A long, long time ago, there lived a young girl called Mauruangi. She lived in
a small village with her parents who loved her very much. Her mother
especially doted on her and she would always ensure that Mauruangi had
the choicest food to eat. One day her parents went to fetch pumphir and after they had gone for quite a while, they came to a bridge that was rotten and worn
out. Mauruangi's mother commented,
"This bridge is really in ruins and on the way back, we shall both be
carrying a very heavy load and I am afraid, it will be very dangerous."
At this Mauruangi's father said,
"Well, let us both agree to push off the one who will not dare to get
across this bridge on the way back."
After a time they gathered the pumphir. Mauruangi's father secured his
share of the load and craftily ensured that it was a light bundle. While doing so
however, he made sure that his wife bore the heavier load and after this was done, both
of them started for home. In the meantime, Mauruangi was eagerly waiting for
her parents to return.
"Why is it that my parents are so late in returning?" she pondered.
Suddenly she saw her father approaching the house all on his own and
she queried,
"Father, where is my mother?"
And he replied,
"She is at the lake washing my diar2"
A little while later she asked again,
"Where is my mother? Why is she so late in returning?"
Saying this she kept on gazing out in the distance for her mother but to
no avail. Often she would ask her father the reason as to why her mother was late
in returning, but he could render no answer. Darkness began to set in, even as
her father continued to tell her lie after lie. Finally, it was time to eat the
evening meal and Mauruangi inquired again, |
