Roxy and the God of Wind and Storms
Thanks to everyone who left a comment wishing Roxy a speedy recovery. I am thrilled to report that she is making small, daily improvements and is seeming much more herself which is just wonderful.
She can still only manage small walks but felt up to barking at the lawnmower today which we are taking as a good sign! (She has an aversion to appliances, in particular the lawn mower and the hoover, and if left alone with them will sometimes attack!)
Thanks also so Karen for the addition of a wind god to accompany my last Sky Watch Friday post.
Tawhirimatea, the Maori god of wind and storms. This is the story.
Tawhirimatea - Māori legend retold by Wiremu Grace, 2001
Tawhirimatea lived between the embrace of Ranginui and Papatuanuku as did the other children of his whānau. He liked living close to his parents. He could talk to his mother and, when he needed it, he could get advice from his father.
Tawhirimatea didn't mind the difficulties of living in continual darkness or that the space was so confined that he and his brothers had to crawl to get around. But the rest of the brothers had had enough.
A meeting was called and the majority of the brothers decided that their parents had to be separated.
Tumatauenga said, "Once they feel the blows of my patu they will soon loose their grip and we'll finally be free to walk upright and greet Tama-nui-te-ra, the sun."
Tawhirimatea disagreed, yelling his opposition so that all could hear. "How dare you! How dare you think of hurting our parents in such a way. They fed you, nurtured and raised you, and now you reward them with this?" He was very angry.
The brothers bowed their heads with shame, but Tumatauenga stood his ground. "We have asked them to separate, we have pleaded with them to let us see the light, but do they listen? No, this is the only way!"
He raised his patu to strike at his parents but Tawhirimatea was on him in a flash. They grappled and struggled in the darkness until finally Tanemahuta pleaded for quiet.
"Stop! Fighting will not resolve our problem. We have agreed that we cannot continue to live this way. I will try to push them apart without hurting them, to separate them with the gentle push of my arms."
The others agreed, but Tawhirimatea refused to support something that he didn't believe was right.
Firstly Tanemahuta braced his legs on Papatuanuku and pushed Ranginui with his arms. He used all his strength but could not push his parents apart.
"You cannot separate them," said Tawhirimatea. "Give it up, they are meant to be together!"
But Tanemahuta wasn't finished. He lay on his back, pulled his legs to his chest, then pushed from below. Slowly he pushed, but nothing happened. Again he pushed using all his strength, but still nothing happened. He took a breath and pushed once more. Releasing his breath and taking another he pushed again. A new surge of strength pumped through his body. At last there was movement.
Tawhirimatea roared with fury "No!"
But it was too late. Ranginui and Papatuanuku were forced apart and light filled the world. The brothers lay in shocked silence covering their eyes from the brightness of Tamanui Te Ra shinning down on their cowering bodies.
Tawhirimatea was the first to jump to his feet. He whipped at his brothers, dancing around them in anger.
"I will never let you rest for what you have done. Even your children will not be safe from my clutches! This will be my domain forever and you will always feel my wrath," Tawhirimatea yelled down at his brothers as he flew up to join his father.
Tawhirimatea kept his promise, and he continues to do so to this day. Sometimes he is content to listen to advice from his parents and forgive his siblings. On those days the weather is fine, clear, and calm.
But sometimes he is reminded of the pain his parents endured when they were separated and the longing they still have for each other. On those days he sends tornadoes, hurricanes, and cyclones to bring havoc to his brothers' lives and to hound their children.
Image Credit: http://www.kiaatamai.org.nz/b_atua/tawhirimatea.htm
She can still only manage small walks but felt up to barking at the lawnmower today which we are taking as a good sign! (She has an aversion to appliances, in particular the lawn mower and the hoover, and if left alone with them will sometimes attack!)
Thanks also so Karen for the addition of a wind god to accompany my last Sky Watch Friday post.
Tawhirimatea, the Maori god of wind and storms. This is the story.
Tawhirimatea - Māori legend retold by Wiremu Grace, 2001
Tawhirimatea lived between the embrace of Ranginui and Papatuanuku as did the other children of his whānau. He liked living close to his parents. He could talk to his mother and, when he needed it, he could get advice from his father. Tawhirimatea didn't mind the difficulties of living in continual darkness or that the space was so confined that he and his brothers had to crawl to get around. But the rest of the brothers had had enough.
A meeting was called and the majority of the brothers decided that their parents had to be separated.
Tumatauenga said, "Once they feel the blows of my patu they will soon loose their grip and we'll finally be free to walk upright and greet Tama-nui-te-ra, the sun."
Tawhirimatea disagreed, yelling his opposition so that all could hear. "How dare you! How dare you think of hurting our parents in such a way. They fed you, nurtured and raised you, and now you reward them with this?" He was very angry.
The brothers bowed their heads with shame, but Tumatauenga stood his ground. "We have asked them to separate, we have pleaded with them to let us see the light, but do they listen? No, this is the only way!"
He raised his patu to strike at his parents but Tawhirimatea was on him in a flash. They grappled and struggled in the darkness until finally Tanemahuta pleaded for quiet.
"Stop! Fighting will not resolve our problem. We have agreed that we cannot continue to live this way. I will try to push them apart without hurting them, to separate them with the gentle push of my arms."
The others agreed, but Tawhirimatea refused to support something that he didn't believe was right.
Firstly Tanemahuta braced his legs on Papatuanuku and pushed Ranginui with his arms. He used all his strength but could not push his parents apart.
"You cannot separate them," said Tawhirimatea. "Give it up, they are meant to be together!"
But Tanemahuta wasn't finished. He lay on his back, pulled his legs to his chest, then pushed from below. Slowly he pushed, but nothing happened. Again he pushed using all his strength, but still nothing happened. He took a breath and pushed once more. Releasing his breath and taking another he pushed again. A new surge of strength pumped through his body. At last there was movement.
Tawhirimatea roared with fury "No!"
But it was too late. Ranginui and Papatuanuku were forced apart and light filled the world. The brothers lay in shocked silence covering their eyes from the brightness of Tamanui Te Ra shinning down on their cowering bodies.
Tawhirimatea was the first to jump to his feet. He whipped at his brothers, dancing around them in anger.
"I will never let you rest for what you have done. Even your children will not be safe from my clutches! This will be my domain forever and you will always feel my wrath," Tawhirimatea yelled down at his brothers as he flew up to join his father.
Tawhirimatea kept his promise, and he continues to do so to this day. Sometimes he is content to listen to advice from his parents and forgive his siblings. On those days the weather is fine, clear, and calm.
But sometimes he is reminded of the pain his parents endured when they were separated and the longing they still have for each other. On those days he sends tornadoes, hurricanes, and cyclones to bring havoc to his brothers' lives and to hound their children.
Image Credit: http://www.kiaatamai.org.nz/b_atua/tawhirimatea.htm
Glad Roxie is feeling a little better. Time you all had a rest.
ReplyDeleteDon't you just love blogging. People send the nicest messages and its possible to feel ou have known them for a long time.
Long live blogging.
Hey Bowledover, I couldn't agree more! I have learned a lot today care of fellow bloggers! And I have learned a lot about you care of your blog. Love you loads!!!
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