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On an island in Lake Rotorua lived a chief who had four sons; three of these were men of rank in the tribe, but the fourth was of poor position owing to his mother having broken through certain social observances before his birth. The name of this fourth son was Tu. The inferior position which he held did not prevent his growing up to be a great favourite with everyone, strong, handsome, and winning in his ways.

About the time that Tu reached manhood there was noised about a report of the great beauty of a certain maiden named Hine Moa, whose parents did not live on the island but on the mainland not far away. So famous were the charms of this unusually lovely girl that almost every chief and warrior in the neighbouring country was desirous of possessing her as his wife, and especially was this the case with Tu’s elder brothers. Tu himself also was deeply in love, and when he met Hine Moa at any of the assemblies of the people he was unable to prevent his affection from glowing in his eyes as he glanced shyly at the prize he so dearly