woman who had two sons, and she left them behind while she went to the garden for food to cook that they might eat. Now the garden was far away from the village, for the reason that in the village pigs were many, and would be ever eating the taro if it were near. So the woman must needs be long away.
The children desiring to play, made for themselves spears of wood, and picked some berries at which they aimed many times. Now it befell that the elder as he speared at no time speared the berries, whereas the younger each time pierced the mark. Then was the elder wroth with his brother, and turned upon him and slew him with his spear, and laid his body on a shelf in the house and covered it with Nau Oroto, the great earthenware pot. Then fearing to be in the house with the dead, he went down to the sea-shore.
The mother of the children at the garden dug up the taro she wanted, and then sat in the shade to make it ready to take home. She took each piece and with a sharp pearl shell scraped away the little roots and the earth which was upon them. Now as she thus scraped the pearl shell slipped and cut her finger, and she was much afraid, for she said in her heart, "What hath befallen the lads that my blood is flowing?" And she made haste home.
When she entered the house she called to the children, and the elder came at her call from the beach where he was. Then said she to him, "Where is now thy brother, child?"
