MYTHOLOGY. 
39 
It is I, it is Tawaki, the only child of Hema. Waitiri ex¬ 
claimed, Aye, aye, my grandchild. It was you, said he, who 
gave your last command that I should come and seek you. 
Aye, aye, said Waitiri, that is quite true; but look at my 
eyes. Tawaki said, What is the matter with your eyes ? By 
and bye, said Waitiri, you shall see : in the evening the house 
will be filled with the birds, who have caused my blindness, 
by scratching them with their little claws. Do you place 
yourself in the stuffing of the sides of the house. Tawaki 
enquired, Where is their entrance ? By the door and by the 
window. Tawaki attended to her words ; he made some 
snares for the door and window. When the sun set, he 
entei'ed, and said, When all have come in, then stop up the 
entrance from above and the entrance from below, that they 
may be quite awake, and the day be advanced. Waitiri en¬ 
gaged to do so. When the sun set, an immense flock of very 
little birds came flying to the pianga, or window. Tongo-hiti 
was one of them. When Waitiri saw that they had filled the 
house, she closed the entrance above and the entrance below ; 
then they slept (the morning star set); they did not awake; the 
day dawned, still they slept; the rays of the sun descended, 
yet they did not arise ; it was near noon ; some of them ex¬ 
claimed, what a long night. Waitiri called to them, sleep, 
day has not yet dawned. Tongo-hiti and others, at the same 
time, said, the night must have passed away, daylight must be 
coming on apace, the night is so long; a trick ot Waitiri per¬ 
haps upon us. She replied, no. Then Tawaki arose and drew 
out the stopping above, and entered within the house ; he 
slew all but Tongo-hiti, who crept out under the back post ol 
the house, and escaped. This was all—they were killed. Then 
Tawaki uttered this spell over the eyes ol Waitiri:— 
Irimata, Irimata, Wave before yourcycs,wave before your eyes 
Wcromata, Wcromata, Thou smitten blind, thou smitten blind, 
lie wai o mata ki te ra, Be your eyes bright, 
He hurumai ra, Like the sun that rises there, 
He pa ko rirerire, Since you are so greatly afflicted, 
Ilac talii ki te mata, Once to the eyes of Watitiri, 
