XV - THE TADPOLE AND THE FROG.


"BE ashamed of yourself," said the frog.

"When I was a tadpole, I had no tail."

"Just what I thought!" said the tadpole.

"You never were a tadpole."




XVI. - SOMETHING IN IT.


THE natives told him many tales. In particular, they warned him of
the house of yellow reeds tied with black sinnet, how any one who
touched it became instantly the prey of Akaanga, and was handed on
to him by Miru the ruddy, and hocussed with the kava of the dead,
and baked in the ovens and eaten by the eaters of the dead.

"There is nothing in it," said the missionary.

There was a bay upon that island, a very fair bay to look upon;
but, by the native saying, it was death to bathe there. "There is
nothing in that," said the missionary; and he came to the bay, and
went swimming. Presently an eddy took him and bore him towards the
reef. "Oho!" thought the missionary, "it seems there is something