THE LEGEND OF MT EGMOIMT: A MAORI MYTH.

Otago Witness, Issue 2454, 27 March 1901, Page 64

THE LEGEND OF MT EGMOIMT: A MAORI MYTH.

(By Jk^stk Mackay.)

lii the beginning of Te Ika a Maiti, says the Maori, in the great primeval morning of Tane, the three mountain giants — Tonganro, Rnaj>ebu, nnd Taranaki — -tood s-ide by side in the land of the Upper Waikato. There, too, stood Pihanga, low ami lovely and wooded ; Fihanga, the Maori Oread, wife of Tongarivo. Just in the ssame manner the mightier fire-gods of Anahuac reigned on the Mexican upland*— Popocatepete, the King of Thunders, and JzUiceilaiatl, his wife, the White Woman of the Aztecs. For it is the wont of savage man to draw near to him the great Nature wonders by the bond of a living personality that passed whVu he attained Ins full tiny stature and arrogated to himself all reason, all separate volition. ISO the three mighty mountain brethren ot the Waikato stood in the dayspring of the gods, and dreamed on in the sunlight and the moonlight the pure primeval rire in their hearts ever working with the great thoughts and noble throes that made the earth to be. Maturiki shone on them by night, and Marama, the Moon God, whispered to them the counsel of the heavens. Great wah the wisdom and the peace of the mountain kings. Great was the love of Tongariro, and Pihanga, his wife, the Maori Oread. When was the evil thought born in Taranaki? Who knows? But it grew swiftly, and he hid no more from himself that he loved his. brother's wife, Pihanga, greatly. The fire that rose now to his lips in the days of prophesying was the thick" sulphurous blast from the Cavern of Miru in the Underworld. He nursed his evil plans before the calm brows of Tongariro and Ruapehu. He looked over tTie sea ior a home : the thoughts of wickedness are always short and broken across. In the night he rose to fly with Pihanga. But when the faithful Oread shrieked the solid land trembled, and Taupo Moana threw up her blue waters in fear. The rending rata and clematis vines at her feet shrieked too. Tongariro and Ruapehu sprang to arms. Taranaki's strength was trebled in the madness of his love.v Seven days and nights, as men count time, the mountain kings fought together. But Marama, the fair-haired Moon God, Wealed the wounds of Tongariro and Ruapehu by night, while he threw darts of confusion and blindness on Taranaki. So at last with a mighty roar he fled away beaten ; and once again the wood pigeons cooed safely in the green fringes of Pihanga' s robs, while Taupo Moana's waters rippled in peace. As Taranaki fled he drew after him a long furrow in his haste, and the earth that abhorred him filled it with swift-pumring waters. Thus was the Wanganui River made in the day of the despair of Taranaki. Now in his flight he came to the Western Sea, and the pure water refused to give him path or harbour. So he turned and fled up the coast, and ■stood still on a lovely place, where there was no mountain to mock his sorrow and shame. Again he took his god-like shape by the we&tern waters. Long after the pakeha came and gave Lim another name: no one calls him Taronaki now. Far ajvay in the TJppe. Waikato stand the faithful brothers, Tongariro and Ruapehu ; the heaven.lv fire of the thoughts of Tane still rises and overflows at their lips. Pihanga, the ldw and lovely, is still beside them, with the woo 3 pigeons cooing in the green fringes of her robe. Good is greater than evil ; the furrow the robber drew after him in hate and storm was blrs&ed by Tane Mahuta. and grew into the loveliest river on earth. But Taranaki. the fallen mountain good, stands silent and alone by the Western Sea. The pure primeval fire of the thoughts of Tane died in him when lie ■sinned ; cold ashes lie round liis heart. But Ra. the Sun God. and Maiama, the Moon God. remember his former estate, and crown him mournfully with nurple and rose at dawn and veil him with silver mist at night — him, the Maori Lucifer, who fell through love, not pride. CURED OF CHRONIC DIARRHOEA AFTER THIRTY YEARS OF SUFFERING. " I suffered for thirty years with diarrhoea and thought I was past being cured," says John S. Halloway, of French Camp. Mips. " I had spent so much tjimp and money and guttered po much thai I had given up all hopes o r recovery. I xvnt> so feeble from iiie effects of the diarrhoea that I could do no kind of labour, could not c\en travel, but by accident I was permitted to find a bottle of Chamberlain's Colic, Cholera, and Diarrhoea Remedy, and after taking several bottles I am entirely cured of that trouble. I am so pleased with the result that I am anxious that it bo in reach of all who suffer as I have." For sale by all Dealers. Price, Is 6d aad 3s.