Page:Maori Religion and Mythology.djvu/80

66 When they reached Maketu Ihenga told Kahu about the lake he had discovered.

"Where is it?" inquired Kahu.

"Beyond the hills."

"Is it a long way off?"

"Yes," said Ihenga.

"Beyond the first range of hills?" inquired Kahu.

"At the sixth range of hills," said Ihenga.

"Oh! it is near," said Kahu.

Then Ihenga bid his companions show Kahu the food they had brought.

But Kahu said, "No; leave it alone till to-morrow."

The next morning the oven was made ready for the ceremony of Turakanga. Hinetekakara dipped in the river, and two mounds of earth were made—one for a male child, and one for a female child. The path of death was thrown down, and the path of life set up. Then the woman trampled on the mound for the male child with one foot, and with the other foot she trampled on the mound for the female child. Then she ran and plunged in the river, and when she rose to the surface she swam ashore, put on her tawaru, and returned to her house.

When the food was cooked all the men assembled to eat it—the men of the race of Houmaitahiti. There were six hundred kiwi, and two baskets of inanga. And as he was eating Kahu murmured, "Ho! ho! what prime food for my grandchild."