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Show - Q - In a half circle around the fire a dozen bo^s aged fourteen to eighteen sat on the ground facing the whare, talking and laughing. When the kuia, which is what they called an old woman, came out through the door a hush fell upon them. Grandmother Wetekia snuatted uoon the ground before them. Her eyes caught the reflection of the fire and flashed and sparkled like the flames. She surveyed her audience and a slight smile parted her lips as she began speaking. "My grandsons. I shall call you all my grandsons, because I have assisted most of you in being born into this world. Kia ora tatou i_ hui hui mai nei. It is delightful to greet all of you gathered here. This is one of the great pleasures of my twilight years, to instruct you in the traditions of our people handed down by way of mouth from our ancestors." Anticipation shone on the faces of the boys. "Many of the things you are about to hear will be difficult to comprehend. The- will be more difficult for some of you to accent. Some will scoff and make light of them, for the wavs of the |
