THE STORY OF THE CLEMATIS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 7, 9 January 1926, Page 26

THE STORY OF THE CLEMATIS.

(By PHYLLIS FITZGERALD.)

Long ago, in the depths of the most wonderful bush in Maoriland, was a beautiful crystal stream. Upon , its cool, mossy banks, grew ferns, green and graceful, while wild flowers of gorgeous colours grew in profusion at the foot of the great trees. The bush fairies used this* beautiful spot for their fairy playground, and here, when the summer moon hung like a large golden orange in the star spangled sky, they came and danced until the light of dawn appeared in the .east. On such a summer night, as the fairies danced and played in the moonlight, they heard very faintly, the sound of a sweet voice singing. They listened-in wonder. Nearer it came and nearer until they lieard the silvery splash of the water as it fell from the paddles of a canoe. • Quickly the fairies flew to the flowers, for no mortal must see them at their revels. The midnight singer was silent now, but the watchful fairies saw the dark outline of the canoe as it rounded the bend of the stream. In it was seated a solitary figure, a Maori maiden whose dark hair hung about fier shoulders in a dusky cloud. The fairies whispered to one another: '"Tis Mara, the daughter of the great chief. Is she not beautiful?" Truly, no princess of Maoriland was more beautiful than this slender maiden, as she stepped from the canoe to the moonlit bank. Placing her finger upon her red lips, she gave a low call, looking expectantly into thp forest. There was no answer. Mara returned to the edge of the stream and filling her arms with rata blossoms, sat upon the mossy bank. Quickly and deftly she wove the blood-red blossoms into a crimson crown, all the while singing in a low, sweet voice. The fairies watched her from their retreat among the flowers. Suddenly their ears caught the sound of a breaking twig, and turning they saw the fignre of a tall warrior. He stood gazing at the Maori girl upon the mossy bank and listening to her song. Then ■he, too, gave a low strange call. Mara turned quickly and her face lit up with joy"lt ia Rua. thfl great warrior!" the bush fairies whispered. "At last I have come, my Princess," he said, stepping towards the chieftain's daughter. "My brother is jealous and would have detained mc, but I came swift as the wind." Mara answered in a low voice, and lifting the crimsoh crown of flowers she placed it upon her dusky hair. The bush fairies drew together. "Is she not like a queen of the forest? But stay! Who comes near?" The footsteps were soft and catlike, but fairy hearing is keener than mortal's, and the bush fairies had heard. A dark, evil face peered through the thick leaves of a rata tree. The ratafeiries were afraid. How they hated the expression of malice and envy upon the face of the evil one; for evil one he must be to* come in""so crafty a manner. Suddenly a cloud passed over the moon and the forest was in" dark shadow. There was a small flash of light as a" silvery object whistled through the air. and a cry came from the warrior on the bank ■ a3 he fell back. The cloud passed and the bright moonlight again lit up the forest. Mara bent over the wourded warrior, her face full of horror and grief. The moonlight shone upon a small object. The Maori maiden saw that it was a tiny poisonous dart piercing her lover to the heart. She gave a cry of fear and sank to the ground in a death-like swoon , . The hearts of the fairies we're full of anger and leaving the flowers they flew to the Maori maiden. They looked down Upon the white face and the red lips, which were the same colour as the rata blossoms in her dusky hair. But the flowers were now bruised and spoiled. "Who has done this evil deed?" the fairies cried in angry chorus. "We shall never rest until we find and punish the evil one." "We cannot leave them here," another cried. "Let us change Rua into a bush tree, and take Mara with us to Fairy-

land." But the . others cried: "No! No! Mara would never be happy again. Let us change her into a Deautiful creeper. Then she and Rua need never be parted." The fairies nodded sadly. Rua was changed to a great forest giant with towering trunk and thick leafy boughs, while Mara became a delicate creeper, whicli twined about the branches of the forest tree and fell to earth in. a veil of starry blossoms, covering the ugly bark. This creeper has ever since been known as clematis, and, when we see in the Maoriland forests its creamy-white bower we shall always remember the sad tale of Mara," the chieftain's daughter, and Rua, the great warrior.