OCR Text |
Show 7 Looking directly into his father's eves, he continued, "I am not ashamed of my friendship, though T knew vou would not understand or approve of it." "You are young and easily deceived," said Turi more calmly. "I can forgive your youth, but not your deceit." His voice rose again. "I forbid you to see this stranger again. You have taught him our language and, I presume, many of our ways. He will only use them to take our beautiful land from us, and allow it to be ruled by a woman! I forbid you seeing him or any other white man again. You have shamed your father and your people bv this so-called friendship. Do you wish to bring disgrace and dishonor upon us all?" Marama, wife and mother, sitting silently by the cooking fire, interceded. "My husband, pardon my foolish woman's voice for sneaking out of turn, but perhaps you judge the boy harshly. You have never met this Pakeha. How can you so nuickly decide and pass judgment upon him?" Turi turned on his wife and spoke harshly. "He wahine ki te kainga, he kaha ki te ngahere. A woman at home, a parrot In the forest. These are the two noisiest creatures. How is the boy to grow to manhood |