PONGA AND PUHIHUIA— Continued from page 24 Ka ki atu te ropa, ‘He tika iana, otira i haere tira tamariki mai tatou, he aha ta te kiore tana huanga’. Ka mea a Ponga, ‘Koia koa, otira he iti mokoroa e hinga te koroi’. Ka mea te ropa, ‘He tika koa, he ngahau noa iho ta tatou i haere mai ai, a he whanaunga e noho ana i te ra o te rongo taketake’. Ka ki a Ponga, ‘Ae ra, kei rarahu te ringa o tetahi o tatou ki te aha ki te aha, hei mate mo tatou’. Ka mea atu te ropa, ‘Ae, otira ma koutou, ma nga mea nunui e rahu te tapu o te pa nei, e kore tena e mahia e te penei me au nei’. Ka ki atu ano a Ponga, ‘He rarahu rapea tau e ki na, he ringa mau ki te taonga?’ Ka ki atu te ropa, ‘Kao, he taonga te taonga, a he mana tapu ano hoki o te taonga kori’. Ka ki atu a Ponga, ‘Mo Puhihuia rapea to kupu?’ Ka ki te ropa, ‘Oti, e ngaro hoki te mea kua piata, kua rarapa te kanohi o koutou, o nga mea nui o to tatou haere ki te kotiro ra i te wa ona e pukana ra?’ Ka mea atu a Ponga, ‘E hoa, he tika to kupu, ko au kua mate noa ake: me hoki tatou ki te kainga, kei he au, he mea hoki kua mate ano a tatou ariki ki taua tamahine ra, a ki te mea ka riro i a au, hei take ngaki mate moku’. Ka mea atu te ropa, ‘E ki ana au, he tapu te tapu, otira e kore te tapu e kiia he tapu i te wa o te aruaru wahine’. Ka mea atu a Ponga, ‘Ae i te kainga tupu’. Ka mea atu te ropa, ‘He kainga tapu koia te kainga o te tohunga o ia iwi o ia iwi, e tikina mai ra tatau wahine e aruarumia ra e nga tangata o Aotea. Haere mai ra hoki ratou i te kainga mamao, a, tae noa mai nei ki Manuka. He uri rangatira koe; e kore koe e akona ki te riri, waihoki e kore koe e akona ki te ngaki kai ma tama kapakapa’. Ka mea atu a Ponga, ‘Kei te porahu (raruraru) kau noa iho aku whakaaro, e kore au e mohio ki te aha ki te aha’. Ka noho nei a Ponga raua ko tana mokai, a, roa noa, ka maharahara te ropa ra ki te mate whakamomori o tana ariki, a, na taua pononga a ia, a Ponga, i whakamohio ki te tikanga mahi mana, ka mea atu te mokai ra ki a Ponga, ‘E koro, tenei te whakaaro kua kitea e au; whakarongo mai iana, a, mau e pai, e pai ana, a mau e kino, e pai ana, tenei koa kia korerotia atu ki a koe, me hoki taua have fallen deeply in love with Puhihuia, and if I should gain her as my wife, my death would follow.’ The slave answered, ‘I must acknowledge that sacred things are ever held sacred, but in the time of courting the restrictions of tapu do not apply to those who follow their beloved.’ Ponga replied, ‘It is true that in our own home such liberty may be allowed to us, but not here where we are guests.’ The slave said, ‘I would ask, were even the houses of our priests sacred when the people of other tribes came from Aotea to pay court to the young women of our tribe? Those I speak of came from a distance, even to Manukau. You are descended from the great men of ancient days, and cannot be taught how a warrior should act, nor can you be schooled into the art of how to satisfy the palpitating one.’ Ponga answered, ‘I am completely dazed. I have no power to think about anything at all.’ Thus these two sat in the dark on the marae, and for some time each was silent; but, as the slave feared that his master might be led to commit suicide, he spoke again, and said, ‘O friend, I have a thought; listen to my words; and if you agree to what I suggest it will be good; and if you object to what I suggest, you have the right to reject it. Let me speak. Let us return to the house; and if you can sleep, well and good, and if you cannot sleep, well and good; but be brave. Let your spirit live in you; food is food—eat it. Talk and laugh, and smother your sorrow by the strength of your determination; let it be kept hidden from the knowledge of others. Tomorrow, in the evening, pretend to be thirsty, and call for me; however I shall not be near you, but in some house far away from yours', so that I shall not hear your commands. Call loudly, and order me to go and fetch some water for you; but I shall not hear, and it will appear as if I were defying you. Your call may be heard by the mother of Puhihuia, and, as you are her guest, and of high rank also, she may perhaps ask the daughter to fetch some water for you, which would not be degrading to her because of your rank. The mother may say to her daughter, “O daughter, how can you sit still and hear our guest, Ponga, calling in vain to his slave to bring water for him? Can you