EAONA AND WAINEI

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 1, 2 January 1932, Page 16

EAONA AND WAINEI

(Original.)

Many, many years ago there lived in the thick New Zealand bush two children, one little girl called Eaona, and a! little boy called Wainei. j They were not of the Maori race, for their skin was fair and their eyes blue; .and while Eaona had golden hair, Wainei had dark. These two children appeared to be extremely happy living by themselves. The Maoris would not harm them, as they believed them to be "spirits," and regarded that part of the bush as being very sacred. One day as Eaona was busy cooking Wainei's lunch she thought she heard footsteps, and, thinking it was Wainei, she ran to meet him. Coming to a small opening in the bush, she saw to her amazement a tall man dressed in a uniform. "Hullo, "he said, but Eaona did not know what he meant by "Hullo, " as she did not understand English too well. "Who am?" she asked, as she pointed to him. "James Cook," he replied, and smiled. Eaona did not feel so frightened then, and said: "Me Eaona. Come, follow!" and she led him to her small dwelling, where she told him about herself and Wainei. "Boat wrecked a long time. Eaona only two, Wainei four years. Live in big bush. Wainei fourteen years now. Big boy." As Eaona was thus explaining to Captain Cook, a Maori, hearing voices, came to have a glance at the "spirits." On seeing Captain Cook, he ran and told the chief that an "evil" spirit was tempting the "good" ones. Gathering all his tribe together, he set forth, to capture the evil spirit. - Whim she saw the Maoris all covered with war tattoo and making hideous faces, Eaona became quite frightened, and clung to Captain Cook, who did his best to console her. Meanwhile, the Maori, thinking he had made a mistake, headed his tribe in another direction. Captain Cook then took Eaona and Wainei back to his ship, the Endeavour, where they received a great welcome. "BOBBIE" (17).