VI—Te Whanautanga O Hine-Rau-Wharangi.

Ka whanau a Hine-rau-wharangi i te Aonui o te Orongonui o te tau; ka kawea te whaea ki roto i Hui-te-ananui noho ai, me tona tama-hine. No te whakatarepatanga i te iho o tona tamahine kahurangi, ka whakaputaia mai ki waho o te whare, ki te roro o taua whare, ki runga i nga takapau wharanui raua ko tona whaea noho ai. Ka whakatata atu te maru iwi, te maru tangata ki te marae o Hui-te-ananui. Ka tu a Tupai, taina o Tane, i a ia hoki te ipu tapu, ka mau nga ringa ki te tamaiti, ka okookotia ki roto i ona ringa; koia tenei tona karakia:—

Naumai, e hine wai roto
Whakaea, whakaea to uru tapu
Whakaea, whakaea to uru waiora ki taiao nei
E tipu, e rea, e hine kahurangi ariki
Whakamau tai, whakamau o rongo
Whakamau taketake toitu ki tahito nei
E hine ariki rangi, e!
E tipu, e rea koe he whatu ioio nui
He whatu io matua, he io taketake ki taiao nei
E Hine-rau-wharangi, e.

page 404

Ka tu nga tangata ki te maioha ki a Hine-titama me Hine-rau-wharangi i konei. Ka mutu te maioha, katahi ka mauria te whariki wharanui, ka horahia ki te pareparenga o te awa wai takoto ai. Ka hiki a Hine-titama raua ko Hine-rau-wharangi ki runga noho ai, ka heke te tohunga ki roto i te wai tu ai, kia to nga hope te wai, ka mau ai ki a Hine-rau-wharangi. Katahi ka tohia ki te tohi ururangi o te toi huarewa o Tikitiki-o-rangi. Kaore i mau i au te karakia tohi i konei; ma Te Matorohanga ma e karakia mai ki a koe.

Na, ka tokorima nga tamariki a Hine-titama, he wahine anake. Ka tae ki tetahi po ka ui atu te wahine nei ki a Tane-matua: "E koro! Ko wai toku nei matua?" Ka mea atu a Tane-matua: "Ui atu ki nga poupou o Hui-te-ananui, mana e whaki mai ki a koe to papa." Katahi a Hine-titama ka ata whakaaro, ka marama i a ia; katahi ka ki atu: "E koro! Katahi ra au ka marama, ko koe tonu ia, e taku papa, e whakawairangi nei i au. Ko wai hoki hei tamaiti, hei matua i wahinetia ai e to karihi. Kati, ka penatia na e koe, ko te waro i au nei hei waro ki roto o Poutere-rangi, kia takoto ai a Tahekeroa i roto o Poutere-rangi ki te aroaro o taku tipuna, o Papa-tuanuku. Maku e titiro mai i te Muriwai-hou ki a koutou ko a taua tamariki e whakaangi ake ana ki au."

Ka takoto te ara o te mate i konei i a Hine-titama ki te Reinga, koia i aranga ai taua ara a Tahekeroa ko Hawaiki, ara ko te wahi tera i ikia ai tenei hanga te tangata ki te Po tiwha herehere haua.