The Flycatchers 
21 
Arose ruru, uplifting his weapon, his pouwhenua, his eyes 
glaring at the army of sea-birds as it advanced, and calling to 
them—“You are brave! You are truly gallant folk! 7 ’ Such 
were the jeering words of ruru. 
Then rose kaka (brown parrot) and glared at them in defiance 
as he advanced with his weapon, the 0 kaka stone, and screeching 
“Taka revel 
Taka revel Kia irol kia irol” 
So closed in battle the sea and land-birds, and, ere long, fear 
struck those sea-birds, even so that they turned, and broke, 
and fled. Yet even as they fled the laugh of parera (grey duck) 
broke forth —“Ke ke ke ke!” 
Fled the sea-army to its own realm, while the land-folk ever 
dwelt in peace, losing no part of their domain to the sea-folk;— 
indeed, it was the laughter of parera that caused such wild flight 
to their home, wherefrom the sea-birds have never returned. 
This is the most characteristic of several versions of this Maori 
folk-myth: it was culled by Elsdon Best, New Zealand’s fore¬ 
most Maori ethnologist. An earlier version, by an earlier col¬ 
lector, Colenso (Tr. Vol. 11, 1879, p. 101), contains a fine des¬ 
cription of the coming of the sea-birds, and also concludes with 
some curious Maori bird-lore, for which part is quoted: 
“Ere long the immense army of the sea-birds appeared, 
sweeping along grandly from one side of the heavens to the 
other, making such a terrible noise with their wings and cries. 
On their first appearing, the long-tailed fly-catcher (pied fantail) 
got into a towering passion, being desirous of spearing the foe, 
and danced about presenting his spear on all sides, crying 
6 Tit til’ Then the furious charge was made by the sea-birds. 
In the first rank came, swooping down with their mighty wings, 
the albatross, the gannet, and the big brown gull (ngoiro), 
with many others closely following; indeed, all the birds of the 
sea. Then they charged at close quarters, and fought bird with 
bird. How the blood flowed and the feathers flew! The river- 
birds came on in close phalanx and dashed bravely right into 
their foes. They all stood to it for a long time, fighting des¬ 
perately. Such a sight! At last the sea-birds gave way, and 
fled in confusion. Then it was that the hawk soared down upon 
