little legend of maui

The legend of Maui takes us back to ancient times in the land of Oterowa, which is modern-day New Zealand. In this era, the Maoris had just begun to populate the country. In this lush and vibrant land, lived a remarkable woman named Taranga.

Taranga, a woman of grace and strength, was a resident of this beautiful land during the time when the Maoris were establishing their presence. One fateful day, Taranga gave birth to a baby boy, and as she cradled her newborn child, she could feel the warmth of pride filling her heart.

"Your newborn child will be the pride of us Maoris," said Kamatua, an elder of the village, offering his blessings to Taranga.

"Thank you, Kamatua," replied Taranga with a grateful smile. "What are you going to name him, Auntie Taranga?" asked a curious onlooker.

"Oh, for a name," Taranga pondered. "I will name him Maui."

That very evening, the skies darkened, and heavy rainstorms swept across the land. The villagers rushed to their shelters to seek refuge from the tempestuous weather. However, amidst the chaos, Taranga and her baby Maui found themselves tragically separated from the safety of their home.

"Help me! Somebody, please help me!" cried Taranga as the fierce storm raged on.

Taranga, weakened by the elements, eventually fell unconscious. Upon hearing her desperate plea, the people of the village raced against the fury of the storm to rescue her. They carried her to a place of shelter, along with the sleeping baby Maui.

"Quick! Get her a warm blanket," instructed Dr. Granny, a wise elder of the village. She wrapped Taranga in a cozy blanket and gently dried her rain-soaked hair.

As Taranga regained consciousness, she looked around in confusion and anxiety. "Where am I? Where's Maui?"

"Miss, you're safe, but your baby..." Dr. Granny hesitated.

"No, this can't be true," Taranga gasped. "I am so irresponsible. I am terrible."

"It is not your fault, Taranga," Kamatua reassured her.

As the storm gradually calmed, Taranga held baby Maui tightly, wrapping him in a satin blanket. She whispered to him, "I am sorry, my baby. I wish you could come back to life, but that's not possible. But remember, you are and will always be special to me."

With a heavy heart, Taranga placed baby Maui upon the cresting waves. The waves carried him away into the unknown, leaving Taranga to mourn her tragic loss.

Years passed, and nobody knew that Maui was still alive. The sea had cradled him, preserving his life, and ultimately, it deposited him on the shores of another distant island.

"It's time to fish before the sun stretches," said Rangi, Maui's new caretaker, to his fellow villagers. "We need to make it quick, for the nights are longer than the days."

"I hope someday the sun rises and sets slow," Maui mused, "then we wouldn't need to hurry as much. We would have more time to dream at night, brother."

"We need to move quickly," Rangi urged.

As everyone headed to work, Rangi suddenly heard a baby's cry. He followed the sound and discovered baby Maui wrapped snugly in a blanket.

"How could anyone abandon a newborn baby in the sea?" Rangi wondered aloud.

Without hesitation, Rangi scooped up the infant and took him home. From that day forward, he became Maui's guardian, raising and educating him until he grew into a fine young teenager.

Maui, gifted with a sharp mind and a clever disposition, proved himself to be a trickster and an inventive young boy. His street smarts and innovative ideas set him apart from the rest.

"I haven't even caught one fish here," Maui admitted to Rangi one day.

Rangi, who had aged along with Maui, looked at him with pride. "My child, now you're old enough. It's time for you to start a voyage to find your parents. My intuition tells me that your abandonment was purely unintentional."

"As you say, Kawamatua," replied Maui with determination. "Do come to visit me, okay?"

"Of course," promised Rangi.

Maui prepared himself for the journey to find his family. "I am ready to face anything," he declared.

As Maui set sail, he spoke to the waves, "Waves, oh waves of this beautiful sea, take me to where I came from and what I need to see."

The waves responded, carrying him further from the familiar shores towards an unknown destination. Maui gazed out at the endless expanse of the ocean, resolute in his quest.

After a long and arduous journey, the waves finally brought Maui to a shore that felt strangely familiar. As he stepped onto the land, he looked around, and to his surprise, he saw villagers going about their daily tasks.

"Hi, young man," one of the villagers greeted him. "Are you looking for something?"

Maui hesitated for a moment before replying, "I am looking for my mother."

"Your mother has a name, right?" the villager inquired.

"Um, I just..." Maui began, but before he could finish his sentence, a wave crashed onto the shore, revealing a name etched in the sand.

"Huh?" The villager was shocked. He quickly ran to fetch Taranga.

"What's the matter?" Taranga asked when she arrived.

"No, you come with me," the villager insisted.

Confused, Taranga followed the villager to the beach, where she saw Maui standing.

"What's wrong?" Taranga asked.

"No, you come with me," the villager repeated, and Taranga approached Maui in awe.

"Maui, my son! You were left by the shore, but you survived," Taranga exclaimed, tears of joy welling up in her eyes. She hugged him tightly and kissed his forehead. "My baby Maui, my wish has been fulfilled. You've come back to us."

"Have you been...?" Maui began, but Taranga cut him off.

"Come home. I am going to feed you very well," Taranga said, her heart brimming with happiness.

Taranga took Maui home, where she prepared a feast for him. She constantly hugged him, her love for him overflowing.

However, her excessive affection began to stir jealousy in Maui's four siblings, who had never received such love from their mother.

"I've never seen Mother be so loving to us," one of them whispered to Maui.

"She has never kissed me this much," another sibling added.

As Taranga introduced Maui to his siblings, their initial envy gradually transformed into dislike.

"Okay, kids, I am off to work. See you later," Taranga announced as she headed out.

The siblings prepared for their fishing duties, but Maui's curiosity got the best of him. He approached his siblings and asked, "Do you have any idea where Mother goes?"

"I don't know," one of his siblings replied. "She gets tasty food from there, and that's what matters to me."

"And I haven't seen Dad around," another sibling added.

"We barely see him," Maui remarked. "I'm going to find out."

Maui followed Taranga discreetly and eventually caught up to