CoLENSO. — Traditions of the Maoris. 27 



whake, and of the other Nmi. The husband went out a long distance to 

 fish, and having caught a plenty he paddled back to the shore ; on landing 

 he waited some time for his wife to come down to the canoe, to fetch the 

 fish he had caught ;* but she did not come. At last he walked to their 

 village, and said to his wife, " mother ! mother ! there was I on the 

 beach long waiting for thee, but thou didst not come forth ! " On hearing 

 this, Houmea replied, "0, sir, it is entirely owing to the disobedience of 

 these two children." Then Houmea went down to the sea-shore to the 

 sandy beach, to fetch the fish, and when she got to the canoe, she swallowed 

 all the fish, — every one went into her own stomach, being devoured by her. 

 This feat done, she went to pull up bushes of coarse sedgy plants, and of 

 sow-thistles, which she brought on to the sands, and dragged and scattered 

 them about ; she also made big and small footsteps of her own footmarks, 

 and trod all over the beach, and greatly trampled and tore it up, that it 

 might be inferred a marauding-party had been there and stolen the fish. 

 This done, she returned to the village, quite out of breath, sighing and 

 panting ; and said to her husband, " sir, alas ! there are no fish left, the 

 fi'uits of thy fishing ! have they been taken away (quietly) by men, — or by 

 a marauding party, — or by thieves?" Then the husband said, "Who, I 

 should like to know, can that thievish people be ? here residing near the 

 dwellings of men."f When Houmea rejoined, " The numberless multitudes 

 of imps. "I To this remark her husband replied, "Perhaps so." Then 

 they all went to rest. 



* Or, as the mistress, to superintend the taking them to the village ; the distri- 

 bution, etc. 



t Meaning, — well able to protect their own property. 



\ Many are the stories — curious, droll, and interesting — related of these little folks, — 

 *' imps," elves, goblins, or fairies. I have never yet been able to decide, what particular 

 English, German, or European term to give them as an equivalent. They are said to 

 swarm in countless numbers ; (see Story of Uenuku (supra), and Tawheta's figurative 

 and proverbial expression respecting them (p. 13 ) ; and to be just as ready to do 

 good to men in difficulty, as to do mischief. Indeed it is said, in some of their old Myths, 

 that it was from those little cunning beings that the Maoris learnt the art of making 

 nets. Their various relations concerning them have always served to remind me of 

 Gulliver's active LUliputians. They were found, also, in the depths of the forests, as well 

 as on the sea-sands, — though rarely ever seen by men. Mr. Locke tells me that when he 

 was engaged in surveying for the Government at Portland Island (Hawke's Bay), the 

 older Maoris residing there assured him that they had often in the early morning seen 

 the countless footsteps of those imps on the sandy shore, by the sides of the fresh-water 

 streamlet, where they had been holding their night revels. They bore different names 

 (family or generic) among the old Maoris ; which may also mean a difference in kind, 

 dispositions, powers, etc. 



