How Kahukura Learned to Make Nets

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 10 December 1938, Page 12

How Kahukura Learned to Make Nets

Many, many years ago there lived a man named Kahukura. One evening, when he was on his way to a distant village, he came to a lonely spot on the : seashore. As he was walking slowly I along, he saw a large pile of the heads j and tails of fishes lying on the beach. Now, in those days men had no nets and were obliged to catch fish with spears and hooks; and when Kahukura saw the pile he was very much surprised. “Who has had such luck!” he exclaimed. "It is hard to catch one fish! Here must be the heads and tails of a thousand!” Then he looked closely at the footprints in the sand. “No mortals have been fishing here.” he cried. “Fairies must have done this. I will watch tonight and see what they do.” So when darkness came, he returned to the spot, and hid behind a rock. He waited a long time, and at last he saw a fleet of tiny canoes come spinning over the waves. They ranged themselves in a line at a distance from the shore, and Kahukura could see many little figures in them bending and pulling. He could even hear small voices shouting: "The net here! The net there!” Then the little figures dropped something overboard and began to haul it toward the shore, singing very sweetly the while. When the canoes drew' near land. Kahukura saw that each was crowded ! with Fairies. They all sprang out upon the beach, and began to drag ashore a great net filled with fishes. While the Fairies were struggling with the net Kahukura joined them, and hauled away at a rope. He was a very fair man. so that his skin seemod almost as while as the Fairies', and they dul not notice him. So he pulled away, and pulled away, and soon the net was landed. The Fairies ran forward to divide the catch. It was just at the peep of dawm. and they hurried to take all the fish they could carry, each Fairy stringing his share by running a twig through the gills. And as they strung the fish they kept calling out to one another: “Hurry! Hurry! We must finish before the sun rises." Kahukura had a short string with a knot in the end, and he strung his share on it, until it was filled. But when he lifted the string the knot gave way, and all the fish slid to the ground. Then some of the Fairies ran forward to help him, and tied the knot. Again he filled the string and all the fish slid off. and again the Fairies tied the knot. Meanwhile the day began to break over the sea. and the sun to rise. Then the fairies saw Kahukura's face, and knew that he was a man. They gave little cries of terror. They ran this way and that in confusion. They left their fish and canoes, they abandoned their net. And shrieking they all vanished over the sea. Kahukura. seeing that he was alone, made haste to examine the canoes. They were only the stems of flax. He lifted the net. It was woven of rushes curiously tied. He carried it home, and made some like it for his neighbours. After that he taught his children how (o weave nets. And so, say the Maori folk, they all learned to make nets. And from that day to this they have caught many fish.