Page:Fairytales•Tregear•1891.pdf/162

 ponds, uprooted the coco-nut trees, and generally kept the inhabitants in a state of annoyance and discomfiture. To enable Kaulu to live in such a place he was carefully instructed in all the magic spells and charms known to the priests, but was told that none of these were strong enough to guard him against the more powerful of the demons. Kaulu was disheartened on receiving this information, but being a most intrepid and courageous man he determined to devote his life to the overthrow of the evil beings; so presented himself before the Chief Priest, and offered to risk his life in combat if he could rid the island of its oppressors. The Chief Priest, an aged and venerable man, looked upon Kaulu with affection in his glance, and retiring to the most sacred recesses of the temple returned with a small object wrapped up in folds of native cloth. Unrolling the cloth, he showed Kaulu a beautiful ivory spear-point, about a span long. “This,” said the old man “is a magic weapon which has been dipped in the water of the river which runs through the land of spirits. Whenever you cast it, it will reach its mark no matter how distant that will be or how wildly you aim. If you draw with it a line upon the ground nothing can pass across that line. It has other virtues also, but these