138 Transactions. — Miscellaneous. 



157. Ka maid te taiva uho ki te riri ! 



Well done toicrt-kernel fighting away ! 



158. He taiva para ! he whati kau taana ! 



A taiva pulp ! he only rvms away ! 

 These two proverbs I have taken together, on account of then* simile. 

 The taiva tree [Nosoclaphne taiva) bears a large purple fruit, in which there is a 

 single stone or kernel, not wholly unlike that of the date ; this is exceedingly 

 hard, and cannot easily be broken ; the pulp or flesh of the fi'uit is very 

 soft when fuUy ripe ; hence, from the one fruit, the comparison is drawn of 

 the hero and the coward, 



159. Te ivaka pukatea : te waka kohekohe. 



The canoe (made of the) pukatea tree ; the canoe (made of the) 

 kohekohe tree. 

 The wood of those trees is alike soft, and won't last long in the water ; 

 besides canoes made of them are both heavy (when water-logged) and slow. 

 Pukatea = Atherosperma novcB-zelancUa ; Kohekohe = Dysoxylum spectabile. 

 This proverb is used of cowards. 



160. He More hums ! and, He ivhiore hume tenei tangata ! 



Both terms derived from dogs, which clap their tails between their 

 legs and sneak away. Used also of cowards. 



161. Titiro to mata ki a Rehua, ki te mata kihai i kamo. 



Look up with thine eyes at the planet Mars (or Jupiter), at the eye 

 which never twinkles. 

 Meaning ; Never allow your eyes to wink when face to face in hand-to- 

 hand combat. 



162. He koura kola kia where ivaive ? 



(Art thou) indeed a crawfish, to turn red, the moment (thou art) 

 thrown on the fire ? 

 Said to a foe in hand-to-hand encounter, who boasts you have not yet 

 hurt him. 



163. Tini ivhetu, e iti te pokeao. 



The stars are many, but a little black cloud hides them. 

 Meaning : A small party of determined warriors may beat a large number. 



164. Ma loai e rou ake te whetu o te rangi ka taka kei raro 1 



Who can reach (or scrape) with a crooked stick the stars of heaven 

 that they should fall below ? 

 Meaning : Can you take captive a powerful chief ? 



165. He mate i te marama. 



The moon dies, or, it is of the nature of the moon to wane or die, 

 (and returns again, understood). 

 Meaning : Not so, however, with you ; so beware of rashness. 



