and influence. 

 This was mainly owing, next to their tenacious memories, to their proper 

 selection from their copious expressive language, skilfully choosing the very 

 word, sentence, theme, or natural image best fitted to make an impression on 

 the lively impulsive minds of their countrymen. Possessing a tenacious 

 memory, the orator's knowledge of their traditions and myths, songs, 



* Posterity will be greatly indebted to Sir Greorge Grrey for the exertions made by him 

 to obtain and record many of these myths, the recollection of which is fast dying out. 



