THE DOG AND THE MOON.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 600, 2 November 1932, Page 11

THE DOG AND THE MOON.

Maori M.P. Tells Amusing Story. (Special to the “ Star.”) WELLINGTON, November 1. Much amusement was caused in the House to-day when Mr Te Tomo, speaking in Maori, described how he had been lectured two years ago by the Native Minister. To give him a lesson, said Mr Te Tomo, the Minister told, the story of a miner and his dog. The miner took the dog with him to look for gold. They burrowed into the hills for years, and finally the miner came out of a deep tunnel into the open. He brought the dog with him and tied him up. That night the dog saw the moon, and he howled and howled, but the moon went evenly on its way. Next night the dog howled at the moon again, but the moon took no notice, and still went on its way. The third night the dog again howled, and again the moon took no notice, so the dog lay down and slept. The Minister showed him that he was just like that dog. He could howl and howl, but the moon still would go serenely on its way without taking any notice. Then he was hostile to the Minister, but he had seen the error of his ways.

Mr Te Tomo’s tale, although unintelligible to most members, provided amusement, for he gave a realistic imitation of the howling of a dog, and by the aid of much gesticulation with his hands made his reasoning intelligible. Those who could not get the gist of his meaning from intonations of voice and pantomime were not kept out of the joke long, for the interpreter gave a faithful rendering of the story.