Children's Corner

Hutt News, Volume 2, Issue 4, 20 June 1929, Page 8

Children's Corner

"THE TWO SORCERERS." A MAORI LEGEND.

Long,ago upon the banks of the Waikato River, there lived a celebrated sorcerer, who was in all the magical arts, and whose name was Kiki. Indeed, so great was the magic of this man that when canoes came up the river he did not come out of his house but let his door be swung open and the men in the ill-fated canoes were immediately killed. In the same manner did he treat those coming down the river. As you may easily guess his fame spread all over the land and at last Tamure the Chief of the tribe at Kawhia heard of the prowess of this man, and as he too was a sorcerer of some fame he decided that he should go to the Waikato aiid find out who knew the most magic and so Kiki was soon to receive a visit from this rival.

To get to the Waikato Tamure had to cross the mountain range from Kawhia, and then come down the Waipa River, until it brought him to the Waikato River.

Tanrure did not take long in making his final preparations, and at last, taking two staunch warriors and his daughter with him, he set out on this voyage. ■ " <,

"While Tamure was voyaging down the river he made many incantations calling upon the good genii to collect around him and protect him from all magic, demons and evil spirits; and so in this way using every art he knew, he at last came to the landing of the village of the magician Kiki. ■ However, Kiki was prepared, as .he knew when his magic had no effect on these people when they were on the river that he had a real rival to deal -with, so he called out a welcome to them and begged them to come ashore and at once ordered his people to cook food, which he made enchanted in the hope that it would immediately kill them. Tamure and his party sat on mats near the entrance on Kiki's dwelling, and as soon as the food was served Tamure began incantations over it to take away the evil it might contain, and as his daughter ate, she too repeated incantations to protect herself from the poison it contained. The warriors sat back without eating and Kiki remained in his dwelling watching and waiting for his art to have the effect he so greatly desired. Tamure then began his final plan, . He chanted and so caused the doorway of. Kiki's dwelling to become enchanted so that, when Kiki crossed it he would be overtaken by the spell and die. The meal completed, Tamure ordered his canoe to be launched and soon with his companions was on his way home, On the way he came to a village where he made a short stop, and said to them "If you see a canoe paddling after us, and they ask you if you have seen a canoe going up the river, you will say yes." "When they assured him they would do so, he then said "And if they ask you if it would be far ahead, you will please be so good as to say, 'Yes, a long way.' " Tamure had not long gone from the village of Kiki when that man on coming out of his door was suddenly taken ill and in no time died. His warriors then knew that Tamure was a magician and got out canoes to follow him.

At length they came to the village where Tarnure had left his message and when they called out "Has the canoe that passed up the river gone very long?" they answered "Yes, very far up stream by this time."

This decided them, and instead of following they returned to their own grounds, although perhaps the knowledge that Tanrare had magic greater even than that of Kiki may have had a great deal to do with their decision. Whatever influence there was certainly they showed great wisdom as Tamure in causing the death of Kiki was left the greatest of all magicians.