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TOROA, THE SONG OF THE DEAD
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and his wife feared to go out by the door, for that she must needs draw near to her husband. Yet every night, being a witch, she desired to go forth to cause the death of men by her witchcraft. Therefore she climbed the wall, and went out through a hole in the roof.

Now each night, as she climbed thus, her husband groaned in his sleep, and when in the morning he spake of it to his wife, she told him that he had been bewitched by his sisters. But when the sisters heard that they had been thus accused, they were very wroth. It is true that they were witches, but they had not wished harm to befall their brother, and they sought how they might cause him to know that his wife was a witch. "If we say so to our brother," they said, "he will not believe us. We must wait till he can see for himself."

It came to pass that on a certain day the man's wife and many other witches desired to dance. Therefore they caused rain to fall in a circle where they stood, in such a manner that they were in the middle and the rain was around them, and the drops falling fast were as a drum which is beaten by the hand. And as they danced thus they sang "Toroa," which is the Song of the Dead.

Now, while they were thus dancing and singing, the man's two sisters sought their brother that they might show him his wife. And after they had sought for a long time, they found him mounted upon a notched stick, which leant against the stalk of a great