24 
MYTHOLOGY. 
and it is upon his history the natives delight to dwell. A 
person called Tara-hunga is said to be the father of the Maui 
family, which is all that is known of him. He had six sons— 
1 Maui-i-mua 
2 Haui-i-roto 
3 Maui-i-taha 
4 Maui-i-pai 
5 Maui-i-tiki tiki-a-tarangi 
6 Maui-i-nukurau, or the Potiki. 
The last is the most important character : his elder brethren 
were surnamed Ware-ware, which signifies that they were for¬ 
getful or absent. Maui Potiki appears to have had many 
names, which are expressive of his power : thus he is called 
Atamaijfrom his liberality; Toa, from his superior strength, and 
by some he is also called e tiki tiki a tarangi, which signifies 
that he possessed the tiki, (top knot,) or power of his father. 
His brethren, however, professed to despise and underrate 
their younger brother, and to take every advantage of him. 
When they went out fishing, they would give him what they 
caught to cook, and then eat all up themselves, only giving 
him the scales for his portion. He likewise appears to have re¬ 
turned evil for evil, sometimes refusing to join in their fishing 
until they had finished ; he would then throw his hook into 
the water, and at one pull would catch more fish than they had 
all taken together. Some traditions also allude to his playing- 
tricks on his kuia and waea —his grandmother and mother. 
He is also said to have been guilty of great impiety in taking the 
jaw-bone of his grandfather Muri Rangawhenua, and making 
a fish-hook of it, which he kept concealed under his mat. 
One of Maui’s works was to tie the sun and moon in their 
places, so that having run their appointed courses, they should 
daily return to their starting post. Another work of this 
Maori Hercules was to kill Tunarua, a great taniwa or 
monster, who lived in the water. He cut off his head, which 
he cast into the sea, where it became a koiro, or conger eel; 
the tail he threw into the fresh water, and it turned into the 
tuna, or eel. Another part was thrown on the ground, and 
the kareao or supple-jack sprung up. The blood was absorbed 
