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 grew fiercely indignant at this mocking, as he considered the repetition of his question, but resolved to give his impertinent answerer one more chance, so he cried out, “Whence do you come?” And was enraged when receiving the swift reply “Whence do you come? Rangi then cursed loudly and bitterly in the native fashion at the “hide and seek spirit” as he called it, but his curses came back so fast that he stood aghast, for never before had his royal ears heard such unceremonious language addressed to him. It was evident that the rank and dignity of the King made no impression upon the satirical and insolent lurker among the rocks, who remaining unseen could thus irritate a person of such consequence.

Rangi determined to pursue his invisible taunter to her hiding place, and to get sight of one so pertinacious in keeping herself concealed. He leapt with caution from boulder to boulder, now and then calling aloud, and always receiving sarcastic questions as answers to his shouted queries. As he went on the chasm narrowed and grew darker till at last he found himself in a vast cave. Pointed glittering white teeth of immense size hung downward from the dim arched roof till they almost touched the head of the bold intruder, and