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 their wives. On the night before the visitors set out on their return Ruru persuaded Roa and one of her girl servants to come on board his canoe, and he secreted them in his little cabin. His brothers and their wives also embarked, and they set out on their homeward journey. When they had gone a long way they began to wish for some cooked food, but they had no fire on board the canoe. As they were passing a settlement on the shore they saw smoke curling up into the air, and the elder brother said, “O Ruru, go ashore and get some fire for us to cook with.” Ruru did not wish to go, for he was afraid lest someone in his absence might open the door of his cabin and looking therein spy out his beautiful wife; but at last he was prevailed upon to go to the house of the principal person in the village on shore and ask for fire. Now the chieftainess of this village was a monster, the upper half of her body being that of a woman, and her lower half that of a serpent. Her name was Kara. Ruru obtained the fire from the attendants, but before he could depart Kara threw her serpent coils around him and kept him a prisoner. The uncanny people cooked some food for him, but he was disgusted because some of the slimy scales of Kara had fallen on