whence the sun rises to begin his course. On each side of this place they built walls of clay and little huts made of green boughs in which to hide themselves. Then they undid their burdens and put together the strong ropes of the noose; Maui’s brothers laid the loops around the sides bordering the hole and then hid themselves in the hut while Maui himself recited his charms to make the ropes imperishable when the Sun should blow his flaming breath across them. “Keep under shelter of the green boughs,” he said, “and do not show yourselves, or you will frighten him back; but when I shout to you pull the rope tight, and I will attack him.”
They waited, till, like a fire rushing from the crater of a volcano, the Sun-god rose up; h s shoulders passed through the noose, and Maui called on his brothers to pull their hardest. How he struggled and jerked! But he was fast bound, and in the hands of his enemies. Forth rushed Maui, beating the Sun-god with the enchanted weapon until the god was sick and faint with pain. “Will you promise not to rush across the heavens so swiftly?” said Maui. The fiery creature only writhed and shrieked in answer. “Promise! promise!” cried Maui, beating away on the body of his foe. At last
