Polynesian Mythology · The Children of Heaven and Earth (2/2)

The bursting forth of the wrathful fury of Tāwhirimātea against his brothers, was the cause of the disappearance of a great part of the dry land; during that contest a great part of mother Earth was submerged. The names of those beings of ancient days who submerged so large a portion of the earth were⁠—Terrible-rain, Long-continued-rain, Fierce-hail-storms, and their progeny were, Mist, Heavy dew, and Light dew, and these together submerged the greater part of the earth, so that only a small portion of dry land projected above the sea.

From that time clear light increased upon the earth, and all the beings which were hidden between Rangi and Papa before they were separated, now multiplied upon the earth. The first beings begotten by Rangi and Papa were not like human beings; but Tūmatauenga bore the likeness of a man, as did all his brothers, as also did a Po, a Ao, a Kore, te Kimihanga and Rūnuku, and thus it continued until the times of Ngāinui and his generation, and of Whiro-te-tipua and his generation, and of Tiki-tawhito-ariki and his generation, and it has so continued to this day.

The children of Tūmatauenga were begotten on this earth, and they increased, and continued to multiply, until we reach at last the generation of Māuitaha, and of his brothers Māuiroto, Māuiwaho, Māuipae, and Māui-tikitiki-a-Taranga.

Up to this time the vast Heaven has still ever remained separated from his spouse the Earth. Yet their mutual love still continues⁠—the soft warm sighs of her loving bosom still ever rise up to him, ascending from the woody mountains and valleys, and men call these mists; and the vast Heaven, as he mourns through the long nights his separation from his beloved, drops frequent tears upon her bosom, and men seeing these, term them dewdrops.