the god Tangaroa saying, 'Alas!' this ariki; he will be burnt by the fire!' Said Tangaroa to her, 'What is to be done? Thou art a god, he is a man!' 'Never mind. I shall go down and fetch my husband.' Then Tangaroa uttered his command, saying, 'Haste thee to Retu. Let him give thee a tempest to extinguish the fire!' Then was given to her a fierce wind that extinguished the fire, and in this storm she descended and carried away Motoro to Auāu (Mangaia) with the aid of Te Muu and Te Pepe."[1]
When Tangiia, in parting, looked back upon the land, his heart was full of grief for his home about to be abandoned for ever, and thus he sang his farewell lament.
Great is my love for my own dear land—
For Tahiti that I'm leaving.
Great is my love for my sacred temple—
For Pure-ora that I'm leaving.
Great is my love for my drinking spring—
For Vai-kura-a-mata, that I am leaving;
For my bathing streams, for Vai-iria,
For Vai-te-pia, that I am leaving;
For my own old homes, for Puna-auia.
For Papa-ete, that I am leaving;
For my loved mountains, for Ti-kura-marumaru,
For Ao-rangi,[2] that I am leaving.
And alas! for my beloved children,
For Pou-te-anuanua and Motoro now dead.
Alas, my grief! my beloved children,
My children! O! my grief.
O Pou-te-anuanua. Alas! Alas!
O Motoro! Alas! Motoro!
