# Fairy Tales and Folk-Lore of New Zealand and the South Seas/The Great Swing

LESSON X. THE GREAT SWING. (New Zealand.)
In a richly decorated house, and attended by many servants, dwelt the beautiful maiden Pare. She was of very noble birth, and was kept unbetrothed because a chief of sufficiently high rank could not be found with whom a marriage could be contracted. When food was cooked for her it could not be presented directly to the princess; the cook had to give it to an attendant, and this attendant to a second, and the second to a third, the latter placing it with many ceremonies before her mistress. ​The house was furnished with exquisitely woven mats, and made sweet with the odour of scented mosses and fragrant leaves.
It was a custom that certain times of the year should be set apart for amusements, such as whipping tops, casting darts, and other games formerly the delight of young people. One of these festivals was attended by a chief named Hutu, who had come to the village where Pare lived that he might join in the spear-throwing. His spear flew far beyond that of any other of the competitors. This, together with his youthful grace and great agility, made him the theme of conversation, and the recipient of admiring glances, the meed of reward for skill as best player being awarded by the common consent of all. Pare looked on from the verandah of her house as day after day the sports went on, and her heart was won by the handsome stranger. On the last day of the festival, the spear of Hutu fell near the dwelling of Pare, and she ran swiftly, took up the dart, and carried it inside her house. Hutu followed his spear as far as the door, but would not enter. He begged her to surrender his weapon, but she refused to return it until he would come into the house.
Now, it is the custom among Maori ladies not ​to wait till they are asked in marriage, but sometimes of themselves to make a proposal to one who is favoured. Marriage is arranged according to different modes; but this is one method: Pare was a lady of such high rank that none of the men she had known dared to ask for her; so she told Hutu plainly, “I love you. You are the victor in all manly games, and you have conquered me also.” Hutu answered that he was afraid of the tribe, which would be angry with him. Pare said that the tribe would obey her, and do as she wished. Hutu then rejoined, “I do not love you. I have left my heart in my own country.” Pare replied, “O Hutu, depart!” and giving him his spear, she left him. She was overcome with shame and wounded pride to think that she had exposed her feelings to one who would not respond to her advances; so going into an inner room, she bewailed her fate awhile, and then strangled herself.
dec′-o-ra-ted whip′-ping sur-ren′-der re-cip′-i-ent prin-cess′ a-gil′-i-ty meth′-od vic′-tor suf-fi′-cient-ly a-ward′-ed re-joined′ a-muse′-ment mis′-tress ve-ran′-dah ex-posed′ be-wailed′
con-ver-sa′-tion, talk, intercourse in speech. stran′-gle, to choke, to suffocate. rank, degree of dignity or high place. re-join′, to answer, to make reply.
LESSON XI. THE GREAT SWING. Continued.
When Pare was found dead the tribe was terribly angry, and held a council to decide what they should do, for the death of so illustrious a lady was no common loss. They vehemently accused Hutu of having caused her death, which he denied, saying that he could not help himself and that her declaration to him was undesired and unsolicited. The people, however, would not listen to reason, but insisted that as Pare was dead Hutu should die in satisfaction for her. Hutu was made prisoner. He said, “It is good that someone should die as payment for Pare, but I pray you to give me a little time before I die. Do not kill me for three days.” The tribe agreed to this, and Hutu went to the house which they had appointed for him in the village.
When he found himself alone in his house, he sat down and repeated incantations and spells such as priests recite when they think of death. His spirit left his body and travelled down the death-path to the Land of Shadows, the realm of the Great Lady of Night. When he arrived he asked, “Where is Pare?” The ​inhabitants told him that Pare was in the village but would not see or speak to any other spirit. Hutu wanted to talk to her, so he induced the people to play at sports of whipping tops and throwing darts. They played at these games for a long time, but Pare did not appear. Hutu was very disappointed and sad at heart but he resolved to make one more attempt, so he got the people to bring a great tree and cut the branches off; then the tree was planted firmly in the earth. He plaited long ropes, which he fastened to the top of the tree; then he ordered that the ropes should be hauled on by the crowd till the tree was bent like a bow. Hutu got on to the bent end with another man; the ropes were suddenly let go and the two men went flying through the air with a mighty bound. The people approved of this new game and shouted applause; more of them gathered together till all the spirits in that part of the under-world had assembled and joined in the sport. After a little time the fame of this new kind of swing reached Pare and she was enticed forth to see it for herself. She looked on awhile and then said to Hutu, “Let me also swing, but let me sit close beside you and hold you firmly.” Hutu consented, glad to have her back again, and said, “Take tight hold round ​my neck, O Pare,” and to the people he said, “Pull the top of the tree down, even to the ground.” They bent the great tree till its top touched the earth, and then let it go. Pare and Hutu went flying up, up, till they touched the roots of the grass and weeds growing in our own world. Hutu clutched firmly at the roots and pulled Pare and himself up into the daylight. They went to the village where the corpse of Pare was lying, and her spirit entered into her body again, while the spirit of Hutu returned also to his body, and both rose up alive.
Then there were shouts of joy from the people, welcoming their princess back to life; and they embraced Hutu, telling him that he might go whither he would. Hutu went back to his own people; but some time after, he returned and wedded Pare, who made him a loving wife, and a kind mother of his children.
ap-plause′ we′l-com-ing′ ve′-he-ment-ly realm in-hab′-i-tant death plait′-ed hauled sat′-is-fac-tion un-de-sired′ ap-point′-ed dec-la-ra′-tion
coun′-cil, an assembly for consultation. re-solved′, determined; fixed in mind. ap-proved′, commended; showed liking for. il-lus′-tri-ous, eminent, distinguished. dec-la-ra′-tion, the expression of a promise or idea.