CHAPTER V.

TREE MYTHS.

THE MYTH OF THE COCOA-NUT TREE.

INA-MOE-AITU,' or Ina-who-had-a-divine-lover, daughter of Kui-theBlind, once dwelt at Tamarua, under the frowning shadow of the cave of Tautua, so like the entrance of a gigantic edifice. A sluggish stream, abounding in eels, ran near her dwelling, and finally disappeared beneath the rocks. At dawn and sunset Ina loved to bathe near a clump of trees. On one occasion an enormous eel crept up the stream from its natural hiding-place under the rocks, and startled her by its touch. Again and again this occurred; so that Ina became in a measure accustomed to its presence. To her surprise one day, as she fixed her eyes upon the eel, its form changed, and the fish assumed the appearance of a handsome youth, who said to Ina, "I am Tuna (eel), the god and protector of all fresh-water eels. Smitten by your beauty, Be mine." From that

I left my gloomy home to win your love. day he became her attached admirer in his human form, always resuming the eel shape upon his return to his proper haunts, so as to elude notice. Some time after he took his farewell of the

lovely Ina. "We must part," said Tuna; "but, as a memorial of our attachment, I will bestow on you a great boon. To-morrow there will be a mighty rain, flooding the entire valley. Be not afraid, as it will enable me to approach your house on yon rising ground in my eel form. I will lay my head upon the wooden threshold. At once cut it off, and bury it be sure daily to visit the spot to see what will come of it."

Ina saw no more of her handsome lover; but was that night roused from sleep by rain falling in torrents. Remembering Tuna's words, she remained quietly in her dwelling until daylight, when she found that the water, streaming down from the hills, had covered the taro-patches, and had risen close to the entrance to her hut. At this moment a great eel approached her, and laid its head upon her threshold. Ina ran to fetch her axe, and forthwith chopped off the head, and buried it at the back of her hut on the hill-side. The rain ceased, and in the course of a day or two the waters were drained off by the natural passage under the rocks -the true home of Tuna.

According to her promise to her lover, Ina daily visited the spot where the enormous eel's head was buried; but for many days saw nothing worthy of notice. At last she was delighted to find a stout green shoot piercing the soil. Next day the shoot had divided into two. The twin shoots, thus gradually unfolding themselves, were very different from other plants. They grew to maturity, and sent forth great leaves, exciting the wonder of all. After the lapse of years flowers and fruit appeared. Of these twin cocoa-nut trees, sprung from the two halves of Tuna's brains, one was red in stem, branches, and fruit; whilst the other was of a deep green. And thus came into existence the two principal varieties of the cocoa-nut; the red being sacred to Tangaroa, and

the green to Rongo.

In proof of its being derived from the head of Tuna, when husked on each nut is invariably found the two eyes and mouth of the lover of Ina.

The white kernel of the cocoa-nut is commonly called "te roro o Tuna," or the brains of Tuna. In heathenism it was unlawful for women to eat eels; and to this day they mostly turn away from this fish with the utmost disgust.

The extremity of a great cocoa-nut leaf, termed the “iku kikau," and comprising ten or twelve lesser leaves, when cut off and neatly bound with a bit of yellow cinet by "the priest of all food," constituted the fisherman's god. Without this Mokoiro, as the divinity was called, no canoe would venture over the reef to fish.

The same device was used in inviting great chiefs to a feast; the sacred cinet, however, being omitted.

The principal taro patch in each district was analogically designated the "iku kikau,” as its possession indicated chieftainship.

All "raui," or taboo restrictions, were and are still made by means of an entire cocoa-nut leaf plaited after a certain ancient pattern.

The preceding myth is evidently designed for the glorification of the Amama, or priestly tribe, who were worshippers of Tiaio under the double form of shark and eel. In the year 1855, at the very place indicated in this story, an enormous eel, measuring seven feet in length, was caught by daylight in a strong fish-net. In heathenism this would have been regarded as a visit of Tiaio, and the dainty morsel allowed to return under the

rocks unmolested. As it was, it furnished several families with a good supper.

In a figurative sense, Rongo's cocoa-nuts are human heads. Hence the common phrase respecting the beginning of war, "Kua vā'i i te akari a Rongo the cocoa-nuts of Rongo have been split open; in other words, men have been clubbed.

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The mass of the people, chiefs included, never struck off the top of a cocoa-nut in order to drink; but were content to suck the refreshing liquid through the hole which nature provides. The cocoa-nuts of the priests were invariably struck off (tipi take) when drunk by them, symbolical of the fact that with them lay the power of life and death. Chiefs and warriors were merely instruments of their vengeance.

TAHITIAN MYTH OF THE COCOA-NUT TREE.

A king named Tai (sea) had a wife named Uta (shore) who was anxious to visit her relatives. But Tai did not like her to go without a present. He therefore inquired of the oracle what would be most suitable. The god directed him to send his wife to the stream to watch for an eel; that she should cut off the head of the first that presented itself, and deposit it in a calabash and carefully plug up the aperture. The eel was then to be thrown back into the water, and the calabash carried to the husband.

Upon Uta's return from the stream, the king inquired whether she had been successful. The wife joyfully said yes, and laid the well-plugged calabash at his feet. Tai now advised her to start on her intended journey, and present the precious calabash to her parents and brothers, "for there is a wondrous virtue in it." He

told her that it would grow into a cocoa-nut tree, and would bear delicious fruit never before seen. He enjoined her on no account to turn aside from the path, nor to bathe in any tempting fountain, not to sit down, nor to sleep on the road, and above all not to put down the calabash.

Uta gladly started on her journey. For a while all went well; but, at length, the sun being high in the heavens, she became very hot and weary. Perceiving a crystal stream, she forgot her promise to her husband, put down the calabash, and leapt into the inviting waters. After luxuriating for some time in this manner, she cast a glance at the calabash ; but, lo! it had sprouted-the eel's head had become a young tree with strange leaves! Grieved at her own folly, she ran to the bank and strove with all her might to pull it up; but could not, for its roots had struck deep.

Uta wept long and bitterly. Perplexed now what to do, with joy she perceived a little messenger-bird from her husband directing her to return. She went back to the king with shame and fear, and related to him all that had befallen her. Tai sadly said to her, "Go back to the place where thou didst see the eel whose head was cut off and deposited in the calabash. Seek for the living, wriggling tail. When found, get a stick and kill it: then come back and tell me."

Uta did as she was desired; but as soon as she entered their dwelling her husband expired in expiation of her sin.

THE IRON-WOOD TREE.

The iron-wood tree (casuarina) was originally introduced by the Tongans, and planted in a deep sequestered valley at Tamarua, named Angaruaau. In the course of years it attained to a great size, and the fame of this graceful and stately exotic spread over

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