ANCIENT MAORI TALES. THE TWO BROTHERS.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XIII, Issue 958, 2 September 1856, Page 3

ANCIENT MAORI TALES. THE TWO BROTHERS.

CHAPTER 111. Hawaiki's proud stream, thou art flowing, Thy waters are clear as of old ; And o'er thee the clouds are siill thfowing Their curtains of azure and gold . Roll on, while ray spirit in anguish Shall breathe to its Mends o'er the main For here I must hopelessly languish, For him I may ne'er see again. Pihaiti and his beloved one lived happily at Tawhitinui surrounded by their affectionate people; and the young Chieftain had almost forgottan his brother's tm - kindness when, 10, a canoe arrived from his native isle, with several Chiefs of distinction, the bearers of a message from his aged father. This party from Hawaiki was welcomed with affection by Kura and her husband, and they fell upon the neck of Pihaiti, and wept loud and long. Then meat was placed before them, and they ate in the presence of Pihaiti and Kura his new wife. After their repast the young Chieftain said to his guests, "What tidings do j - ou bring from Hawaiki?" "Thy father is very sad," replied they, "on thy account, "and he has sent us to fetch thee ; thou art, O Pihaiti, dear to him still." "Is there any thing else of consequence ?" "Thy lands have been taken." "What else?" "Pihanui has become the lord ovpr thy people." "Is this the utmost ? — what greater calamity has befallen me}" "Thy wife has been taken by thy brother." "It is well. I will arise and go with you." "Oh, no, no," exclaimed Kura, "go not. If thou go, I shall surely die of grief." "Nay, hinder me not beloved one" said Pihaiti, "let me depart with my people ; I will return to thee again." "If thou must go," remarked Kura, "I will go with thee." "Thou hast spoken wisely," said the Chieftain. "Thou shall indeed go with me, for thou hast not yet been presented to thy father-in-law." On the morrow, Kura commanded her people to prepare stalely canoes for the voyage she was about to undertake ; and the whole of the arrangements were made by herself. Pihditi had merely to look on and approve. When the canoes were ready, Kura ordered six hundied men to embark, so that she might Msit in state the home of her husband. The canoes were not like those in use among the Maori people now ; they were double, richly carved and ornamented ; moreover there was a platform made of poles, so that the .people might sit comfortably. The canoes of Kura and Pihaiti arrived safely at Hawaiki, and the whole of the visitants were affectionately received by the inhabitants of that island. Kura and Pihaiti with their train of followers were welcomed to the home of the father of the two brothers, and with him and his relatives, the newly arrived guests wept long; — their lamentations were heard afar off, even at the residence of Pihanui. When the weeping was over, the father of Pihaiti said : "Welcome O my son, the last born of my children ; welcome to the home of thy father. Sit thee down in the midst of the people who love thee, my son. And welcome thou, O Kura, my daughter. Stay thou here with us, my daughter, and let this land be thy home, and the home of thy progeny." 11 Soon after the landing of Pihaiti and Kura at Hawaiki, the father enquired whether they had seen Pihanui since their arrival. "We have not seen him," sajd Pihaiti. "Are you willing to pay Rim a visit r" asked his father. "I am your guest," answered the son, "it would not be proper for me to go to his house ; it is he who should come hither to see nie." "Shall he be sent-for then \" "Yes, O sire." "It is well ; I will send for thy brother ;" and the old man called one of his attendants', and said to him "Hascon to the upper court of the fortress where my son resides, and say to him, thy brother Pihaiti has come, and fain would see thee." So the messenger did as he was told, and when he came to the place where the guests were received, Pihanui called out in »n angry ton* of voice "Who art thou ? — and wherefore dost thou come ?" for he suspected that this was a messenger from his brother whose wife he had taken, and -yho was in his company at the time the messenger entered the coHrt yard. "I have come from thy father and brother," said the man ; "they fain would see thee." "Get thee hence quickly," cried Pihanui. And the messenger returned saying, "Pihanui refuses to come ; he has cursed thee 0 Pihaiti, and would take away thy life." "I will go to war with my brother," said Pihaiti, addressing his father ; "I see that this quarrel cannot be settled otherwise." "Nay, my son," exclaimed the old man, "let not thy weapon be uplifted against thy brother, I will go to him, peradventure he will hearken to me, for I love Pihanui *v? first born." ' "And I love him too," said Kura, "therefore do not go to war with him." Pihaiti having approved of his father's plan, the old man hurried away to the house of his elder son, and implored him to be reconciled to his brother, and to come forward and greet him ; but Pihanui refused to meet his younger brother, and he cursed him and his father also. The aged Ghieftain left the house of his son in great haste, and he ran to Pihaiti saying, "O my son, thy brother has cursed us both ; arise and let us go to the sacred place that we may offer sacrifices to the gods to appease their anger, lest we die by the curse of Pfhanui." So they went to the sacred placp, in company with thirty of the principal men, and their heads were shorn of their locks, and they prayed and offered oblations to the gods for five days. During this time they eat only sacred food ; none of tha common people were allowed to approach, and this charm was rehearsed by the father of Pihanui and Pihaiti, for he was a great priest : — O ! let the power of this curse be dispelled ; Even the curse of the fust born. Dispel it, O heaven, Long heaven, darkened heaven ;—; — Darkened by this cufcse ; Heaven which is now as the blackness of darkness, And yet the heaven of bright stars, O let the evil influences of this curse Be dispelled ; — even the curse of this son. On the sixth day of humiliation befoie the gods, the father and son came forth with their followers, having discovered, by certain omens, that the victory would be theirs, should an engagement take" place between their army and that of Pihanui. the elder brother. The father knowing this, his heart yearned over his eldest Bon; his sorrow became very great, and he interceded for Pihanui, his illdisposed son. * Once more," said he, " let words of kindness be conveyed to Pihanui ; it may be he will hearken to our apeech ; so Bh.aU my so"ns iwell together in peace,"

