CoLBNSo. — On a better Knowledge of the Maori Race. 117 



14. Ka mate haainga tahi, ka ora kaainga rua. 



■ Through, having only one cultivation the man dies from want, 

 through two he lives. 

 Lit. One place death (07- want), two places life (or good Hving.) 

 This was carried out fully by the New Zealanders, as to food cultiva- 

 tions, houses, bird-preserves, eel- weirs, fishing-grounds, etc., not only that 

 they might-have plenty, but so as to secure some from being carried off by 

 their foes, in time of feuds, often happening. 

 Another similar proverb ran — 



15. Ka mate whare tahi, ka ora ivhare rua. 



"With one house, want ; with two houses, plenty. 

 The meaning being much the same, only more applicable to the chief 

 havmg two wives, who, each in her own house, wove garments. 



16. / whea koe i te ngahorotanga te ran te kotukutuku ? 



Meaning : Where wert thou in the time of work, — or of danger ? 



Lit. Where wert thou in the falhng of the leaves of the kotukutuku ? 



This tree [Fuchsia excorticata) is the only one in New Zealand which is 

 really deciduous. This proverb may also be used for many other pur- 

 poses ; as, — When in siege or battle your tribe or people were killed, where 

 were you ? absent or hiding ? Meaning, Is it meet for thee to boast, find 

 fault, or speak ? At such times it is a very cutting sarcasm ; often causing 

 intense feeling. 



17. I hea koe i te tangihanga te riroriro ? 



Where wert thou at the crying of the riroriro bird? 

 The riroriro (Gery gone flaviventris) cries in the early spring, the season 

 for preparing cultivations for crops ; so this proverb is used to a lazy or 

 careless person who is without cultivated food, especially when begging ; 

 and it causes great shame. It is not unlike in meaning to the western 

 fable of the Ant and Grasshopper. 



18. Ko te tokanga nui a Noho. 



The peaceful dweller at home has always a thumping big basket of 

 food to eat. 

 Lit. The big basket of Stay-at-home. 



N.B. — Here it should be observed that the dweller at home is merely 

 named Noho, = to sit down, to dwell quietly : of course such a one is not 

 supposed to be idle. 



19. He wha taivhara ki uta, he kiko tamure ki tai. 



Inland is the taivhara fruit ; in the sea, the flesh of the snapper. 

 Meaning: Sweet food for man is everywhere, in land and water, by 



exertion. 

 The taivhara is the large sweet sugary flower bract of the kiekie 

 [Freycinetia banksii), generally found plentifully in the white pine forests, 



