MAUI’S FISH
“Laugh, O my heart!” murmurs Maui,
And waits for the Dawn.
And at Dawn come his Brothers, intent on their old daily duty—
In their old fishing-ground to catch fish.
And they look to their tiller, they look to their paddles,
But, under those sound boards amidship, what need to examine?
(Aha!)
“Now, where is our Maui, our fisher of fishers, this morning?
Full belly, sound sleeper, is simply out-witted,” they chuckle;
Then out on the laughing blue Ocean
Push forth their canoe, and are off
To their old fishing-ground—
To their old fishing-ground, indeed?
Maui is with them! Oho!
Paddle and paddle, paddle and paddle....
They had gone a long way,
To the first place for casting the hooks they were nearly arrived,
When Maui no more can keep silence. Ho, ho! and Ha, ha!—
Up pops his head at their horrified feet!
An earthquake! As huts in an earthquake,
Hither and thither they topple and tumble and sprawl.
Were they startled, those wary old Brothers? They nearly upset the canoe!
Were they vext? They were far from the land!
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