. Polynesian mythology and ancient traditional history of the New Zealand race, as furnished by their priests and chiefs . d before any Europeans ar-rived in New Zealand. 296 POLYNESIAN MYTHOLOGY. THE LOVES OF TAKAEANGI ANDEAU-MAHOEA. There was, several generations since, a chief ofthe Taranaki tribe, named Eangirarunga. His pawas called Whakarewa ; it was a large pa, re-nowned for the strength of its fortifications. Thischief had a very beautiful daughter, whose namewas Eau-mahora ; she was so celebrated for herbeauty that the fame of it had reached all parts ofthese islands, and had, therefo
. Polynesian mythology and ancient traditional history of the New Zealand race, as furnished by their priests and chiefs . d before any Europeans ar-rived in New Zealand. 296 POLYNESIAN MYTHOLOGY. THE LOVES OF TAKAEANGI ANDEAU-MAHOEA. There was, several generations since, a chief ofthe Taranaki tribe, named Eangirarunga. His pawas called Whakarewa ; it was a large pa, re-nowned for the strength of its fortifications. Thischief had a very beautiful daughter, whose namewas Eau-mahora ; she was so celebrated for herbeauty that the fame of it had reached all parts ofthese islands, and had, therefore, come to the earsof Te Eangi-apitirua, a chief of the Ngati-Awatribes, to whom belonged the pa of Puke-ariki, onthe hill where the Governors house stood in NewPlymouth, This chief had a son named Taka-rangi; he was the hero of his tribe. He, too,naturally heard of the beauty of Eau-mahora ; andit may be that his heart sometimes dwelt long onthe thoughts of such great loveliness. Now in those days long past, there arose awar between the tribes of Te Eangi-apitirua andof the father of Eau-mahora; and the army of the. NEW ZEALAND PA. TAKARANGI AND RAU-MAHORA. 297 Ngati-A-wa tribes marched to Taranaki, to attackthe pa of Rangirarunga, and the army investedthat fortress, and sat before it night and day, yetthey could not take it; they continued neverthelessconstantly to make assaults upon it, and to attackthe garrison of the fortress, so that its inhabitantsbecame worn out from want of provisions andwater, and many of them were near dying. At last the old chief of the pa, Rangirarunga,overcome by thirst, stood on the top of the de-fences of the pa, and cried out to the men of theenemys army, I pray you to give me one dropof water. Some of his enemies, pitying the agedman, said, Yes; and one ran with a calabashto give him water. But the majority being morehard-hearted, were angry at this, and broke thecalabash in his hands, so that not a drop of waterreached the poor old man; and
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