[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
him; and Puhi-huia and he directed them when they got there to prepare one canoe in which he
and all his followers might escape; he desired that this canoe should be launched and kept afloat
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POLYNESIAN MYTHOLOGY
116
in the water with every paddle in its place, so that the moment they embarked it might put off
from the shore; he further directed them to go round every one of the other canoes, to cut the
lashings which made the top sides fast to the hulls, and to pull out all the plugs, so that those
following them might be checked and thrown into confusion at fitiding they had no canoes in
which to continue the pursuit. Those of his people to whom Te Ponga gave these orders
immediately departed, and did exactly as their chief had directed diem.
The next morning Te Ponga having told his host that he must return to his own country, all the
people of the place assembled to bid him farewell; and when they had all collected, the chief of
the fortress stood up, and, after a suitable speech, presented his mere to Te Ponga as a parting
gift, which might establish and make sure the peace which they had concluded. Te Ponga in his
turn presented with the same ceremonies his mere to the chief of the fortress; and when all the
rites observed at a formal parting were completed, Te Ponga and his followers arose, and went
upon their way: then the people of the place all arose too, and accompanied them to the gates of
the fortress to bid them farewell; and as the strangers quitted the gates, the people of the place
cried aloud after them: 'Depart in peace! Depart in peace! May you return in safety to your
homes!'
Just before the strangers had started, Puhi-huia and some of the young girls of the village stole a
little way along the road, so as to accompany the strangers some way on their path; and when
they joined them, the girls stepped proudly along by the side of the band of strange warriors,
laughing and joking with them; at last they got some distance from the village, and Puhi-huia's
father, the chief of the place, seeing his daughter was going so far, called out: 'Children, children,
come back here!' Then the other girls stopped and began to return towards the village, but as to
Puhi-huia, her heart beat but to the one thought of escaping with her beloved Te Ponga. So she
began to run. She drew near to some large scoria rocks, and glided behind them, and, when thus
hidden from the view of those in the village, she redoubled her speed; well done, well done,
young girl! She runs so fast that her body bends low as she speeds forward. When Te Ponga saw
Puhi-huia running in this hurried manner, he called aloud to his men: 'What is the meaning of
this? Let us be off as fast as we can too.' Then began a swift flight, indeed, of Te Ponga, and his
followers, and of the young girl; rapidly they flew, like a feather drifting before the gale, or as
runs the weka which has broken loose from a fowler's snare.
When the people of the village saw that their young chieftainess was gone, there was a wild
rushing to and fro in the village for weapons, and whilst they thus lost their time, Te Ponga and
his followers, and the young girl, went unmolestedly upon their way; and when the people of the
fortress at last came out ready for the pursuit, Te Ponga and his followers, and Puhi-hula, had got
far enough away, and before their pursuers had gained any distance from the, fortress, Te Ponga
and his people had almost reached the landing-place at Manuka harbour, and by the time the
pursuing party had arrived near the landing-place, they had embarked in their canoe, had grasped
their paddles, and being all ready, they dashed their paddles into the water, and shot away, swift
as a dart from a string, whilst they felt the sides of the canoe shake from the force with which
they drove it through the water.
When the pursuers saw that the canoe had dashed off into Manuka harbour, they laid hold of
another canoe, and began to haul it down towards the water, but as the lashings of the top sides
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POLYNESIAN MYTHOLOGY
117
were cut, what was the use of their trying to haul it to the sea? they dragged nothing but the top
sides-there lay the bottom of the canoe unmoved. Pursuit was impossible; the party that had
come to make peace escaped, and returned uninjured and joyful to their own country, and went
cheerfully upon their way, carrying off with them the young chieftainess from their enemies,
who could only stand like fools upon the shore, stamping with rage and threatening them in vain.
The Story of Te Huhuti[1]
NOW this woman, Te Huhuti, was just like Hine-moa. As Hine-moa swam Lake Rotorua, so
Te Huhuti swam Lake Roto-a-Tara. She belonged to the Ngati-Kahu-ngunu tribe and from her
Te Hapuku is descended. The reason why she swam the lake is that she had fallen in love with
Te Whatuiapiti, attracted by his handsome appearance.
She did not stop to consider the difficulty or the danger. No; all she thought was, 'Although the
lake is wide and deep, what does it matter? Only let me try it and if I should sink, never mind,
but if I should succeed, all the better.' (Now, my friend, just realize what this young girl had in
her mind. She had no hesitation because for a long time she had longed to see this handsome
young man the darling of her heart.)
And so she swam and reached Te Whatuiapiti's home. As she was swimming she was seen by his
mother and the old lady was
[1. This legend was not given in the original English 1855 version of the text, but was included
in the 1854 Maori edition. The translation is by W.W. Bird.]
greatly surprised. Then she looked at Te Huhuti as she stepped out of the water on to the shore.
What a lovely skin, gleaming like a white cliff! The girl slowly approached the old woman, who
could now see how lovely she was, like a sunbeam lingering in the western sky.
