150 The N.Z. Journal of Science and Technology. [Aug. 
lower on the back. Raise the forefingers, carrying with them on their backs 
through the forefinger loop the lower palmar string. 
10. Release thumbs, and draw taut. (The lower forefinger string now 
runs clear across from finger to finger, the upper being caught under two 
crossed loops in the centre of the bunched strings.) 
11. Push lower left-forefinger string under and up behind the upper 
forefinger string, and insert the left thumb in the loop formed, the front 
of the thumb resting on the upper string, the lower passing in a loop over 
the back of the thumb. Repeat on the right side, and draw thumbs towards 
you. 
12. Lift from both forefingers the upper loop, the one whose near 
string is the near forefinger string across which the thumb loop comes, 
and drop it over the tips of the fingers on the palmar side. 
j 13. Close the fingers of the right hand on the palm to hold all the 
strings in place, and with right forefinger and thumb take the two strings 
lying between the left forefinger and middle finger—that is, the far fore¬ 
finger string and the near middle-finger string. Release all the fingers 
Fig. 7.— Maui . 
from their loops, retaining the loop on the thumb only. Insert the 
left little finger into the left-thumb loop from below, and withdraw the 
thumb. Insert left middle finger from above into loops held by 
the right forefinger and thumb. Hold these loops on little finger and 
middle finger, crooking those fingers to do so, whilst the left forefinger and 
thumb remove the corresponding strings from the right hand. Join tips 
of thumbs to tips of forefingers and middle fingers, and transfer loops to 
thumbs. Bring round forefingers and insert them from below into the loops 
with thumbs. Draw hands apart, keeping strings well towards tips of fore¬ 
fingers, and thumbs pressed downwards towards little fingers. The four 
Maui appear in the centre. The two in the middle are at first looped over 
each other, and may be separated with the lips. 
At Gisborne and Rotorua two persons extended the final figure, but 
this is not absolutely necessary. Two persons are necessary for the 
continuation. It was said at Whakarewarewa that the fifth Maui, 
Maui-tikitiki-a-Taranga, is not shown in this figure, because the mother 
maintained that she had only four sons. The story of how the fro ward 
Maui-tikitiki-a-Taranga persuaded her that he really was her fifth son is 
long, and so well known that it need not be repeated. . 
