Maui and the Sun

In the Beginning

Mar 8, 1111

Maui, had not been long at home with his brothers when he began to think, that it was too soon after the rising of the sun that it became night again, and that the sun again sank down below the horizon, every day, every day; in the same manner the days appeared too short to him.

I have an idea my brothers

Mar 9, 1111

So at last, one day he said to his brothers. Let us now catch the sun in a noose, so that we may compel him to move more slowly, in order that mankind may have long days to labour in to procure subsistence for themselves.

Maui and his Brothers began to weave

Mar 10, 1111

Then they began to spin and twist ropes to form a noose to catch the sun in, and in doing this they discovered the mode of plaiting flax into stout square-shaped ropes, (tuamaka); and the manner of plaiting flat ropes, (paharahara); and of spinning round ropes; at last, they finished making all the ropes which they required.

They travelled by night

Mar 11, 1111

Then Maui took up his enchanted weapon, and he took his brothers with him, and they carried their provisions, ropes, and other things with them.
They travelled all night, and as soon as day broke, they halted in the desert, and hid themselves that they might not be seen by the sun; and at night they renewed their journey, and before dawn they halted, and hid themselves again.

Setting the trap

Mar 12, 1111

They set to work and built on each side of this place a long high wall of clay to hide themselves in. When these were finished, they made the loops of the noose, and the brothers of Maui then lay in wait on one side of the place out of which the sun rises, and Maui himself lay in wait upon the other side.

The plan of attack

Mar 13, 1111

Maui held in his hand his enchanted weapon, the jaw-bone of his ancestress of Muri-ranga-whenua, and said to his brothers, Mind now, keep yourselves hid, and do not go showing yourselves foolishly to the sun. Wait patiently until his head and fore-legs have got well into the snare, then I will shout out, haul away as hard as you can on the ropes on both sides, and then I'll rush out and attack him, but do you keep your ropes tight for a good long time.

Te Ra

Mar 14, 1111

At last the sun came rising up out of his place, like a fire spreading far and wide over the mountains and forests; he rises up, his head passes through the noose, and it takes in more and more of his body, until his fore-paws pass through; then were pulled tight the ropes, and the monster began to struggle and roll himself about, whilst the snare jerked backwards and forwards as he struggled.

Tamanui te Ra

Mar 15, 1111

The sun shrieked in agony but Maui kept raining blows on it's flaming face
"you will kill Tama-niu-te-Ra!" screamed the sun
"No" said Maui, "I will not kill you but I will make you move more slowly!"

The ending

Mar 16, 1111

Maui and his brothers after this feat returned again to their own house and the sun drifted slowly across the sky.