Rata and the Totara Tree

Hundreds of years ago, in a deep, dark forest in New Zealand there lived a small maori tribe. In the tribe was a master carver named Rata.

One day the chief asked Rata to build a huge canoe to hold his whole tribe so they could voyage the reckless seas. So the next day Rata and some other men from the tribe went out to find a tall totara tree they could use it to build the canoe. After searching for a while they finally find a huge, tall totara tree. They spend the rest of the day chopping it down, by the time it was on the ground it was time to go home. The next day when they came back the tree was standing perfectly just like it was when they found it. So they chopped it down again and the same thing happened the next morning. Rata couldn’t figure out what was wrong, till suddenly it hit him…..

He had forgotten to say thanks to Tane for this glorious tree. This time he remembered and when they returned in the morning there was a huge canoe the Tane’s spirts had made for them. And they all lived Happily ever after.