Page:Polynesian Mythology by George Grey (polynesianmythol00greyuoft).djvu/340

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Takarangi and Rau-mahora.
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hero's presence; and the water was taken by Takarangi, and by him was held up to the aged chief; then was heard by all, the voice of Takarangi, as he cried aloud to him, "There:—said I not to you, 'No dog would dare to bite this hand of mine?' Behold the water for you—for you and for that young girl." Then they drank, both of them, and Takarangi gazed eagerly at the young girl, and she too looked eagerly at Takarangi; long time gazed they, each one at the other; and as the warriors of the army of Takarangi looked on, lo, he had climbed up and was sitting at the young maiden's side; and they said amongst themselves, "O comrades, our lord Takarangi loves war, but one would think he likes Rau-mahora almost as well."

At last a sudden thought struck the heart of the aged chief, of the father of Rau-mahora; so he said to his daughter, "O my child, would it be pleasing to you to have this young chief for a husband?" and the young girl said, "I like him." Then the old man consented that his daughter should be given as a bride to Takarangi, and he took her as his wife. Thence was that war brought to an end, and the army of Takarangi dispersed, and they returned each man to his own village, and they came back no more to make war against the

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