Retelling || How Maui slowed the sun

How Maui slowed the sun. Long ago Tama-nui-te-ra, the sun, began moving faster across the sky, causing days to be shorter. The people of Maui’s village had no time to finish their work and were becoming angry, but no one could do anything about it, so Maui decided to make a plan to make the sun move slower so that his people could work. He talked to his brothers to persuade them into helping him to capture the sun, his Brother’s agreed but were unhappy about doing it. They helped Maui plait flax to create thick ropes, which they would use to capture the sun. Once they had finished plaiting the flax into ropes they set off on their journey, it took miles to reach the pit of Te ra, but they knew they were close when the ground was cracked and split and plants no longer grew, they continued walking and finally reached the pit. It was still dark, as Te Ra hadn’t risen yet, they stacked up earth to create a shield from the sun, they crouched behind it and continued to wait for Te Ra to rise. At last, the sun arose and Maui and his brothers prepared to capture the sun. He hissed to all his brothers to only throw the ropes when he says, and reminded them to never let go when they have. The ground began to shake and tremble and the sun came into view. First came the tips of Te ra’s fiery hair, orange and yellow flames shot out and flickered, but yet Maui continued to stay still, next came his eyes and then his pointy teeth, blazing with heat, the sun began to rise. Maui jumped to his feet and yelled to all his brothers to throw the ropes, the magic ropes flew through the air and got tangled in his hair and looped round his body, the sun couldn’t move, once he was caught Maui faced the great sun himself and raised his magic jawbone above his head and smashed it down onto his flaming face, Te Ra screamed in pain and agony. Maui kept beating till the great sun became weak and too tired to move, he said to the sun ‘‘I will not kill you, but I will make you move more slowly’’, the brothers never let go of the rope and Maui kept on beating, when the sun could no longer struggle, Maui told all his brother’s to loosen the ropes to set the sun free, the sun floated up into the air, and slowly crawled across the sky. That is why the days are now longer, but if you look really closely, you can sometimes see the magic ropes that still hold the sun to the earth.

Biography presentation || Liam Malone