THE LITTLE ETINGA: A MAORI TALE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2302, 14 April 1898, Page 51

THE LITTLE ETINGA: A MAORI TALE.

" Cecil " gends me the following ptettily-fcold little Maori legend :—: —

Bfcinga Te Wbare was a beautiful little Maori girl, who lived on the borders of Maniototo. If there was ever a bold, little monkey ia New Zealand it was Efcinga, the beautiful. Now the tcibs she belonged to went to war with the Makakas, and the Makakas won the battle and took to their homes.the beat looking girls of the poor Tuikas, amongst whom was libtle Eiinga. Etinga was taken to the carved hufc of the chief, who was very pleased with such a pretty trophy. He ordered a new whare to be built for her, and the Makakas called her their " Whi-ts-roa," or prophetess. But all the beautiful cowrieshell ornaments and the carved mother-of-pearl ear-riDgs and the bowries did not make Etinga happy. She longed for her fatherland of the south, and continued grieving. The Makakas, however, thought that their prophetess kept their enemies away, and was sure to give them victory. Then the natives of the north, the Awakuis, came to the Makakas and warned them that the mountains werb on fire and the tribes fleeing. But the chief of the Makakas came out and said : "Depart ! oh ye cowards ! Ye Awakuis ! We are not afraid of the demon of the mountains. We have Bfcinga Te Whare to guard us against all danger." And the Makakatj sent up a wild derisive shout, and made the Awakuia very aDgry. The Awakui3 vowed vengeance on Etit)gß, and bhey believed that ehe was the cause of the eruption of the mountains. In the middle of the night they crept into the whare and stole lifcfcle Etinga away and boro her to the lakes. There they threw her into the waters and she w*s drowned. Then Tarawera burst into flames, and the wicked Awakuis were buried beneath the ashes and debris, but the Makakas escaped.