Hino , the Apostate. 
339 
Tairoa, was Hino ever most tender ; and every 
evening, ere the sun sank beneath the sky-rim, 
would she take them both to the great marae , 
and placing gifts upon the altar, bow her head 
to the ground, and call upon the gods to let her 
children be with her when her hair became 
whitened and her eyes dimmed with old age. 
And then Tati, too, would come to the marae , 
and pray to the gods to give his son health 
and a strong arm to vanquish the enemies of 
Vahitahi when he, Tati, was dead. So, with 
Tati holding the boy’s hand, and Hino with 
the girl pressed to her bosom, they would walk 
back to their house along the beach, and Hino, 
because of the great joy in her heart, would sing 
and laugh, and, holding her little Aimata high 
over her head, would call to Tati, “ Is there so 
sweet a babe as mine, O Tati, in all the world?” 
And Tati would laugh and answer, “ O vain 
woman, what is thy Aimata to my Tairoa? See 
his shoulders and broad back ! ” and then would 
they laugh together. But little did they know 
that often, when they prayed together at the 
marae , Matara the priest watched them unseen, 
and cursed them both in the bitterness of his 
heart, which was full of hate against them. 
