as-su′-ming
com-pas′-sion
en-clo′-sure
as′-pect
as-sis′-tance
staves
tem′-ple
sac′-ri-fice
read′-i-ness
pit′-i-ful
re-venge′
mag-nif′-i-cent
pen′-non, a small flag or banner.
ta-pa, (pronounced tah′-pah) native cloth made by beating out the bark of a certain tree.
de-ri′-ded, mocked, laughed at jeeringly.
be-hest′, an order, a command.
pe-ti′-tion, a prayer, request, entreaty.
des-e-cra′-tion, the polluting or making common of a sacred thing.
LESSON XXII.
THE SERPENT WOMAN.
(New Zealand.)
The young chief Ruru was living quietly in his own village with his parents and brothers, when a report came to them of the wonderful beauty of a maiden named Roa. People seemed unable to talk of anything else except this girl’s loveliness, until all the brothers were seized with an intense desire to go and see for themselves, each declaring that he would get her as his wife. She lived a long distance away, and the journey was not without danger, so they had to make many preparations, but at last all were completed and they set out. They went on their way for many days and nights, till they arrived at the beach near Roa’s village. Having hauled up the canoe so as to be safe from the surf, they asked some children who
