102 JOHN FRASER. 



backbone. These myths also say that the influence of the trade winds is 

 favourable to its growth, and that it grows best among stones and rocks. 



In speaking of the spread of the plant to the distant isles of Fiji, Raro- 

 tonga, and Tahiti, the poet finds it convenient to say that it was carried 

 thither by the bird of Fuipau, a fabulous hero ; for how else than by 

 divine interposition could it have traversed so many miles of ocean as lie 

 between Samoa and Tahiti ; spreading its bushy wings out to the influ- 

 ence of the trade winds, this ministering bird conveyed the slips of this 

 precious plant swiftly and safely to far-off Polynesian lands, where also it 

 found congenial soil. 



There are some points in these solos which brings us into contact with 

 myth-land in other regions of the globe. I have already said that they 

 show the Polynesian gods to be anthropomorphous, endowed with the 

 shape, character, conduct, activities, passions, pursuits of ordinary men, 

 while at the same time they retain their rank and power as gods, for even 

 those of them that are of semi-divine origin can work miracles and bring 

 retribution on those who show despite to them. The gods in heaven 

 above are a ' family '; they are Sa-Tangaloa, 'the Tangaloa family'; they 

 assemble in council in ' fale'ula,' the ' bright home ' of the highest 

 Tangaloa, and sit in a circle while they deliberate ; they depart to execute 

 the fono's behests, each in his own sphere ; they visit earth and return 

 again to heaven ; they partake of food and drink down below, just as 

 they do in their own realms above ; for up there too they have fono, ' cold 

 food,' to eat — the heavenly fishes — and they have the kava drink, made 

 from the heavenly plant ; they have birds of the air to do their bidding, 

 just as we have beasts of the field ; and in heaven above, the gods are 

 swift to know and to requite the evil that is done among men. In all 

 these respects the Polynesians are in harmony with the Aryan notions 

 about the heaven of the Indian Meru, the Grecian Olympus, and the 

 Norse Walhalla. Walhalla has its brilliant ' hall of joy/ Grladsheim, as 

 Le-Langi has its Fale-'ula, ' bright house ' or ' house of joy '; there Odin's 

 crew had their feasting and wassail, although more riotously, it must be 

 confessed, than the banquets of cloud-compelling Zeus on lofty Olympus, 

 where nectar and ambrosia were the only fare ; and while the pantheon 

 of the Hindus is made up of gods of the atmosphere more than is the 

 Polynesian, yet there is a general likeness between them ; for Brahma too 

 is a quiescent god like Tangaloa ; he is the impersonal first cause, but, as 

 Brahma, he is the creator of all things ; Tangaloa, in like manner, be- 

 comes Tangaloa-le-tutupu-nu'u/ Tangaloa the creator of lands,' but leaves 

 his other functions to Tangaloa-le-Mana, T. savali, T. asi-asi-nu f u ; so also 



