The magic spring—a Te Anau legend

Press, 15 August 1978, Page 14

The magic spring—a Te Anau legend

Once, long ago, dry land cctvered the area where Lake Te Anau now spreads. A village grew up and the people lived very happily together. They had few troubles and believed that a magic spring of water was the cause of their good fortune. The spring was hidden by bush and tall trees. Noone had seen it except Te Horo, the priest from the village, and his wife. They were the guardians of the spring and believed that it possessed strange powers and protected the villagers from harm.

The spring, which was bottomless, was wonderful in other ways. The water was always pure and, after prayers were said, nets had only to be lowered, and were quickly filled with fish. No-one in the village ever feared that his family would go hungry. One day the priest heard rumours of war on the Otakau Peninsula and decided to journey to the east coast to see what he could do to help. Before he left, he made his wife swear to tell no-bne the

whereabouts of the secret spring. His wife, however, had a lover who longed to see the pool. When they were alone he begged so hard to be shown it that at last she agreed and led him inside the sacred ground. Bending down, he gazed into the clear water and watched the fish swim* ming. Suddenly, the spring welled up. A great wave rose silently and before the two lovers could escape, they were drowned. The water continued to spread, getting deeper and deeper. It flooded all the valley and reached out with long arms into the hills. Not a villager

escaped. 'All of them dis* appeared beneath the waters. The priest had not travelled far when he looked back and was startled to see a great inland lake among the hills in place of the land. He hurried back but his wife, his people, and their homes had vanished. He was broken-hearted and went to live at Milford Sound, for he could not bear to look at the waters which had drowned his wife and which reminded him of her unfaithfulness. A cliff — Te Horo — is named after him. You can see it at Milford Scrund, in Anita Bay.