He kōrero mō ngā awa
Kei te rau mōunu a Te Kani ki roto i te hīnaki. Kāore ia i rongo i a Kiore e haere mai ana. Ka tū, a Kiore. Ka titiro. Kātahi ka kī, "E Kani, he aha tō mōunu?"
Ka tumeke a Te Kani . . . "Ā, Kiore, tēnā koe. E tā, he heihei mate i kitea e au i te rori."
"E kī rā. Nāu i kite i te rori. Nāu rānei i whānako mai tō kuia. Nē rā?"
"E kāo, nō te rori tonu."
"Ā tēnā, kei te tukua e koe to hīnaki ki hea?"
"Ki raro i te piriti, i tō Manu rā."
"Ē, kaua ki reira. He tuna taniwha kai reira. E rua ngā māhunga."
Kāore a Te Kani e wari ake. Ka mahi tonu ia. Ka roa, ka oti.
Ka tō te rā. Ka tatari. He pō tino pai tēnei. Kāore he whetū. Kāore he marama i te rangi.
'He pō uriuri,
He pō kerekere,
He pō haere o te tuna.'
I tekau karaka, ka haere a Te Kani. Mahara tonu ia ki te kōrero a Kiore, . . . "E rua ngā māhunga."' . . . Ka mea ki a ia anō . . .
. . . He rūkahu!
Ka roa, ka tae tata atu ki te piriti. Kāore he oreore. Kāore he hau. Tū marino ana te pō, te wai hoki.
'He pō tiwhatiwha,
He pō e kore e kitea.'
Ka whāwhā haere. Kātahi, ka whakakātia e ia tāna tōti. Mārama ana. Ēngari, kāore i kite i te peka rākau. Ka tuki.
Ka pore. Pakō ana te tinana ki raro. Weto kau ana te tōti; e kore mō te kā anō . . . "POKOKŌHUA!"
I a ia e whakatū ana ki runga ka rongo ia i tētahi mea . . . rarā . . . "Ko wai tēnā?" . . . Kāore he whakahoki. Kua ohorere te manawa. Kua nunui ngā whatu. Ka rongo anō i taua mea rā ... rarā . . . "Auē!
Ko te taniwha rā!" Ka whakatakatia e Te Kani te hīnaki. Ka oma. Pāpā ana te whenua i a ia. . . . Kātahi a Kiore ka puta mai i ngā whiro e kata ana . . . "Ai! Ka mau te wehi . . . Hahahahahaha! Auē! Hahahaha . . . Titiro ki a Te
Kani e kāhaki rā i ōna toropuku. . . . Hahaha!"
Ka roa e kata ana, e takawiriwiri ana, ka haere ki te tuku i te hīnaki a Te Kani. "Ko ngā tuna ka mau, nāku. Kāore hoki a Te Kani e pīrangi. Hahahahahahaha!"
I te atapō, ka hoki mai a Kiore ki te tiki i te hīnaki. E tā, kāore he tuna. Ko te mōunu kua pau kē. Ko te hīnaki, kua puāreare katoa.
"Nā te aha hoki tēnei mahi?"
(Nā te aha ki tō whakāro?)
Hei mahi
Ko ēhea ngā kupu rite ngā tikanga?
| 1. | mōunu | A. | mea |
| 2. | rori | B. | mātenga |
| 3. | whānako | C. | tiaki |
| 4. | māhunga | D. | tāhae |
| 5. | tatari | E. | māunu |
| 6. | kī | F. | huarahi |
He tika ēnei pātai mō ngā kōrero 'He kōrero mō ngā awa'? Āe, kāore rānei?
1. He rakiraki te mōunu o te hīnaki a Te Kani?
2. Mea hoko mai te heihei e Te Kani i te toa?
3. Nā Kiore a Te Kani i mahi hanariki?
4. He nui ngā tuna i mau i a Kiore?
5. I kite a Te Kani i te tuna taniwha?