Research source

And at night, in the black darkness, there came to the house of Ruarangi the fairy chief from the misty…

Date of account: Published 1907
Source: Te Tohunga: The ancient legends and traditions of the Maoris
Reference: Te Tohunga: The ancient legends and traditions of the Maoris · selected passage 24
Rights: public_domain
Language: English
Record updated: 2026-08-25

Record summary

And at night, in the black darkness, there came to the house of Ruarangi the fairy chief from the misty mountain-top

Published source text

Read the available text below. Archive transcriptions may contain OCR errors; later context is labelled separately. A recorded claim is not a finding that it happened.

Source passage

Source text · mention only

And at night, in the black darkness, there came to the house of Ruarangi the fairy chief from the misty mountain-top. He stood in the marae outside the door, and, as he looked into the house and saw the red kokowai on the posts and walls and on the bodies of the man and woman who sat by the fire repeating incantations, he grew afraid, and remained outside in the courtyard. He raised his voice in a song of lamentation, for he loved Tawhaiatu, but he could not prevail against the sacred kokowai and the powerful spells of Ruarangi. And then the fairy returned sorrowing to his dwelling on lofty Pirongia.”

Historical context

Contextual commentary · mention only

This material belongs to a folklore tradition. Story type, collector, community, transmission and literary editing matter when comparing it with other sources.

Modern context

Contextual commentary · mention only

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