The times., 1899-08-07
A PoRPoIsE MYTH.
A Friendly Islands story Told by
Frank T. BuIien.
lFroIn the spectator.l


A Friendly Islands story Told by
Frank r. BuIien.
From the Spectator.)
The great game of the sea pigs that we
have just seen brings back 10 my memory
an old story which is still told among our
people. but one which we are trying hard
TO forget with all the others. because they
are of the evil days. and stir up in our
children these feelings that we have fought
so long to bury beyond resurrection. This
story. however. is harmless enough al
though / should neither tell il 10 or listen
10 il from one of mine own people. Long
ago when we worshiped the old cruel
gods. and nay ancestors were chief priests
OF that worship, holding all the people un-
der their rule in utter terror and subjec-
ton. our chief, yes. cur only, business be-
sides religion was war. Our women were
slaves, who were only born for our SER
vice and * is not easy now TO understand
what our feelings then were toward the
sex TO whom We are new so tender. Our
only talk was of service Of the gods and
war, which. indeed, was generally under
taken for some religious reason, more Of
ten than not 10 provide human victims for
sacrifice In one OF these constantly re-
curing wars the men of Tonga taba-of
course. each group Of these islands was
then independent of the others-made
EIduu IGll Iptu l1dl1l- llCt NCaS
by some strangers, who had been washed
ashore from some other islands 70 the
northward, to build bigger and better war
canoes than had ever before been seen, for
our people were never famous for canoe
building. They kept their plans so secret
that when az dayhTeak one morning the
news ran around Hapai that a whole heet
OF war canoes were nearing the shore our
people were like a school of flying fish into
the midst Of which some dolphins have
suddenly burst One of my ancestors,
called The Bone Breaker from his great
strength and courage. mct the invaders
with a mere handful Of his followers, and
delayed their landing for hours, until he
and all his warriors were killed.
BY this time fresh bands were continual
ly arriving, so that the warriors from
Tonga must needs fight every inch of their
way through The islands And as they de-
stroyed band after band their war hunger
became greater, their rage rose, and they
determined to leave none Of us living ex-
cept such as they kept for sacrifice on
their altars al home. Day by day the
slaughter went ON, ever more feeble grew
the defence, until warriors who had never
refused to battle hid themselves like the
peca in holes of the rocks. Behind US,
about two miles inland, there is a nigh kill
with a Eat top and steep sides. To this as
q shelter fed all the unmarried girls Of
our people, fearing TO be carried away as
slaves 10 Tonga, but never dreaming OF
being slain If their hiding place was found
Here they remained unseen for seven days,
until, rayenous with hunger, they We're
forced 10 leave their hiding place and come
down. But they hoped that, although 10
tidings had reached them from outside,
their enemies had departed. Four hundret
of them reached the plain over which we
-s,-f L "
no man TO lead them, trembling at every
rustling branch in the forest around All
appeared as il does today, the Islands
seemed slGmbering in serene peace, al
though they knew that every spot where
their people had lived was now defled by
the recent dead.
While they paused, huddling together ir-
resolutely. there suddenly burst upon their
ears tempest of exultant yells, and from
both sides of the hill they had lately left
the whole force ef Tongans rushed after
them They fed as flies the BOBBY before
the frigate bird. and with as little hope OF
escape. Before them spread this same
bright sea, smiling up at them as II IN
welcome. You know how our people love
the sea, love 10 cradle ourselves on its ca
ressing waves from the day when, newly
born. our mothers lay US in its refreshing
waters until even its life giving touch can
So who can wonder that the maidens fed
10 il for refuge? Over this shinging sand
they rushed, plunging in ranks from yon-
der reef edge into the quiet blue beyond.
Hard behind them came the hunters. sure
OF their prey. They reached the reef and
stared With utter dread and amazement
upon the pretty play Of a great school Of
porpoises that, in just such graceful evo-
lutions as we have now seen, manifested
their full enjoyment of life. Terror seized
upon those blood lusting Tongans, their
muscles shrank and their weapons fell. Had
there been 100 Hapaian warriors left alive
they might have destroyed the whole Ton
gan host, for It was become as a band Of
lost and terrified children, dreading at
every step TO meet the vengeance Of the
gods But there were none TO hinder them.
so they fed in safety TO their own shores,
never TO invade Hapai again. And when,
after many years. the few survivors OF
that week OF death had repeopled Hapai.
the story Of the four hundred maidens be-
friended by the sea gods in their time OF
need was the most frequently told among
us. And to this day is the porpoise TIA
boo" although we know now that this
legend. as well as all the others which
have been so carefully preserved among
as is only the Imagination Of our fore
fathers hearts. Yet / often wish that we
knew some OF them were true.