THE SONG OF MIRI

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21355, 24 December 1934, Page 14 (Supplement)

THE SONG OF MIRI

:..:._' .'. •: a:;o. in the Days £>:-.: • :.;.-. 'he terrible Fire-god r ..».'! '.; tar;h and burnt the r. ...-.--. . i-iill scorched the sky, the l-'.z i . .-r - i v.'is born, and to h : c.-;.-':.- j -. Messenger from the '.■.:.- : .":■".:"n came and uttered *-:..- : :: ■•.;•: "One day the Peace- ; ". '. ■ I • the earth and find - . ' ■ neart.v of men." -.''■■'. .:■ .vhile the Fire-god f • •.:.-• kingdom and ■ ■r. ■:■ _ < ':.. and hills, the little i' :■'■.-: • .:m •.=.-. taller and fairer ' ' :. ■ 'i:' "f the young gods. ' ' ■ ~. maniieod, lie stood .]■; '■■■■ • of the great " . ;. :< '\, "What must I ,f: ■ ';'■ /, >-, '(.ld him he must '' - '. • ■ -.-■■ a•■ <'::•• world from the ■ ■ ■-', -i ::::!i men the ways ■' ■' ■■-■■:■!'•■ ."eci at this time, ■ ; '. . .-. . • i was born in one ' •.:.■ ' ■;:• • ~:: nils of the South- '■■•■ •'-; .-.■ ;; child she listened ;• '.'.• ■'.;: ..":i.".-: of the dreadful * -■<■■'- .. :> In- passed, shaking ■ - •:'■ : ; l.L'htmg the moun- '-■•■.. ■ .- ■.:-.", and hid in secret •-'■'*- , .:■'■•'. liu! sometimes, "'*'■. ' " .. -■:<.!! was far away ,: ■ -. ..!.:; Piace slip down *~ ' " " ':-.'■: }io." - .e and snoke ■5- !:. . .: !:■■ had told her of '■;'■'.■•■'. •■:•"-. '■•'.i.-iderful things, '•' .... •.•.'.• 'is days, and silent .''■"'' ' ■..:'': hr-,:id sweeping :'■ --■■ --\ i't.v. iv. and soft ■''■■• ■■-..:,■■>■ <f those things I *■*■" '.' -i love him greatly. : * , ■ ■..!,• m the Peace-god * .-;■;; Kingdom from ,->'''■ r 'ic Fi;e-.:.'jd saw | ■■ ■■ ■ t' ijaltie he was i !'"■:; ' ■ ! ~; <• fed down to the '; " ' ' .■■;•. .he might hide. -' : -'-" ' : •■.-. ..:■!.■ he was very h - ■;■:.' • ■■_■ : mouldering hills ;.'•" ■ :■< . n.bling earth, j *"'.■:•' . ■ ;;;•■ to the place j '•'■■■•■■ ';•■ ■;. wh.ich was | ■' ■ . i':h! Prace had j ;■•' -' - ■ ■ '■. i. :ii was even ! i .' • ' ■ y tii.- ways of '''- .... ■Vi'i-.erever he has '"-' . ••msor-'.'r-r he has ;■■•'-. : •'. ;ii c /stroy!" And : '■-■ ■■ ■■..<■ ■■ -j .••-:h to a great '■■■- :- - . •■-<-. ■: .-...- Lvtte!- j ;■■■ .■•..- -.-.-,..:. r ., C 'I-cd ana a '. '' '.. • '. - h'.-i!'" rose up to I '' ■' ■ ■• Y-iin-f Prnee had ! ".. ■ . ,- ' ' ■'- -■ ■ ■ i-id had followed ;' ■ : ; .-aw what the \ ■ - ■.- : !" V'.Wi.'d to i • -'- . :•■ th.-' s--a of lire "- ■■;, .i, !;.<• skv, in the I - "■ ::■■!•■]■ h ' fought j ■'■■■■ i. ■•! ;. en.-my was |

(By Peter Lovell-Smith)

i terrible and cruel and he struck Peace down so that he fell on to a great hill sorely wounded. Even to-day the rocks are dyed red, where he lay. There he might have died, but Miri, who had watched the battle, came down from her hidden valle3 r , down to the shore of the sea of fire. Here she sang to the wounded Peace, a long and gentle song, of quiet cool woodlands, of misty days and still frosty nights, of lazy rivers and golden beaches and slow-moving, whitecreated foam, of little laughters and tears, and Romance and Beauty. And thour.h the sea of fire was rising up to her. still she sang the song of Peace, and the song of all those things that Peace loved. As he listened a new strength flowed into the Peace-god so that soon lie arose and fought the Firegod a second time. But again, because he was cunning and strong the Fire-god cast him down so that he lay on the earth and his blood flowed over the hi.is and vallevr. And again as he lay there, limp and wounded, Miri sang to hirn of the greater things of Peace: of Wisdom, and Happiness, and Truth, and Love, so that presently he stood up once more and faced the Fire-god's wrath. This time, because his strength was great, he struck his enemy a mighty blow so that he fell to the i ground. Then Peace made a great hole and cast the Fire-god into it and imprisoned him in the centre of the earth where he will remain till the end of the world. I But when he went back to the J place where Miri had stood and I sung to him he found that the sea j of lire had risen up and swept her I away. Then Peace was very sad, and on the barren hillsides planted his memorial to her, the bush. And ! when he had finished lie went out i into the other places of the world i and taught men the ways of wisi dom and contentment. I There, in the bush, you may hear her. White men came and felled i the forests on the Port Hills that ! were her memorial, but still, in i the hidden valleys on the Port Hills, i where she lived, linger a few I patches: and it is here, in the twilights of morning and evening that ! von mav listr -• and perhaps hear W Some will tell you it is the wind moving in the trees, others, the murmur of the sea or the cry of a distant bird. But round the fir;-]i"ht with the Maoris, round the mistv magic firelight when all the work! of realitv is dim and poetry dances in the shadows, there, from the memorv of Days Forgotten, they will tell vou it is the Song of Miri.