The Story Of Te Huhuti

len.george (63)in #history • 6 years ago

This woman, Te Huhuti, was just like Hine-Moa. Link

As Hine-Moa swam Lake Rotorua, so Te Huhuti swam Lake Roto-a-tara.

She belonged to the Ngati-Kahu-ngunu tribe, and from her, Te Hapuku is descended.

The reason she swam the lake is that she had fallen in love with Te Whatuiapiti, attracted by his handsome appearance.

She did not stop to consider the difficulty or the danger.

No, all she thought was, ‘Although the Lake is wide and deep, what does it matter? Only let me try it, and if I should sink, never mind, but if I succeed, all the better’

So she swam and reached Te Whatuiapiti’s home.

As she was swimming, she was seen by his mother, and the old lady was greatly surprised.

Then she looked at Te Huhuti as she stepped out of the water, on to the shore.

What a lovely skin, gleaming like a white cliff.

The girl slowly approached the old woman, who could now see how lovely she was, like a sunbeam lingering in the western sky.

As she came nearer the old woman said to Te Huhuti, “You look lovelier than ever, like the rocky cliffs, or like a ray of the setting sun”.

The maiden kept silent.

Then the old woman said, “My dear, where are you going?”

Again the question was not answered.

Again the question was asked, and again, without success.

Then the old woman cried out, “What nonsense, Why do you not answer me?”

Then the maiden opened her lips “Where is the house of Te Whatuiapiti?”

The old woman said, “This is where we live, come along with me”

She took the girl by the hand and they went to the house of Te Whatuiapiti

He heard them coming, and at once arose.

He looked at her and greeted her warmly, as might be expected.

He was glad at seeing the delight of his heart, and the maiden - well, she was happy at reaching Te Whatuiapiti, with whom she had long been deeply in love.

And so they were married, and their descendants keep in memory the feat of their ancestress Te Huhuti in swimming the Lake Roto-a-Tara

The first of the below posts has a list of the previous posts of Maori Myths and Legends

https://steemit.com/history/@len.george/how-war-was-declared-between-tainui-and-arawa

https://steemit.com/history/@len.george/the-curse-of-manaia-part-1

https://steemit.com/history/@len.george/the-curse-of-manaia-part-2

https://steemit.com/history/@len.george/the-legend-of-hatupatu-and-his-brothers

https://steemit.com/history/@len.george/hatupatu-and-his-brothers-part-2

https://steemit.com/history/@len.george/the-legend-of-the-emigration-of-turi-an-ancestor-of-wanganui

https://steemit.com/history/@len.george/the-continuing-legend-of-turi

https://steemit.com/history/@len.george/turi-seeks-patea

https://steemit.com/history/@len.george/the-legend-of-manaia-and-why-he-emigrated-to-new-zealand

https://steemit.com/history/@len.george/the-love-story-of-hine-moa-the-maiden-of-rotorua