A LINGUISTIC MISTAKE

Hawera Star, Volume L, 10 April 1930, Page 18 (Supplement)

A LINGUISTIC MISTAKE

During the Maori scare of 1879 the narrator, then a small bov, was in refugees’ quarters within gunshot of the palisades of the old Waihi fort. Domiciled with our family was the headteacher of the Xormanbv School, with his mother and sister. This gentleman had an affectionate regard for his 'aged mother, a trait which we young rascals were then unable to appreciate, and were wont. to scoff at. His family having travelled considerably an the Continent, were accustomed to talk French in their own little circle. On one occasion the “Dominie’’ came to the door and called out: “Mere! Ma Mere! On cst la mere?’’ (mother, mother .mine! where’s mother). ! Xow, as the sound of the French word far mother is identical with our term for

the female horse,, I, being in the vicinity, thought the master was enquiring the whereabouts of the old grey mare he- used to ride to and fro from school. Anxious to be 'of service, I hastened to volunteer the information: “I know, sir! She's down in the garden, tied with a rope!” “What!” cried the astonished teacher, who had a very slow, deliberate method of speech. “Tied-with-a-rope? Lead-mo-to-her!! ’ No doubt visions of Hauhati ant roeitics rose up before the good man, as I officiously showed the way down the shrubbery. “‘There she is!” I cried triumphnntly, pointing to the venerable quadruped lunching off a bunch of prairie grass. - “Poolish boy! ” drawled our mentor, “T-said-jna mere.-not-the-mare! ' ’ T rapidly backed out through the hedge, and long afterwards my fellow urchins used to “barrack” me with the query: “I sat', Will; Where’s the mare?” \