Fairy Tales and Folk-Lore of New Zealand and the South Seas/The Spirit of the Cave
LESSON XLIX.
THE SPIRIT OF THE CAVE.
(Mangaia.)
The first King of Mangaia was named Rangi, and he was indeed “monarch of all he surveyed,” for there was no other human being on the island to dispute his sovereignty. As Maui was supposed to have pulled up an island from the abyss, so Rangi was also believed by his descendants to have drawn Mangaia up to the light of day from the depths of the unseen world.
Rangi resolved to thoroughly explore every corner of his new realm, and for this purpose he journeyed ceaselessly about and endeavoured to make himself acquainted with every nook and crevice of his territory. Principally his wish was to ascertain if the land held any inhabitants with whom he might hold friendly intercourse, for although possessed of powers not held by ordinary mortals he felt the burden of solitude too great for his endurance. One day while travelling along the northern division of his domains he came to a pile of rocks overhanging an enormous gorge, a most romantic and beautiful place, amid the wild scenery of which the waters of the adjoining valleys flowed seaward. Hidden among the boulders of this wild spot is the point of convergence of several extensive caves.
Always being in the hope of discovering by surprise some human creatures, or of finding traces of human occupation Rangi sent out his voice in a loud cry of “O! O!” Instantly came an answer from the rocks “O! O!” Rangi called lustily “What is your name?” A reply came in tones which resembled the voice of a defiant woman, “What is your name?” The King grew fiercely indignant at this mocking, as he considered the repetition of his question, but resolved to give his impertinent answerer one more chance, so he cried out, “Whence do you come?” And was enraged when receiving the swift reply “Whence do you come? Rangi then cursed loudly and bitterly in the native fashion at the “hide and seek spirit” as he called it, but his curses came back so fast that he stood aghast, for never before had his royal ears heard such unceremonious language addressed to him. It was evident that the rank and dignity of the King made no impression upon the satirical and insolent lurker among the rocks, who remaining unseen could thus irritate a person of such consequence.
Rangi determined to pursue his invisible taunter to her hiding place, and to get sight of one so pertinacious in keeping herself concealed. He leapt with caution from boulder to boulder, now and then calling aloud, and always receiving sarcastic questions as answers to his shouted queries. As he went on the chasm narrowed and grew darker till at last he found himself in a vast cave. Pointed glittering white teeth of immense size hung downward from the dim arched roof till they almost touched the head of the bold intruder, and water ceaselessly dripped from their points towards similar huge teeth which pushed their sharp dazzling cones through the floor upward toward the pendent masses above. It was as though the King stood within the jaws of some prodigious shark! His heart failed him for a moment, but his courage soon revived and nerved him to seek further, so threading his way among the shining teeth, (stalactites, &c.) he went on till, happening to glance upward, he saw through the gloom the laughing face of a beautiful fairy. Rangi called to her asking her to come down to him, but she was coy, and for a long time refused to do so, but at last consented, and with many pleasant and graceful words told the King that she was the fairy Echo, who had been, until he discovered her retreat, the sole inhabitant of the pleasant island.
ter′ri-to-ry
ad-join′-ing
taunt′-er
sce′-ner-y
boul′-der
sa-tir′-ic-al
a-ghast′
lus′-ti-ly
thread′-ing
an′-swer-er
de-fi′-ant
sar-cas′-tic
ro-man′-tic, wild, fanciful; striking in scenery.
per′-ti-na-cious, holding firmly to an opinion.
rep′-e-ti tion, iteration, saying anything again and again.
sta-lac′-tite, a pendent cone of carbonate of lime in the form of an icicle. The deposit from the dripping of stalactites is called stalagmite.