Rata

RATA was a young man who had never seen his father. Throughout his boyhood he wondered why, but it was not till he had grown up that his mother told him.

"Years ago," she said, " when you were but a haby, the wicked goblin Matuku stole your father away. I have never seen him since. It was a heavy sorrow to me, but I could do nothing to save him, for I am but a woman, while Matuku is a goblin."

"I am a man now. I will find my father," said Rata. "See, I am strong, and my heart is fearless. Tell me where Matuku lives."

The mother smiled proudly at her eager son. «" Yes," she said, " you are strong, and your heart is fearless, but Matuku is a goblin. He would take you too. I cannot let you go."

"I must go," Rata replied. I can never rest again until I find my father. Tell me where the goblin lives."

He urged his mother daily, till at last she told him where Matuku lived. At once Rata set off to find the place.

As he drew near he met a bound man who asked where he was going.

"I seek Matuku," answered Rata.

He lives beneath the ground on which we stand," said the man. "Once every month, when the new moon shines, he comes above the earth. Come then."

I shall remember. Why are you tied I am kept here to warn Matuku when the new moon shines. He is cruel he works much evil in the land. If you have come to punish him for wickedness to you or yours, I will help you."

My thanks," said Rata. With the new moon I return. You shall help me then to punish him. What is your name he asked, thinking that perhaps his father stood before him. The man gave his name, but it was not that of Rata's father. Rata went home again to wait.

When the time of the new moon was nearly come he went again to the place where the goblin lived.

The man awaited him. "I have made a plan for you," he said.

He pointed out two fountains of clear water bubbling from the ground. These are Matuku's fountains,"he said. In this he looks at him- self; in that he washes himself. He comes first to this one, to see how long his hair has grown. You must not come near him then, for he would see you in the water. Wait till he goes to the other there, while he washes himself, you can spring upon him from behind."

"I will follow your plan," said Rata. "Hide me till the goblin comes."

The man hid him in a bush, looked at the new moon rising in the sky, and called Matuku up. The ground rumbled and shook, a big hole opened close to the fountains, and the huge goblin sprang through it into the daylight.

He capered about and stretched his limbs. "I wonder how much my hair has grown this month," he said. He went to the first fountain to look at himself. Rata kept very still.

Matuku crossed to the second fountain. Dip- ping his head in, he began to wash himself. With a sudden spring Rata was upon his bent back. Catching the long hair in his hands, he cried: Tell me where my father is, or I will kill you."

Matuku gave in at once, for his whole strength lay in his hair, which Rata grasped. "Let me go. Do not kill me. I will tell you anything you wish," whined the powerless goblin.

"Give me back my father."

I cannot give him back to you. I gave him to the Moonlight Goblins many years ago."

"I shall go to look for him," said Rata ; " but I cannot leave you here to work more mischief among men. I will not kill you, but you must take some other form. You have the power to change yourself. What will you be ?"

The Goblin thought, while the hands on his hair grew tighter. "A bittern," he said at last, and as a bittern he fled screaming into the bush. His power as a goblin was over.

Rata set the man free and they both went to their homes.

"Where is the Moonlight land ? " Rata asked his mother.

"Far across the sea. And you have no canoe." I will make a canoe."

But you have no strong axe to fell the tree." "I will beg a strong axe from my great-grand- father," said Rata.

He went to his great-grandfather, told him why he wished to make a canoe, and obtained a beautiful greenstone axe, polished and hard. Rata went to the bush to find a suitable tree for his canoe. On his way he passed a heron and a sea-snake fighting on the shore.

"Help me," the heron called to Rata, but be- cause it was considered unlucky to interfere with a sea-snake Rata would not help the heron.

He found the finest tree in the bush and set to work to cut it down. All day his axe flew. At last, with a tremendous crash, the great tree fell. There he left it to lie till his return in the morning. On his way home he saw the heron and sea-snake still fighting.

Next morning he returned to the bush to begin the labour of hollowing his tree. The fight was still going on. As before, the heron called: “ Help me,” but Rata would not go.“ You will never succeed in your undertaking unless you help me," called the heron.

