o Ngati-Kahungunu ki Heretaunga. E akoina ki te wawahi rakau kaore he tangata hei whawha atu ki a Turongo, e nawai ra kua poipoia tona ingoa e te ngutu tangata. I tetahi rangi ka mea atu a Te Angiangi ki tana tamahine ki a Mahinarangi—‘Me moe koe i a Turongo hei rangatira mou; he tangata kaha hoki ki te mahi kai.’ Ka haere te mahi o te whare o Tuaka me te whakamihi ano a te tangata mo te tohunga o Turongo ki te mahi. Ko Turongo ia pau katoa ona whakaaro ki te tamahine a Tuaka ki a Mahinarangi. He wahine atahua a he wahine ringa rawe hoki ki a te wahine ki ana mahi a Mahina rangi. Hei te pukana hei te poi a hei te waiata e ka mau te wehi, rere ana te ihiihi ki te tangata. Ka ahua tamate nga whakaaro o Turongo ki tona whakaarotanga iho e he uri rangatira taua whine. Ko Mahinarangi ia kei te whakaaro mo te korero a tona whaea engari me pehea ra tana whakatata atu ki a Turongo. I nga tuahiahitanga ko te mahi a Mahinarangi he titiro ki a Turongo e hoki ana ki tona whare i muri mai o nga korero ki te whare-puni—hei te haere ko nga whakaaro kei whea mai nei. Taka rawa ki tetahi ahiahi ka ata whakakahu a Mahinarangi i a ia a ka ruia te hinu kakara o te raukawa ki runga i ona pakihiwi. Ka haere atu ia i te whare o tona matua me tana whakaware ano ka whakawhiti atu i te marae a pena tonu i heipu noa ka tutuki atu ki a Turongo, oho rere ana taua maia hoki rawa ake ona whakaaro ko te reo anake e warowaro ana i roto i ona taringa ‘Taku aroha e te tau; taku aroha.’ Raparapa noa ona whakaaro ko wai ra ko wai ra taua wahine engari ko te kakara o te raukawa mau tonu i roto i ona whakaaro. Ka wawata ano ia ko Mahingarangi pea? Ka takoto a Turongo me tana whakaaro mo taua wahine rokohanga ka rotua e te moe. KO TE KAKARA O TE RAUKAWA Ka noho na he ahiahi ke ano ka mutu ano te tohu ki a Turongo ko te kakara o te raukawa. Mau tonu taua kakara i roto i ona whakaaro katahi ia ka mea me mataara ia kia mau ai taua wahine. Uina ake i te ata, kei te warea te tangata ki te mahi, ka ahu atu a Turongo ki a Mahinarangi ratou ko ona hoa e whakataruna ana ki te tititorea. Ka haere wairangi noa atu ia ka tu i muri i tena i tena o aua wahine. Kua whairo ake i a Mahinarangi a Turongo e ahu mai ana a kua noho kino nga whakaaro o taua puhi. Kei te haere te takaro a nga wahine ra ka haere mai a Turongo ka tu mai i tawahi atu o Mahinarangi. Kua puhana ona THE MYSTERY OF THE PERFUME Some evenings later the same thing happened, and Turongo again recognised the raukawa perfume he was never to forget; and, there and then, he made up his mind that he would not be caught unawares again. The following morning, when most of the people of the village were occupied with the every-day life of the tribe, Turongo walked over to where Mahinarangi and a merry group of the young maidens of the pa were engaged in the game of titi-torea (game played with sticks). Assuming as casual an air as possible, Turongo became an interested spectator as he sauntered around the group and stood over each player in in turn. Mahinarangi had seen Turongo approach, and she found it increasingly difficult to concentrate on their game. Sitting cross-legged or kneeling, the maidens deftly threw the smooth titi-torea sticks around the circle, in time to the tune of a lilting refrain. Turongo came around the circle, and presently stood behind a player on the opposite side of the ring to Mahinarangi. The colour had by now mounted to the young lady's cheeks. But Turongo was not looking at her. He could not, as he was afraid he would betray himself. If Mahinarangi were not the maiden of the raukawa perfume, he would indeed be a very disappointed man. As he moved and paused behind each player in turn, every now and again he thought he had caught the fragrant aroma of that distinctive raukawa perfume of his breathtaking evening encounters with the maiden of his dreams. Stooping low over the nearest player—feigning to be engrossed in the game—Turongo tried to trace the elusive scent to its source. As Turongo drew near, Mahinarangi became flustered, and her companions were moved to chide her laughingly for dropping the sticks when it was her turn to catch and pass them on around the ring. By the time Turongo had reached a position behind her, Mahinarangi could not control her agitation any longer, and, hurriedly springing to her feet, she announced that she was finished with their game. In rising she brushed against Turongo, and his whole being quivered when, as he caught his breath at her nearness, he recognised that unmistakeable raukawa perfume in the flurry of her garments. One of the players was very observant, and it was she who delighted in telling the story later of how she had been almost blinded by the burning ardency with which Turongo and Mahinarangi exchanged looks, before the chieftain's daughter, with studied blitheness, hurried off.