Hatupatu

Hatupatu’s brothers kept the best preserved birds for themselves and left him the lean, tough ones. One day he stole from their storehouse, then marked himself with small wounds and bruises. When his brothers returned, he claimed that a war party had taken the food. They believed his signs and fed him with the others. Later they caught him stealing again, killed him and buried him beneath a heap of feathers. His parents sent a spirit to look for him. The spirit found Hatupatu, performed its enchantments, and he came back to life.

Hatupatu met Kurangaituku, who caught him and kept him in her cave. While she hunted, he stole her feather cloaks, a dog-skin cloak, a flax cloak and a carved sword. He killed the cave’s tame animals and fled. Kurangaituku pursued him, but Hatupatu called to a rock, which opened and hid him. He escaped again and reached Rotorua. When Kurangaituku stepped into the hot springs, the crust gave way and she was burned. Hatupatu found his parents, but hid while he learned that his brothers planned to avenge the burning of Te Arawa by Raumati. He joined their war party and made plant bundles look like a large troop of warriors. The enemy feared the false army and the fighting turned. Hatupatu killed Karika and Raumati. His father then raised Hatupatu’s standing and lowered that of his elder brothers; the account says revenge for the canoe’s burning had been achieved.