A certain woman had a kind of adventure. When she went out into the field to cut grass, or to fetch hemp, and placed food in the stove, then somebody took the victuals out of the stove, and ate them all clean up. She thought, what might such a thing as this signify? Nohow could she…
There was an emperor and empress who had three daughters. The emperor fell ill, and sent his eldest daughter for water. She went to fetch it, when a snake said: ‘Come! will you marry me?’ The princess replied: ‘No, I won’t.’ ‘Then,’ said he, ‘I won’t give you any water.’ Then the second daughter said:…
Floating in a basket on the River Nile, Princess Bathia, the daughter of Pharaoh, King of Egypt, found a tiny little water-babe. Princess Bathia was a widow and had no children, and she was so delighted that she took the child home to the palace and brought it up as her own. She called the…
Once upon a time a little girl named Elsa lived on a farm. She was pretty, sweet-tempered, and generous, but she did not like to work. Her father was very proud of her, and sent her to school in the city. She learned to read, write, sing, and dance, but still she did not know how…
When he was a baby Maui was lost on the sea shore. But though lost, he was not harmed, for the sea creatures took care of him. Little waves rocked him to and fro, jelly-fish made a soft bed for him, sea-weeds floated above his limbs to shelter him, beach winds crooned light cradle songs…
Rupe and Hina were brother and sister, but they loved each other with a love greater than that of most brothers and sisters. So close was the bond between them that they were scarcely happy except when together. One day Hina fell into the sea and was carried out by the tide. Fortunately she wore…
Tawhaki the Prince, was so brave and handsome, and did so many noble deeds, that his fame went abroad throughout the land. At last even the Sky-fairies heard of him. One of them said, “I wonder whether this Earth-prince is as brave and handsome as they say he is. I will go down to the earth to see.” One summer morning she…
Long, long ago, before there was a moon in the sky, there lived two beautiful maidens who loved each other dearly. One was called by a name that meant Shining-Eyes, and the other by a name that meant Rippling-Hair. Shining-Eyes had heard a great deal about the Fire-that-never-goes-out. She often talked to Rippling-Hair about it….
Tāne gazed on red clay that lay exposed where earth had fallen from a cliff. “Red, the sacred colour!” he said; “and earth, from which all things grow and flourish. Surely from this I can make something greater than anything I have yet attempted.” He gathered the red clay and worked it with his hands,…
In the beginning, so the ancient stories say the land was dark. No light ever shone upon its surface, for Rangi, Master-of-the-Sky, hung low over Papa, the earth. In Papa’s garden, which was the land, no flowers grew nor trees; nothing but strange half-grown plants whose leaves were flattened as they pressed against great Rangi’s…