A TAAWHAKI TE TOHUNGA KUTIKUTI HIPI na HIRINI MOKO Epeehea ana, e hoa.” He paatai teenei ki a Taawhaki. Ka whakahoki a Taawhaki, “E pai ana!” “Ka taea e koe te toru rau?” “Ee, ka taea! Ngaawari noa iho!” Kei te haruru ngaa miihini, hoihoi ana te whare kutikuti hipi. Kei te rere ngaa puruma a ngaa pirihoo ki te tahitahi i ngaa wuuru. Kei te rere ngaa miihini kutikuti. Heke ana te werawera o te tangata—tino kino ke! Maringi mai te werawera haere tonu ngaa mahi, haere tonu ngaa miihini, ngaa puruma, ngaa pirihoo, haere tonu. Ka kumea mai teenaa hipi ka makaia atu teenaa ki waho. Puta mai ano he hipi haere ano teetahi. E whaa ngaa taangata kutikuti. Ko Wiremu te mea koroua o raatau. E ono tekau pea oona tau. Kua puuhina oona makawe, oona paahau; engari kei te kutikuti hipi tonu ia. He tangata tino pakari a Wiremu, he koroua tino kaha ki te mahi. I a Te Whiu te tuuranga tuarua. He tangata tino nui teenei; he tangata roa hoki. Te pai o te hanga o te tangata, ko Te Whiu teenaa. Maatotoru ana ngaa ringaringa, me te nui hoki o te puku i te mahi kai pia!1 Pia = Waipiro Ko te tuuranga tua toru i a Kaihuka. He tangata moomona ia, he tangata aroha i te tangata ahakoa ko wai, aa, he tangata tino reka ki te waiata. He autaia tonu ki te kutikuti hipi. Ko te taahae nei ko Taawhaki, i a ia te tuuranga tuawhaa. Ko ia te tamaiti o te tokowhaa nei, aa, ki toona nei whakaaro ko ia te tino tangata! Naa, kei te haruru ngaa miihini, kei te rere te wuuru, kei te pahupahu mai ngaa kurii i waho, i roto. Kei te aakina ngaa hipi e te hiiooo kia kikii ngaa waahi pupuri. Mai i ngaa kaikutikuti, tae noa ki ngaa pirihoo, ki ngaa perehimana, ki te kuki i toona kaauta, kei te haere te mahi, kei te haere. Ka tiiwaha ake a Kaihuka, “E peehea ana ta taatau kuuao? E pai ana!” THE EXPERT SHEARER by SID MEAD Translated by the Author How are you doing, friend?” This was a question directed at Taawhaki. He replied, “I'm doing alright!” “Do you think you'll get your three hundred?” “Assuredly! It will be easy!” There is the clatter of machinery filling the woolshed with a bustling din. The brooms of the “fleecos” flash as they sweep away the wool. Onward fly the hand-pieces. And the perspiration of man freely flows—oh, very badly. But, though the perspiration falls the work continues, onward go the shearing machines, the brooms and the fleecos. A sheep is dragged in and another is pushed out. As one appears another one disappears. There were four shearers in this gang. Wiremu was the ancient one among them. He was about sixty years old. His hair was grey, so too his whiskers, but he was still shearing. A hardy man was Wiremu, an old man who knew how to work. He had the first stand. Te Whiu occupied the second stand. He was a big man and a tall one. A wonderful specimen of man, that was Te Whiu! Thick were his arms, and he had developed a paunch through much drinking of beer. The third stand was held by Kaihuka. He was a well-fed man, a lover of his fellowmen no matter whom, and he was a very sweet singer. And he wasn't a bad shearer either. This fellow Taawhaki had the fourth stand. He was the baby among this foursome and in his opinion, he was the best man among them. Now, the machines are rumbling, the wool is flying off and the dogs are barking outside and in. The sheepo is urging the sheep along to fill the holding pens. From the shearers right down to the fleecos, to the pressmen, to the cook in her kitchen, the work is proceeding, is proceeding. “How is our baby doing? Alright?” shouted Kaihuka. Taawhaki realised this banter was meant for him, so he said,