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 the others, none of them observing that he was not one of themselves. The fairies changed their song when the net began to get near the shore, singing:

Go out into the sea;

Keep the net from the rocks;

Protect the precious net

From the rugged, cutting rocks!”

Soon the ripples caused by the net nearing the shore began running up the beach, and the fish were seen splashing in the shallow water and flapping on the sand. The fairies ran about picking up the fish, each fairy making up a bundle of spoil by running a string through the gills. The grey dawn was beginning to appear, so they hurried and bustled about as swiftly as they could, singing:

Make haste, hurry, hurry!

Run here! run there!

Thread the fish; end the work

Soon will come the sun.”

Kahu worked away also at picking up fish and stringing them, but he omitted to make a knot at the end of his string, and as fast as he put the fish on they slipped off again. The sly fellow was trying to delay all he could so that he might gain time and allow the sun to rise