The Lone Whare

Northern Advocate, 14 July 1938, Page 5

The Lone Whare

< Continued ‘From Tuesday la.-l'

The interior, I found when 1 entered at the low door, was bare, all except for Jhr rotting remains of an old Maori kit. wii.li a I Ltd It: heap of black earth, inside it that was probably once some kurnaras; close to this was an old European saucepan that old Etna cr Hoane (so were they named) must have bought from the pakehas. The roof came down almost to the floor on each side, and there was little light within. I came out again, and sat in the doorway, just as the Maori woman Huia, must have dono in the long ago. The .sunshine was warm, the atmosphere somnolent. The hills, towards which I looked from the where, were light green in the strong light, with dcap blue cloud-shadows lying in patches. Here and there stood up a bare tree-trunk, survivor of the cruel fires that had swept away the wonderful bush Huia must have seen if she had looked out across the country as I did. There was no breath of wind; the white clouds’were motionless. The land seemed to lie asleep. Presently there \gas an old. darkskinned. white-haired woman sitting beside me. She nodded, smiling. “Listen, white girl, you who love my land and grieve for the ravages your countrymen have made upon it.” she said, in a soft, almost crooning voice. “I will tell you the story of the old whare. that is the story of Huia and Koane.

“All that I tell you happened some years before the white men came here. Then, in this part of the country, there were two tribes, each at enmity with the other. There was continual warfare between the two: so that the people of each tribe were afraid to go beyond the palisade of their pah, for fear the enemy might swoop upon them and carry them off as prisoners. “Huia was a maiden of one tribe, Hoane a young warrior of the other. “Huia was a maiden very selfwilled. and resented the command of the chief, by which no one was to go beyond the palisade unless armed or guarded. ‘Why should we not venture a little way into the bush.’ said she to her companions. ‘Surely there can be no harm if we go but a little way into the bush. It is time the clematis was in bloom. I am going to gather some of its starry blossoms. Who will come with nie?’ “ ‘You are but joking, Huia.' said the other maidens. ‘lt is death to go.’

“ ‘lndeed I do not joke.’ returned Huia scornfully. ‘You are cowards, and afraid to come.’

“In vain did her friends beg Huia to stay; at last they threatened that, if she persisted in her resolution, they would go and tell the chief. Then Huia, with a look of contempt, walked away from them. They saw her enter a whare, and coming out with her poi balls, dance along in the sunlight. Thinking then that she would not dare to leave the pah. they took no 'more notice of her. “Huia. as soon as she saw that her friends were not observing her, slipped through the unguarded gate and ran towards the bush. The one watcher had fallen asleep, and did not see her pass. “The bush was very still and silent: Huia felt a little afraid, and almost wished she had not come, but she made up her mind she would not be a coward, and persuaded herself there was nothing to fear. So she went on, and, finding the flowers she sought, twined them in her dark hair. Then elated at her success, she forgot all caution and began to dance and to hum a song. “Suddenly .she was startled by a rustling sound, and. turning, found herself face to face with a warrior, who leant towards her over a fernclad bank, holding in his hand the creeper lie had parted to see who was singing.

“It was Hoane. He had been sent as a spy to Hula’s pah, and. as ho crept through the undergrowth, had been surprised to hoar the sound of a maiden singing. Al first, rightly guessing that the enemy chief would have forbidden the egress of the women of his tribe, he thought it must be one of the fairy folk, but Ire had parted the creepers and gazed upon the startled Hula. As he gazed, love was born in his heart, for the maiden was exceedingly beautiful; and Huia seeing the warrior made no move towards her. lost some of her fear and cast down her eyes, while a blush rose under her dark skin. (Continued on Tuesday nexdi.