source of all the kahawai in the land. He also thought to himself that Te Whanau-a-Apanui would probably net the kahawai, and that the one that had carried off his fish-hook would very likely be among all the fish they caught.

At last he came to Maraenui, on the Motu river. When he arrived he found that Te Whanau-a-Apanui had caught the shoal of kahawai in their net, just as he had thought they would.

The leaders of Te Whanau-a-Apanui asked him, ‘Why are you here?’

But our hero didn't say a word; he kept gazing at all the women gutting the fish.

Very soon, one of them found the fish-hook! It was still in the mouth of the rascally kahawai that had carried it off. The woman cried, ‘Why, here's a paua fish-hook—I've got a paua fish-hook of greenstone, here in the mouth of this fish!’

She held up the fish, and everyone crowded round to look at it.

Then our hero stood up in the midst of all those people. At last he spoke; he called to the woman, there among that multitude, ‘My friend, that is why I am here. I came after my paua fish-hook, which was carried off at Tirohanga by that rascally kahawai there.’

The woman gave the paua fish-hook to our hero, and he, Tapa-kakahu, took off his dogs'-tail cloak and presented it to her. After this he returned to his home at Waiaua, for he was well satisfied.

But he was very hungry indeed, for he had not eaten since morning and it was now near sundown. They said to him, ‘Stay for a meal, and go back after you have eaten.’

His answer was, ‘But there is also food at Waiaua!’

This reply became a proverb among his descendants, and they still use it today.

This is how they do so. If someone who is going home, and is anxious to get there, is pressed to have a meal, he will continue on his way saying, ‘But there is also food at Waiaua!’