Here is the story of Uenuku, as told to Elsdon Best by Paitini Tapeka of Maungapohatu. The woman in this story, Tairi-a-kohu, is a supernatural being, the personification of the mist. ‘Tairi-a-kohu’ is the name by which the Mist Woman is known to Ngati Kahungunu; many of the people in the Wairoa district trace their descent from her union with Uenuku. The song which Tairi-a-kohu sings before she leaves Uenuku is the same, though with some variations, as the song which a fairy woman sings in a somewhat different Ngapuhi version of the story. This Ngapuhi song appears as no. 37 in ‘Nga Moteatea’ part one, edited by Apirana Ngata and Pei Te Hurinui. The translation of the song given below is based on that in ‘Nga Moteatea’.

Uenuku Raua Ko Tairi-a-kohu Ko tēnei wahine, ko Tāiri-a-kohu, he atua nō te rangi. Ko tōna take i heke iho ai, he kaukau i te wai o tēnei ao. Ka noho te tangata rā, a Uenuku, ka haere, ka tae ki taua wai. Rokohanga atu e kaukau ana te wahine. Kātahi ka hoki mai te tangata, ka tae mai ki tōna kāinga. Kātahi ka whakaaro kia haere ia ki te hopu i taua wahine. Taua wahine, he wahine pai. Kātahi ka haere, ka tae ki te taha o te wai, ka noho. Kāore e tino roa e noho ana, kātahi ka tae mai taua wahine. Ko tōna ara i heke iho ai he kohu. Ka tau ki te taha o te wai, ka maunu ngā kākahu, kātahi ka rere ki te wai. Ka mutu tana kaukau, ka peke ki uta, kātahi ka kākahu i tōna kākahu. Kātahi ka whakatika atu te tangata rā ki te hopu, ka mau. Kātahi ka mauria ki tōna kāinga, ka moea e te tangata rā hai wahine māna. Ka hapū, kātahi ka hamumu te waha o te wahine rā, ‘Koi noho roa, koi whakaatu i a au ki tō iwi. Ki te mea ka whakaatu koe i a au, kāore au e noho i tēnei ao i a koe; ka hoki au ki tōku whenua. Engari kia whānau rawa taku tamaiti, kia koeke rawa, kātahi anō ka whakaatu i ahau.’ Ka whānau te wahine rā, ka pukā te ngākau o te tāne ki te hiahia kia whakaaturia e ia tana wahine ki tōna iwi. Kāore i whakarongo ki ngā tohutohu a tana wahine. Ka moe i tō rāua whare, ka waenganui pō, ka whakatika te tangata rā, ka purupurua te whare, koi puta he mārama ki roto, kia mahara ai te wahine rā he pō tonu. Heoi anō, ka moe rāua, kua rere te rā, kua karanga te wahine rā, ‘Tukuna ake ahau kia haere.’ Ko te iwi o te tangata rā kua noho kai waho o te whare. Kātahi ka kī atu te tangata rā, ‘Kāore anō i awatea.’ Ka kï atu te wahine rā, ‘Kua awatea noa atu.’ Kātahi ka kī atu te tāne, ‘Tēnā! Tōia tō taua whare.’ Kātahi ka tōia e te wahine rā te tatau, tuwhera rawa ake, kua kapi a waho i te tangata. Heoi anō, ka Uenuku and The Mist Woman This woman, Tairi-a-kohu, was a spirit who lived in the sky. The reason for her coming here below is that she wished to bathe in the waters of this world. One day Uenuku happened to be near the water, and found Tairi-a-kohu swimming there. Then he went back to his home. But after thinking the matter over, he decided to return and capture her, for she was very beautiful. So he went and hid himself near the place where she came to bathe. He had not been there long when she arrived, having descended in the mists. She alighted by the side of the water, took off her clothes and leaped into the water. After her swim she came on to the shore and put on her clothes. Then Uenuku jumped out and caught her. He took her to his home and made her his wife. When the time came that she was to have a child she said to him, ‘Do not reveal me to your people; for if you tell them of me, I will not remain with you in this world, but will return to my own land. But when my child is born and grows up, then you may tell your people about me.’ When his wife gave birth to her child, Uenuku burned with desire to show his wife to his people. He paid no attention to her advice. Again she came to him in his house, and in the middle of the night he got up and carefully closed every opening, so that no light could enter, and his wife would think that it was still night time. They slept until the sun rose. Then his wife said, ‘Let me depart.’ By this time all of Uenuku's people were waiting in front of his house. Then Uenuku said, ‘It is not yet dawn.’ The woman replied, ‘It is broad daylight.’ Her husband said, ‘Well then, open the door.’ Then she drew back the door and when it was opened, she saw that the space in front of the house was full of people. Then she wept, and sang this lament—