Kua moohio a Taawhaki moona te koorero nei, ka mea ia, “E koro, Wiremu! Ko koe teenei e koorerotia nei e te taahae nei e Kaihuka! Kohetetia!” Ka kata atu a Taawhaki, me te haere tonu o te mahi. Ka karanga te koroua, “E kii! E kii! Ko koe tonu teenaa e koorerotia nei, Taawhaki! Kua ngenge koe, tamaiti!” Ka kata mai te koroua ki a Taawhaki. Kua mutu teenaa hipi te kuti, ka haere a Taawhaki ki te hopu i teetahi ano. Ka tiiwaha atu ia ki a Wiremu, “Kia kaha, e koro! E peehea ana te tuaraa o te koroua? Ka whati pea!” Ka whakahoki mai teeraa, “E whati ki hea! I te rima karaka ko tou pea te tuaraa ka whati aakuanei! Hei aha, kia kaha poai! Whaaia te toru rau! Kia Kaha!” Ka kii mai a te Whiu, “Hei aha te koorero, e hoa ma. Ka pau noa o koorua hau i te koorero. Kia kaha ki te mahi!” Ka haere ia ki te hopu hipi maana, i reira ka haaparangi te waha, “Hii-poo! He hipi ano!” Ka mea atu oona hoa, “Ka pai te haere a Te Whiu! Whakarongo atu, kua pau ke, aana hipi!” Ka kii ake ko Kaihuka, “Aue! ngaa pia o te Kirihimete e maringi mai nei i taku kiri!” Ka karanga atu a Taawhaki ki a ia, “E koe na! E inu ano!” Ka koorero ano a Kaihuka, “Me kai ano, ka tika! Ka pau katoa mai hoki i teenei mahi!” Naa, kei te heke te werawera o Kaihuka—piia-taata mai ana toona kiri! Ka mutu te hipi ka kapo atu ia i tana taaora, ka taaora i a ia. Heemanawa ana toona ahua. Ka mahi raatau, aa, ka tangi, te pere mo te inu ti o te ata. Ka mutu ngaa mahi, ka mutu hoki te haruru o te miihini, marino ana. Kua rere ngaa ringaringa ki te kapu ti, ki te paraaoa, ki te keke. Kua inu i te inu a te hanga mate-inu. Kua noho ngaa tinana ngenge ki raro ki te whakataa, ki te koorerorero. I a raatau e inu ti ana, ka kautehia ngaa hipi kua mutu te kutikuti i eenei mahinga e rua. Koinei ngaa kaute: Wiremu Te Whiu Kaihuka Taawhaki Mahinga Tuatahi 53 55 48 75 Mahinga Tuarua 60 61 53 80 — — — — 113 116 101 155 — — — — KAAORE HE WHAKANGA Ka pau te haawhe haaora ka tiimata ano ngaa mahi. Ko te tuumanako a Taawhaki kia puta i a ia te whaa tekau maa rima i teenei mahinga poto-poto kia aahua ngaawari ai te mahi moe te ahiahi, Ka kii atu a Te Whiu ki a ia, “E pai ana to haere, Taawhaki. Kia kaha, e hoa, me kore e eke i a koe te toru rau i teenei raa!” “Old man, Wiremu, that fellow Kaihuka is talking about you! Growl him!” Tawhaki laughed at him as he continued to work. The old man called out, “Well, well, now! It is yourself indeed that has been mentioned, Taawhaki! Are you tired, child?” And the old man laughed at Taawhaki. When Taawhaki finished his sheep, he went to fetch another. As he did so he called to Wiremu, “Come on, old man! How is the old man's back? It will break perhaps!” He replied, “Break, will it! At five o'clock it might be your back that will break! Never mind, be strong, boy! Pursue your three hundred. Come on now!” Te Whiu said to them, “For what is all this talk? You will consume all your energy talking. Get on with the work.” He went to fetch another sheep. Then he yelled, “Sheepo! Some more sheep!” His friends teased, “My word, Te Whiu is moving along wonderfully. Hearken to him, his pen is empty.” Then said Kaihuka, “Alas, the Christmas beer which is flowing from my skin!” “That will teach you! Drink some more!” Taawhaki called to him. Kaihuka replied, “It is right, that I should partake again. You lose it all with this job!” The perspiration was dripping from Kaihuka, so that his skin glistened. When he finished his sheep, he made a grab for his towel to wipe himself. He looked flushed and weary. They worked on until finally the morning smoko bell rang. The work stopped and the noise of the engine ceased so all was peaceful. Hands reach out for cups of tea, for bread and for cake. They drink in the manner of the very thirsty. Tired bodies seat themselves to rest and yarn. As they drank their tea, the sheep which had been shorn in these two runs were counted out. Here are the tallies: Wiremu Te Whiu Kaihuka Taawhaki 1st 53 55 48 75 2nd 60 61 53 80 — — — — 113 116 101 155 — — — — NO REST FOR TAWHAAKI The half hour passed and once more the work began. In this short run Taawhaki wanted to shear forty-five so as to make his work a little easier for the afternoon. Te Whiu said to him, “You are going along nicely, Taawhaki. Be strong, oh friend, so you will reach three hundred today!” Wiremu said, “Be strong, child, or else your old relative will beat you!” Kaihuka too had his say, “Yes, you be strong, or Kuia won't love you any more! Or is it Mereana that you desire?” Mereana was one of the