THE KING OF THE FAIRIES.
In the old days there lived a man, who one day as he journeyed found waoi, a jungle plant, which is good to eat. But it was still young and tender, so he tied a knot of grass upon it to show that it was his, and in order that no man should touch it. Then he departed, and made up his mind to return when the waoi should be ripe.
Not many days after, the King of the Fairies chanced to pass that way. He also saw the waoi, and desired that it should be his. So he took the knot from off the stalk, and hid it in the grass. Then he caught an earth worm and tied it in a knot round the waoi, and went his way.
Presently the man said in his heart, "Now are the days of the waoi fulfilled. I will go and dig it up, and eat it this night." So he journeyed until he reached the jungle, and there he found that the waoi was indeed ripe, for some of its leaves had become pale, and others had fallen to the ground. He therefore began to dig, and was about to raise the waoi from the earth when he saw the King of the Fairies standing by with angry face.
"What doest thou here. O man?" quoth he. "Didst thou not see the knot on my waoi that thou hast laid hands on it?" "Nay," answered the man, "but mine was the knot. Many days are gone since I placed my knot here. True, it is not here now, but perchance it is withered, or hath fallen into the grass."
"Thou speakest lies," said the King of the Fairies angrily. Then he stooped and held up the earthworm. "Behold my knot. Where is thine?"
"I cannot tell," answered the man.
Then said the King of the Fairies, "Stand aside while I pluck up my waoi."
"That will I never do," said the man. "The waoi is mine, and thou darest not touch it."
The King of the Fairies was silent for a space, and then he said, "Thou speakest boldly. Call thy men that I may see how many followers so great a chieftain owns."
The man called, though in truth he knew well that none of his friends could hear him. And so it was. He called once more, and there was no sound.
Then said the King of the Fairies, "Now hold thy peace and I will call." He lifted up his voice but once, and on a sudden, from the grass, from caves, from valleys, and from the tops of tall trees, came answering voices from the fairies.
"Dost hear?" asked the King of the Fairies of the man. "These who answer me are my people. Where are thine?"
The man answered never a word, but pulled the waoi from its hole. The King of the Fairies struggled with him for it, and fierce was the fight. Almost had the man won the day, when the King of the Fairies called again to his followers. They came from the grass, from caves, from valleys, and from the tops of tall trees, and seized the man, and held him while they waited to hear their lord's pleasure.
The man, seeing he could not prevail by force, said to those who held him, "If ye wish to bind me do so with grass upon a pole of aiumaumara." (This wood, as the man knew, is brittle.)
The fairies gave heed to his word, and bound him fast with grass upon a pole of aiumaumara, and set out for the cave where dwelt their master. They had gone but a little way when the bonds brake, and the man lay upon the ground. The fairies went to and fro seeking more grass, and being but silly folk, looked not for jungle creeper or the roots of pandanus. Then they bound the man again and set out. Few steps had they taken when the pole of aiumaumara snapped in twain, and the man fell heavily to the ground. Long lay he there while the fairies searched for another pole, nor did they find it till the night was nearly past.
Once more they bound the man and carried him on their way. Once more the grass brake, once more the pole of aiumaumara snapped asunder, and once more and once more the search was long. And now the dawn was near, and the fairies yet far from their home. For this had the man planned, and his heart cooled with content within him.
At last came the dawn, and the fairies fled with one accord to the cave, where their master awaited their coming, and sat at his feet in silence. But the man, who still lay where they had left him, brake his bonds in sunder and rose to his feet. Then, for there was none to let him, he went forth from the jungle to his own home. And when he entered he said to his wife, "Cook me much food and light me a fire, that I may eat and be warm and rest, for I am sore indeed." His wife did even as he bade her, and the man lay till the morrow.
Then his anger being yet hot within him, he called his friends together, and bade them fetch spears and torches, and follow whither he should lead. They were obedient to his word, and ere long all were standing outside the cave where dwelt the fairies and their king.
Inside were the fairies, waiting for the dusk that they might go forth once more. But suddenly flames were leaping round the opening of the cave, and rolling clouds of smoke poured in.
"Ai-gugugugu! Ai-gigigigi!" cried the fairies, but not for long were their voices heard, and the fire when it died left not one alive in the cave.
Then was the man's heart glad, and he departed to seek his waoi. And that night many men ate of it, and were glad.
But had the fairies lived, and not been burned, then no man might have eaten of waoi for ever, for the fairies would have demanded his life in payment.