Page:Fairytales•Tregear•1891.pdf/77





 

The young chief Ruru was living quietly in his own village with his parents and brothers, when a report came to them of the wonderful beauty of a maiden named Roa. People seemed unable to talk of anything else except this girl’s loveliness, until all the brothers were seized with an intense desire to go and see for themselves, each declaring that he would get her as his wife. She lived a long distance away, and the journey was not without danger, so they had to make many preparations, but at last all were completed and they set out. They went on their way for many days and nights, till they arrived at the beach near Roa’s village. Having hauled up the canoe so as to be safe from the surf, they asked some children who 