TIKI TAPU.

Otago Witness, Issue 2649, 21 December 1904, Page 37 (Supplement)

TIKI TAPU.

(Specially written for the. Daily Times and Witness Christmas Annual^ 1904.)

In the by -gone days of a golden prime, Ere the scribe ha-d b?gun to write — When the hours were told by .the mako's ohiiuo, From his bosky and wind-swept height : A horror crept tiiro" the shimmering noons, Thro' the misty morns, and the lingering moons : Where the trees were tall, and the ferns were green, And the rata and kowhai red — O'er the happy hills of the wonderland — Hidden deep in his watery bed, With a gorgon spell in his grisly might, A taidwha hid from the sunny daylight. In the iong, long days of the summer warm, Fleet-footed came over the fern Wahines, like- Ngaru, of supple form, After toas right stately and) stern ; Their laughter made music across the brake, But the echoes fell short of that haunted lake. Alas ! its shore was a terrible place, For a mana right magical clung To that scaly thing of the dragon race Ever lurking its waters among. Yet aye the wahines anear it drew, AQured by a gem of most mystical blue: A gem that was set on the horrent brow Twix this taniwha's evil eyes ; And vainly the suitors might plead and bow Since this was the price of a prize — "Go! go!" cried the maids, "Ye are brave and strong, Let it be to the victor the spoils belong. "Go, bring up the taniwha from the deep, On the bulk of his loathsome form Let the swift, sure stroke of tbe mere sweep ; With the rage of Tawhiri's storm He shall Toar for aid to the mighty Tv, 'Gainst the toa's hand on his jewel of blue." Now, Ngaru shone bright as the morning star, Wooers feivent and fond had she ; But the rangiteras from near and far She would meet with this firm decree: "The rangitera that Ngaru would wed Must bring her the gem from the taniwha's head." Taru was fervent, as Taru was fond ; He strove with this taniwha grim: For the Fates had given in fatal bond The heart of the maiden to him. Her heart at the sound of his voice grew light ; AX his were her visions and dreams of the night.

So Taru would bind in his flaxen snare This taniwha hoary and bold : The jewel a prize for his lady fair, Then herself to his heart to fold ! So the net was spread, and the prey was caught, And the lake convulsed as the taniwha fought. In fcbe pearly grey of the early dawn All the strand grew a gory hue ; While Ngaru aJoof, like a frightened fawn, Caught the gem of wonderful blue That her lover had won by skill and spear Alas ! that the winning should cost him so dear. Alas ! for the lover so fond and brave ; And alas ! for the hapless maid : From the taniwha's jaws she cannot save, As she watches, wide-eyed, dismayed, With the fatal gem in her trembling hand, The terrible close on that desolate btrand. Alas' it is o'er — and her dream is donj ; Now the raging waves are at rest : So, frantic, she flings what his heart's blood won And hf r hopes in the lake's wild breast. Yea, the bluest tide in the island shows To this moment of Ngaru and Taru's woes.

ROSLYN

Thames, N.Z., 1904.

It is not everyone who is aware of the reason why the right leg of the image of the infant Saviour is invariably iclt bare in the creche, or representation of the Nativity which is on view at Christmas and New Year in every Koman Catholic church throughout the world. The most famous of these images of the Saviour, and the one which has the largest number of miracles to its credit, is that of the Church of the Aracceli, at Rome the paint with which it is adorned being ascribed to the brush of no less an artist than the evangelist St. Luke.

Once it was stolen. But in the dead of night the Monks of the Aracoeli Convent were aroused by a violent knocking at their ponderous door. They crowded to the portals and to their amazement found the "Santo Bambino" (Sacred Child) standing on the steps and knocking against the oak panels with one of his tiny feet, which he had succeeded in disengaging from his swaddling clothes, It is from that time, so runs thel tale at Rome, that the custom dates of leaving bare the right leg of the Bambino. December 25 was a day of feasting in several countries long before the Christian era. The Romans and Greeks held an annual festival at that time in gratitude to Saturn for good harvests. Some of the present Christinas customs originated with them ; one being that of decorating churches and homes with greenery. The Scandinavians had a Christ, mas all their own on December 25 which they called 10l from which is derived the present word Yule. Sacrifices were offered to Thor for allowing the sun to return. Great loga were burned as emblematic of its increasing warmth, and thus originated the Yule log.

(Specially written for the Daily Times and Witness Christmas Annual } 1904.) They signalled her from the flagstaff, And I saw her crossing the bar, Her scarlet funnel swinging — I burned up all my matches, And spoiled a good cigar. But my heart was* hot and singing, For I had not seen your face, love, For many a weary day ; Ah : they made your steamer race, love, Her d^cks were wet with spray. I saw you up on the boat deck, And I bit my pipe-stem hard (The cigar had gone to blazes !) The people pushed 1 to the guard-ropes, But I never budged a yard (Mine wasn't the joy that crazes) ; But all ! when I held your hand, dear, And saw your .merry eyes, It> soemed that an angel band, dear, Was singing in Paradise.

And all your boxes and luggage, What a joEy heap they made ! (I gave a pound to the porter), And we took a cab. I remember The cabby grinned when I paid (Town isn't all bricks and mortar). And you sat in the chair by the blaze, love, Watching me make you tea — I couldn't read much in your face, love, Except that you felt like me. Glad that we were together, AH ho' we must, part again, (I would stand and watch you goin^), While the boisterous winter weather Thrashed on the window pane {How red the tire was glowing !) As I bent my lips to your lips, love, You whispered just one old name, And I thanked God there were ships, love Dear heart, I was glad you came.

Most of the old Christinas customs and superstitions may be traced back to pagan ceremonies and religious rites The. mistletoe, so inseparable from modern ideas of Christmas" was regarded as a sacred plant by the ancient Druids At I 06!I 06 !- 1 ., 11 time ° f the year ' corresponding to our Christinas, the high priest cut down a mistletoe branch with a golden pruning-hook, an operation attended with religious ceremony 1 hey regarded the mistletoe with especial reverence if found growing on the oak. It may not be generally known that although the mistletoe grows abundantly on thorn, maple poplar, apple, and crab trees, it is rarely found on the oak! Hanging presents on trees is supposed to have had its origin m India, where Buddhists hang offerings to their gods on the boughs of young saplings. In Cheshire at one time, farmers' servants were accustomed to leave their employed service from Christmas Day to New Year's Day. Christmas boxes are termed "handsels" in Scotland. Bread baked on Christmas Eve, according to an old superstition, never becomes mouldy.