144 SUPERSTITIONS RESPECTING MAWE ; 
men of New Zealand offended him, and as he 
could not darken the sun to punish them, nor hide 
the moon for ever, he places his hand between 
it and the earth, at stated seasons, that they may 
not enjoy the light which it was intended to give. 
Mawe also holds all the winds, except the west 
wind, in his hands ; or places them in caves, that 
they may not blow. He could not catch the 
\vest wind ; nor discover its cave, to roll a stone 
against it : consequently, he has no power over 
that wind 5 to prevent it from almost constantly 
exerting itself. When the westerly breeze dies 
away, it is supposed that Mawe has nearly over- 
taken it, and that it has hid itself in its cave till 
he has passed by, or given up the chase. And 
when the north, south, or east wind blows, it is 
supposed that the enemies of Mawe have rolled 
away the stone from tlie mouth of the cave, where 
these winds are confined ; or that he himself has 
let them loose, to punish the world, or to ride upon 
their wings in search of the westerly breeze. This 
latter is only supposed to be the case when the 
storm arises in the east, and veers about from 
south-east to north-east. The form of Mawe is 
that of a man, except the eyes ; one of which is an 
eel, and the other a piece of the green talc found 
in Te-wai-ponamu, or the Southward Island, 
The traditions concerning Taki, the brother of 
Mawe, are but few. He assisted his brother in 
all his labours ; and, as a reward, was taken up to 
heaven in a spider’s web, where his right-eye was 
