CoiiENSO. — Traditions of the Maoris. 7 



kings. His descendants are still residing there, who, also, rest their claims 

 to their ancestral estates through then- heing such. The beginning, however, 

 of their genealogical Hne goes much further back. 



I may also add that this remarkable traditional story I have received in 

 two separate narrations from two sources ; and, fm-ther, that they wonderfully 

 agree in all their main points, including, also, the charms, spells, and 

 prayers (?) used. 



I. Stories conceening Uenuku. 

 Uenuku was a very great chief of the olden time ; he lived many generations 

 back on the East Coast. One of his wives was named Takarita ; she was 

 the sister of a great chief named Tawheta, who dwelt at large towns [j^as) 

 of his own, called Matikotai and Porangahau," also on the East Coast, 



I shall begin my narration with the death of Takarita, the wife of 

 Uenuku, who was killed by him because of her great offence ; she having 

 committed adultery with two men, named Tumahunuku, and Tumahurangi. 

 Uenuku, being very powerful, not only killed her, but also her two 

 paramours. When she was dead, Uenuku cut her open and took out her 

 heart, and broiled it on a sacred fire, made at the foot of the carved centre- 

 post of his own big house ; the name of that house was Te-pokinga-o-te- 

 rangi — the overspreading of the sky. While it was cooking at the sacred 

 fire, kindled purposely for the solitary bit, namely, at the fire of Takarita, 

 Uenuku recited the following spell : — 



1. My fire is newly kindled by friction ; 



2. The land approves of it [or desires it) ; 



3. Let a fire burn to eat up (a) great chief ; 



4. Let a fire burn to eat up (a) first-born ; 



5. Let a fire burn to eat up (a) principal chief (ariki) ; 



6. Let a fire burn to eat up (a) priest (tohunga) ; 



7. Let (it) burn ; — but, by -whom is the fire ? 



8. Let (it) burn ; it is (by) Hineikukutirangi ; 



9. Let (it) burn ; it is (by) Hineheheirangi. 



10. Let (it) burn, (throughout) two long considerations of the close-quarter-fighting 



of the Sky. 



11. Let (it) burn ; — on, on, onwards ! 



12. My sacred fire is verily kindled by friction. 



13. Above, abroad, {or, on the outside), towards the west ; 



14. Towards the west ; a vengeful desolating principal chief. 



15. Never shall the great chiefs be forgotten by me ; never ! 



16. Never shall the firstborns be forgotten by me ; 



17. (An) eater of scraps and leavings ! 



18. The cooking-oven is baking slowly. 



19. (I am) roasting away ; naked, waiting ! 



* Not, however, the present Porangahau, but a place of the same name north of 

 'Sdthle Cape. 



