LESSON XXX.
MAUI THE HERO.
(Continued.)
When Maui got back from the Under-world, and had greeted his brothers, he resolved to do some deed that would be of benefit to mankind. Now, at that time, the Sun-god performed his journey very hastily; he would rise in the east, rush across the sky, and set in the west before men had time to do any work properly, or to finish an alloted task. Some of the wise men thought that the Sun’s wife lived in the dark world below the western horizon; others that he wished to renew his light by bathing in the lake called the Living Water of Tane. Whatever the reason was, the days were very short indeed, so Maui said to his brothers “We must lengthen the days, so that mankind may have time in which to labour; let us catch the Sun in a noose of ropes and tie him fast until he has promised to go more slowly on his daily journey.” The brothers answered “Indeed we are not made of stone that we should be able to withstand the fiery heat of the Sun-god; how should we approach that fierce, devouring lord of the sky?” “Now, you are not wise,” Maui replied to his brothers. “You speak as if I was