Pihaiti having agreed to this, a messenger was immediately dispatched to Pihanui with words of affection from his sorrowing father. When the messenger appeared before Pihanui, he told him that his father was very loving towards him, and entreated him to be reconciled to his brother. " Are they still trying to deceive me ?'• exclaimed the enragpd Pihanui. " Begone," continued he, "or thy head will be taken off, and their heads also." And he cursed his father and brothel again. When the aged man saw the messenger quickly returning, he trembled with agitation, for he fearod that his eldest son was still obstinate, and he ran forward and hastily enquired of the messenger what answer his son had given. " I cannot tell thee," said the man. "I am afraid to tell thee, his speech was so vile." " Have we been again cursed ?■' "Even so," replied the messenger. When the aged chieftain heard this, he threw off his garments, and plunged into the foaming wave, that he might draw forth from the caverns of the ocean, two sacred stones, which represented his two sons, and when he had found them, he rose to the surface of the water, and, stretching forth his hands towaids heaven, he held one stone in his right hand and the other m his left, and cried : — Descend to the depths of the ocean, The great ocean, the long oc>ah, The dark ocean ; —to the darkest depths Of the ocean, descend, O curse, And let me ascend to the world — To the world of light. Breathe, breathe, and live. The warriors were now collected and prayers offered to the gods, to insure success, should Pihanui risk a battle, but it was hoped he would send a messenger of peace, when apprized of his brother's determination to meet him in the open field. No such messenger came, howe\er, soPihaiti led on his men, and his father went with the army. Pihanui had made application to the oracles, and the wise men told him that he should be victor* ous ; so he persevered in his evil course. Each army being drawn up in battle array, the signal for the attack was given, and the leaders of the divisions closed with one another, and presently there was a series of combats, each man lifting up his spear or club against his fellow. While the war was raging on both sides, the eyes of the brothers met, and they immediately engaged with each other -in deadly strife. Pihanui rushed upon Pihaiti with upturned eye and protruded tongue, in token of defiance, but Pihaiti, being dexterous in the use of the weapon, parried the deadly blow, and, watching his opportunity, struck his brother so violently that he fell senseless to the earth, and soon after expired. When the aged father saw that his son was dead, he grieved sorely for him, and he caused it to be proclaimed by a herald that the people should desist from fighting ; so they ceased to tight, and peace was restored. Now it came to pass, when each army set about counting the number of their slain, that many were found with fractured heads, and with deep gashes in their flesh, but no man died save Pihanui, the wicked brother of Pihaiti Thus did Pihaiti gain the victory over his brother, and he was re-installed in his honors,! and took to himself again his wi\es and his people. Moreover the great Ohieftainess of the island of Tawhitinui consented to stay at Hawaiki, for the place and the people pleased her well. Kura and Pihaiti lived in peace and plenty at Hawaiki, and they had many children, whose names are not known to us, but this we do know, at least our forefathers told us, that Kuia and Pihaiti wcie the progenitors of the present Maori race. Lo this is the end. ,