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| | Polynesian Mythology: The Legend of Rata |
 | | Rata, without delay, obeyed their orders, and as soon as he had gone they all fell to work; they were so numerous, and understood each what to do so well, that they no sooner began to adze out a canoe than it was completed. |
 | | When they arrived there, Rata alone landed, leaving the canoe afloat and all his warriors on board; as be stole along the shore, he saw that a fire was burning on the sacred place, where the Ponaturi consulted their gods and offered sacrifices to them. |
 | | Rata listened attentively to this incantation, until he learnt it by heart, and when he was quite sure that he knew it, he rushed suddenly upon the priests; they, surprised and ignorant of the numbers of their enemy, or whence they came, made little resistance, and were in a moment smitten and slain. |
| www.sacred-texts.com /pac/grey/grey09.htm (1751 words) |
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