# Fairy Tales and Folk-Lore of New Zealand and the South Seas/The Coco-Nut Tree

LESSON IX. THE COCO-NUT TREE. (Tahiti.)
In one of the islands near Tahiti lived a king whose name was Tai, who was wedded to the fair queen Uta. She had dwelt with her husband about two years, when a great longing came over her to visit the relatives she had left behind her in the home wherein she had spent her youth. She besought her husband to be allowed to go, but he, being extremely fond of her society, was for a long time unwilling to allow her to depart. By continuous entreaty she at last overcame her husband’s determination, and he gave reluctant consent to the journey being undertaken. He was, however, disinclined to let her go unless she could take a fitting present to her people, so he went to the priests and begged them to consult the oracles of the gods as to what would be considered suitable for such a purpose. The gods directed him to send his wife to a certain stream, and tell her to watch for the coming of an eel; that she should capture this eel, cut off its head and place the head in a calabash, the aperture of which was to be carefully closed. The body of ​the eel was to be thrown back into the stream, and the calabash then to be given to the king.
Uta was informed of the part she was to play, and enjoined to be careful. She went away to the stream, and soon returned bearing the calabash, with its opening carefully plugged up. She laid the calabash at the king’s feet. Tai told her she could start on her journey, bearing the calabash as a present for her parents and brothers; also that this calabash contained something very precious, for that it held the germ of a coco-nut tree, having most delicious fruit. Before this time the coco-nut had been unknown. The king added that she must be very careful as to the following things to be observed during her travels. She was not to turn aside from the path, nor to bathe, however tempting the waters of the stream might seem, nor to sit down, nor to put the calabash from her hand.
Uta started on her journey, and for a time observed all the directions; but when the sun was high at noontide she grew tired and heated, she forgot her promise, put the calabash down, and plunged into the cool waters of a mountain stream. Over her body ran the lovely ripples of fresh water, beading her hair with tiny ​sparkling pearls. Refreshing indeed was the luxury of a bath among the shadowy rocks, and among the fresh green leaves. After having enjoyed her splashing and resting in the waters awhile, she looked towards the calabash, and to her horror found that it had sprouted, and that the head of a young tree had appeared, of a foliage that she had never before seen. She ran from the water, and tried to pluck the tree up; but alas! it was rooted firmly, and all her efforts were vain.
Uta sat down and bewailed her folly and disobedience for a long time, weeping bitterly. She hardly knew what to do, being ashamed either to go on empty-handed, or to return and tell her husband what had happened. Just then she perceived a tiny bird, sent as a messenger to her from the king, and the little bird bore her a summons to return. Sadly she went back to her home, and related what had happened to her. Her husband was even more downcast and sorrowful than herself; but he said, “Go to the stream into which you cast the body of the eel whose head was placed in the calabash. Find the wriggling tail and destroy it, by beating it with a stick, and then come back to me.” Then Uta did as the king desired; but when she entered her house, she ​found that her husband had been slain by the gods, as an expiation for her sin.
hus′-band un-der-ta′-ken noon′-tide so-ci′-e-ty ex-treme′ly cap′-ture jour′-ney ob-served′ youth germ bead′-ing sprout′-ed dis-in-clined′ un-known′ de-li′-cious de-ter-min-a′-tion
Tahiti, the largest of the Society Islands, in the Pacific Ocean. Called Otaheite by Captain Cook fo′-li-age, leaves of trees; clusters of leaves. en-treat′-y, urgent prayer or petition. co′-co, a palm bearing a large edible nut. (Often incorrectly spelt “cocoa.”) ap′-er-ture, a hole or opening. ex-pi-a′-tion, an act by which atonement is made.