Johnstown weekly Democrat. (Johnstown, Cambria County, Pa.) 1889-1916, 1890-04-25
RATU. TANIT0'S W00ING.

lUe tree HlDdhdi anu d iiShb oiOhS III hio
young eyes, so that his presence could be
known at night. His canoe sped with
the wind his dancing in the war dance
brought forth great shout from the
people; his arm broke apart the strongest
breakers, and men called him 1.-The
Kings Arrow"
Now when the meke was ended that
they had danced on the eighteenth birth
day of Ratu Tanito, Katubua called his
son TO him and said:
My son, shall my line end with you?"
Ratu Tanito answered.: "Not so, my
father, for | will marry"
Then the king said: "Ratu Tanito,
choose wife, observing these three re-
quiremcnts: First, that she be young;
second, that she be strong, and third,
that she be obedient -
"My father" replied the young man,
sis it not also a requirement that she be
beautiful
The king answered: obedience is
beauty"
"Tui Viii, said Ratu Tanito, II have
chosen Il wife. She is young, for she
was born on the day first stood erect
She is strong, for she can abide the grasp
of my hand without flinching. She is
obedient, for she has honored her pa
rents. And she is beautiful as the day
and lovely as the night. When see her
my heart is as a basin in which the
springs surge hotly up and fall back in
tumult.
"Who is the maiden?" said the king,
"Her name is Ekesa." the youth re-
piled. She dwels in Vanua Levu, and
is the daughter of Savenaka, its king"
"Hava You spoken to her of lover the
king asked
''Eu. said Ratu Tanito.
''G5 and speak with her concerning
her parents" said the king.
Tui Eatubua having thus commanded,
Ratu lanito departed by night in his
canoe to Vanua Levu. And on day he
returned and his brow was clear; and he
came before the king and said: "Tui
Viii, have performed your commands
and have spoken with the Maiden Ekesa
concerning her parents"
The king received the words of Ratu
Tanito and, looking on his son, said
"Abide now with me and at the end OF
seven days 20 again to the maiden and
speak with her concerning war and com.
bats with the shark" And Ratu Tan.
ito did as he was commanded and re,
turned with a clear brow and said: "My
father, l have done according to your
commands
And again the king commanded him
to abide for seven days, and returning tc
the maiden to speak with her concerning
the gods. And it was done as he com
manded
Then said Tui Katubua, go now
my son, and speak with the maiden con
cerning the government of men," AnG
Ratu Tanito departed and came to Vanua
Levu.
But when he returned thence his brow
was clouded and his eyes were angry
and as he reached his fathers presence hi
stepped with a firm step. 80 now, my
SON" said the king, ''your canoe has me-
with a mischance and has been dashed
against rock.
Not So" the young man replied
my canoe is save, oh, father"
Il grieve, oh, my son." said the ia
ther, that your safe departure has beer
opposed by the king of Vanua Levu, anC
that he has sought to make you a pris
oner, for our vengeance will fall heavily
on his people"
"Savenaka, king of Vanua Levu, ha
nowise impeded my departure from hi
island said the youth, "nor has h
known of my presence there"
"And yet anger sits above your eyes,
said the old king.
Then Ratu Tanito composed his fea
lures and said to his father: Forget
my father, that have given way to an
ger because of trife. Ekesa, the maid
en- of whom | spoke, has said foolisl
thing, and, recollecting it, my spirit wa
disturbed"
" And what said the maiden"
''Truly, she is of opinion that womel
are of equal spirit and understanding
with men, and should divide the govern
ment of human affairs with them.
think such were her words, but of
verify heard not certainly, being mucl
provoked, and having driven my foo
against root as we walked"
"Then you have quareled with tn
maiden?" said Tui Katubua.
"No," said Ratu Tanito, 81 am not
woman. forbore to answer her an,
after she had spoken for time, and ha
sworn she would marry no man VIII,
held himself her superior, left her."
Then said Tui Katubua: go now, IN,
son, and take war canoes, and fetcl
Ekesa before me-"
"The king commands" said Rat
Tanito. But father, l no longer wisl
to marry the girl; and the gods forbiC
that she should come to harm at m.
handsr
"No harm shall come to her." salt
Katubua. "Do you as command"
Accordingly, Ratu Tanito took wa
canoes and went to Vanua Levu and Dor
away Ekesa by force. And returning t.
VIII Levu he brought her before hi
father, who sat in state, surrounded b,