Rata walked on, unheeding. He looked for his tree. To his amazement and dismay, it stood again in its old place, upright and unmarked. He looked, he rubbed his eyes, he looked again. There was no mistake. It was the same tree, standing as it had stood the day before he felled it.

"I will cut it down again," he said.

He worked all day. By night the great tree fell once more.

As he returned the following morning to the bush, the fight between the heron and the sea- snake was nearly over, for the heron's strength was almost gone. Help me,"she cried faintly, for the last time. The snake was just about to kill her. Taking pity at last, Rata rushed in with his axe and cut off the sea-snake's head. The grateful heron slowly followed him to the bush.

The tree was again raised to its old place, growing there as if his axe had never touched it. He cut it down once more, the heron watching him. I will wait to see what happens," he said.

He hid between the trees to watch. As soon as he was out of sight troops of Bush-fairies came from their hiding-places, birds flew in from all directions, insects crept and ran and flew, until the tree was ringed about by creatures of the bush.

Sing the Magic song,"said a bush fairy. They all sang-"Fly together, chips and shavings, Stick ye fast together,Hold ye fast together;Stand upright again, O tree I"

Slowly the tree raised itself and stood in its place. Every chip, big or little, was carried to its place by birds and insects. In a few moments the tree was whole again.

Rata stepped from his hiding-place and seized a fairy. Why have you done this he asked. « Why did you fell one of Tané's trees without first obtaining Tané's permission?" cried the fairy.

"Ah ! said Rata. "I forgot. I am ashamed that I did not ask Tané before felling his tree. My anxiety must be my plea." He told them why he wanted the canoe.

That is a good reason,"said the fairies, "but you should have consulted Tané first. However, you shall have our help. Go to your home. We will make the canoe for you. When morning breaks it shall be finished."

Rata went home happy. When he had gone the fairies sang a song that felled the tree and cut the branches off commanded by the heron, the birds and insects pecked and bored and drilled until they hollowed out the trunk and smoothed the sides. When Rata returned in the morning a mighty canoe lay where the tree had lain.

Delighted at his good fortune, he expressed his thanks, then went back to the village, crying: "Who will go in my canoe to fight the Moonlight Goblins? Where is your canoe asked his friends. We have never heard of it."

"Come and see," said Rata. He led them into the bush. When they saw how large and strong- made it was, a hundred and forty men offered themselves as warriors. But when they tried to move the canoe they found it so heavy that they could not push it down to the water.

Again the Bush-fairies came to the rescue. They sent a message to the Sky-fairies the Sky- fairies sent a rain that swelled the river into a flood pouring fast across the land. Higher and higher the water rose, until it lifted the canoe and floated it down to the sea.

Rata and his warriors took their weapons, said farewell to their friends, and rowed away. The flood went down and the land grew dry.

In three days the canoe reached the Moonlight- land. Rata and his men sprang ashore.The sound of solemn chanting met them. "I will see who sings. Wait here till I return,"Rata whispered.

He walked silently till he came to a circle of trees. Within the circle of trees sat three circles of goblins in the middle of the central space lay Rata's father.

The goblins were practising a magic song for raising the dead to life. Rata listened till he knew it thoroughly, then returned for his men.

Silently they crept round the circle of trees. At a signal from Rata they rushed in, taking the goblins so completely by surprise that they were able to destroy them all. Lifting Rata's father, they carried him towards the canoe.

The noise of the fighting, however, had reached a thousand other goblins in the land. They came down behind Rata's little band, and a fearful fight began.

Though Rata's men were brave, their number was too small to cope with such a multitude. In a very short time they all lay dead upon the ground. Rata alone was left to face the enemy. They closed in to kill him. Suddenly the memory of the magic song came to him. He began to chant it. The goblins drew back in dismay. They dared not touch him while he sang the magic words.

One by one, raised by the charm, his men sprang up alive and well, rushing again to the fight.

He continued singing. His warriors fell, but rose again unhurt. His army could never be destroyed. "We have no chance of beating them," the goblins said. They turned and went away.

Thankfully Rata and his men marched to their canoe and rowed away. And joyfully Rata's mother welcomed her son and long-lost husband safely home again.