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Then she left, with the ipu in her hand, for Lake Vaihiria." Tiura halted his tale a minute to point out the constellation of the Scorpion, and to say, "Those stars are Pipiri Ma, the children, who lived at Mataiea long ago. That is a strange story of their leaving their parents' house for the sky!" "Aue!
"When he spoke, the spirit with whom the tahu was familiar let down a cloud and from it fell a fringe of varied hues. Pipiri Ma seized the threads that looked the most seducing, threads of gold and rose, and upon these they climbed to the skies. Their parents who saw them as they ascended, begged them, 'Pipiri Ma, come back!
On the red-hot stones of the umu the fish grew golden, and sent forth a sweet odor which exceeded in deliciousness even the smell of monoi, the ointment of the oil of the cocoanut and crushed blossoms. Pipiri Ma rolled upon their soft mats, and their eyes opened with thoughts of a bountiful meal.
They broke through the twisted brush which was shadowed by the giant leaves, and while they so hurried they heard often the words of their parents, which the echoes of the valley brought to their ears: "'Come back! Come back to us, Pipiri Ma! Ma! Haere mai, haere mai, Pipiri Ma! "And they called back from the depths of their bosoms, 'No, no; we will never come back.
I think it was because in the cradle of the human family there were so many hurts from the bites of snakes and sea-eels they couldn't guard against them that man salved his wounds by crediting his enemy with devilish qualities. That's the probable origin of the garden of Eden myth." Again Tiura spoke of the Scorpion in the sky, and I knew he desired to talk of Pipiri Ma.
Whenever the torchlight fishing was bountiful, and the fish were glowing on the hot stones of the umu, Rehua lifted sorrowful eyes toward the skies, and vainly supplicated, 'Pipiri Ma, return to us! and Taua answered, shaking his head with a doleful and unbelieving nod, 'Alas! it is over. Pipiri Ma will not come back, for one day the torchlight fishing was bad for the children."
At the head of the valley, in a grove of breadfruit, lived Taua a Tiaroroa, his vahine Rehua, and their two children, whose bodies were as round as the breadfuit, and whose eyes were like the black borders of the pearl-shells of the Conquered atolls. They were named Pipiri and Rehua iti, but were known as Pipiri Ma, the inseparables.
Their eyes filled with bitter tears, and their throats choked with painful sobs. "'All is ready, said Rehua, gladly, to her husband, 'but before we eat, go and wake our little ones so dear to us. "Taua was afraid to break the sweet sleep of the babies. He hesitated and said: "'No, do not let us wake them. They sleep so soundly now. "Pipiri Ma heard these touching words of their father.
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