As she came nearer the old woman said to Te Huhuti, 'You look lovelier than ever, like the rocky
cliffs or like a ray of the setting sun.' The maiden kept silent. Then the old woman said, 'My dear,
where are you going? And still there was no reply. Again the question was asked, and again
without success. Then the old woman cried out, 'What nonsense! Why do you not answer me?' [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl szkicerysunki.xlx.pl
him; and Puhi-huia and he directed them when they got there to prepare one canoe in which he
and all his followers might escape; he desired that this canoe should be launched and kept afloat
Get any book for free on: www.Abika.com
POLYNESIAN MYTHOLOGY
116
in the water with every paddle in its place, so that the moment they embarked it might put off
from the shore; he further directed them to go round every one of the other canoes, to cut the
lashings which made the top sides fast to the hulls, and to pull out all the plugs, so that those
following them might be checked and thrown into confusion at fitiding they had no canoes in
which to continue the pursuit. Those of his people to whom Te Ponga gave these orders
immediately departed, and did exactly as their chief had directed diem.
The next morning Te Ponga having told his host that he must return to his own country, all the
people of the place assembled to bid him farewell; and when they had all collected, the chief of
the fortress stood up, and, after a suitable speech, presented his mere to Te Ponga as a parting
gift, which might establish and make sure the peace which they had concluded. Te Ponga in his
turn presented with the same ceremonies his mere to the chief of the fortress; and when all the
rites observed at a formal parting were completed, Te Ponga and his followers arose, and went
upon their way: then the people of the place all arose too, and accompanied them to the gates of
the fortress to bid them farewell; and as the strangers quitted the gates, the people of the place
cried aloud after them: 'Depart in peace! Depart in peace! May you return in safety to your
homes!'
Just before the strangers had started, Puhi-huia and some of the young girls of the village stole a
little way along the road, so as to accompany the strangers some way on their path; and when
they joined them, the girls stepped proudly along by the side of the band of strange warriors,
laughing and joking with them; at last they got some distance from the village, and Puhi-huia's
father, the chief of the place, seeing his daughter was going so far, called out: 'Children, children,
come back here!' Then the other girls stopped and began to return towards the village, but as to
Puhi-huia, her heart beat but to the one thought of escaping with her beloved Te Ponga. So she
began to run. She drew near to some large scoria rocks, and glided behind them, and, when thus
hidden from the view of those in the village, she redoubled her speed; well done, well done,
young girl! She runs so fast that her body bends low as she speeds forward. When Te Ponga saw
Puhi-huia running in this hurried manner, he called aloud to his men: 'What is the meaning of
this? Let us be off as fast as we can too.' Then began a swift flight, indeed, of Te Ponga, and his
followers, and of the young girl; rapidly they flew, like a feather drifting before the gale, or as
runs the weka which has broken loose from a fowler's snare.
When the people of the village saw that their young chieftainess was gone, there was a wild
rushing to and fro in the village for weapons, and whilst they thus lost their time, Te Ponga and
his followers, and the young girl, went unmolestedly upon their way; and when the people of the
fortress at last came out ready for the pursuit, Te Ponga and his followers, and Puhi-hula, had got
far enough away, and before their pursuers had gained any distance from the, fortress, Te Ponga
and his people had almost reached the landing-place at Manuka harbour, and by the time the
pursuing party had arrived near the landing-place, they had embarked in their canoe, had grasped
their paddles, and being all ready, they dashed their paddles into the water, and shot away, swift
as a dart from a string, whilst they felt the sides of the canoe shake from the force with which
they drove it through the water.
When the pursuers saw that the canoe had dashed off into Manuka harbour, they laid hold of
another canoe, and began to haul it down towards the water, but as the lashings of the top sides
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POLYNESIAN MYTHOLOGY
117
were cut, what was the use of their trying to haul it to the sea? they dragged nothing but the top
sides-there lay the bottom of the canoe unmoved. Pursuit was impossible; the party that had
come to make peace escaped, and returned uninjured and joyful to their own country, and went
cheerfully upon their way, carrying off with them the young chieftainess from their enemies,
who could only stand like fools upon the shore, stamping with rage and threatening them in vain.
The Story of Te Huhuti[1]
NOW this woman, Te Huhuti, was just like Hine-moa. As Hine-moa swam Lake Rotorua, so
Te Huhuti swam Lake Roto-a-Tara. She belonged to the Ngati-Kahu-ngunu tribe and from her
Te Hapuku is descended. The reason why she swam the lake is that she had fallen in love with
Te Whatuiapiti, attracted by his handsome appearance.
She did not stop to consider the difficulty or the danger. No; all she thought was, 'Although the
lake is wide and deep, what does it matter? Only let me try it and if I should sink, never mind,
but if I should succeed, all the better.' (Now, my friend, just realize what this young girl had in
her mind. She had no hesitation because for a long time she had longed to see this handsome
young man the darling of her heart.)
And so she swam and reached Te Whatuiapiti's home. As she was swimming she was seen by his
mother and the old lady was
[1. This legend was not given in the original English 1855 version of the text, but was included
in the 1854 Maori edition. The translation is by W.W. Bird.]
greatly surprised. Then she looked at Te Huhuti as she stepped out of the water on to the shore.
What a lovely skin, gleaming like a white cliff! The girl slowly approached the old woman, who
could now see how lovely she was, like a sunbeam lingering in the western sky.
As she came nearer the old woman said to Te Huhuti, 'You look lovelier than ever, like the rocky
cliffs or like a ray of the setting sun.' The maiden kept silent. Then the old woman said, 'My dear,
where are you going? And still there was no reply. Again the question was asked, and again
without success. Then the old woman cried out, 'What nonsense! Why do you not answer me?' [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]