This page has been validated.
THE FLOWERS OF PARADISE.
147

a flower to decorate her person Rora stood up to begin the dance, amid the loud plaudits of the Tongans, who were loud in praise of her charms. Suddenly from the sky fell wreath upon wreath of exquisite blossoms, till arms and neck and waist were cinctured with the glowing flowers from spirit-land. Then Rora cried to the Tongans to man their canoes in haste and carry her off, before the morrow could dawn. Proud were they as they thought of the greeting they should receive in Tonga on their arrival there with the celebrated princess. Away they sailed, till the hills of Fiji grew like faint blue clouds in the distance. Nana awoke with the rising of the sun and said to himself. “This is the day that Rora is to be mine. I will go to Suva and bring her to her future home.” But he found that the maiden had eloped across the sea with some of the hated strangers, so he called to some of his servant-spirits, and cried, “Build me a canoe, let the wood thereof be of the wood of trees that bear fruits; let the canoe be finished and the sail hoisted.” Almost while he was speaking the canoe was finished, and Nana with his crew went on board and pursued the Tongans. Swiftly the canoe of Nana passed through the waves till they came alongside the Tongan vessel; Rora hiding herself under a