for the person who wants to learn the song. It should be noted that the time of the grace notes is taken from the notes to which they are tied. The zigzag line in the first drag indicates a portamento. The song is a variant of the turehu song which appears as song 38 in Part One of ‘Nga Moteatea’ edited by Apirana Ngata and Pei Te Hurinui. The text also appears in John McGregor's ‘Popular Maori Songs’ (1893) P 43 and in the ‘Journal of the Polynesian Society vol. 3 p 31. The recording from which the transcription was made was recorded for the writer on 10 February 1963 at Makara by Kore Crown (leader) and her daughter Rina Tuwhangai. These singers belong to Ngati Hounuku and Ngati Horotakere tribes of Waikato. The song has also been recorded by Whati Tamati (Waikato tribe) of Hamilton and in its ‘Nga Moteatea’ form by Sam Huia (Waikato tribe) of Makomako.

A Fairy's Love Song Mr Mervyn McLean's transcription and discussion of the music of this song is published above. Two main versions of the song are in existence. One is song No. 38 in Apirana Ngata's Nga Moteatea, and the other is quoted by Hoani Nahe in the ‘Journal of the Polynesian Society’ vol. 3, p 31. The text published here is closer to the latter version, though not identical with it. Hoani Nahe tells us that the version he records is ‘the love-song of Whanawhana and Rangipouri, chiefs of the iwi atua, or Fairies…the chief of the Patupaiarehe [fairies] ardently desired Tawhaitu, who was the wife of Ruarangi, ancestor of the Ruarangi hapu of Ngati Haua’. In the Ngapuhi version and explanation recorded by Ngata, the fairy chief Te Rangipouri loves Ripiroaiti, wife of Ruarangi, who came in Kupe's canoe. Ngata's version has Taputeururoa as the fairy man's first wife, whereas in Hoani Nahe's version and explanation, Taputeruru and Ripiroaiti, also Nukupori and Tuku (in this version, Tiki) are the names of fairy chiefs. The translation given here is therefore somewhat conjectural. It follows Ngata's version in interpreting ‘whanawhana’ as meaning ‘joyful’, but since the version published here, like that of Hoani Nahe, has ‘ko’ instead of ‘ka’ before this word, it should perhaps be regarded as a proper name. Similarly, ‘tawhaitu’ might be better interpreted as the name of the woman in question. The word ‘maori’ is used in the song in the sense of ‘human’. Since she is the first human woman whom the fairies have encountered, she is described as ‘the first of her race’.

Kāore te rangi nei te pēhi whakarunga I torona e au te tau o Tīreni Whakatata rawa mai ka murimuri aroha Kei Pirongia rā ko te iwi tauwehe E wāhi rua ana ko Tiki, ko Nukupori Ko Tapu-te-uru rā ko Ripiroaiti Ko whanawhana ko au, ko Te Rangipōuri Ka tango mai he wahine tuatahi tonu au Nāku i tū atu, kia uru tomokia Te whare o Ruarangi kia tawhaitu Kia whakapakia ki te kiri māori Ka tākohua mai te ripa ki Puāwhe He ripa tau-ārai ki te makau i te ao, i. The harsh winds blow upon the uplands. Once I held my loved one of Tireni. Now my heart is filled with sorrow. At Pirongia are the people from whom I am separated; Tiki and Nukupouri are parted, Taputeuru and Ripiroaiti. I, Te Rangipouri would be most joyful At possessing her, the first of her race. Indeed I dared all dangers when I boldly entered The house of Ruarangi, to caress her human skin. Covered in mist is the ridge at Puawhe, The barrier that hides my loved one from the world.