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The Origin of the Eel Family

IT was Moe who killed Tunaroa, and Tunaroa was the firstborn of Tangaroa, the god of the finny realms. Now, Moe cooked him at Tahiti and then pinched off his head; and with the appropriate incantation he threw it into the lake at Huro. In his movements a piece of the burnt skin fell and was trodden into the mud at Taupo.

At the Whanga he made further incantations and threw into the lagoon the larger part of the fish. At Waipapa a portion of the white flesh fell into the stream as Moe was crossing it. Then at Taupeka he threw the tail into the sea.

And that is why, my son, at Huro you will find the kokopu (the giant eels), at Taupo the small black mud eels, at the Whanga the whakau, the puhi, and the other kinds of eels. At Waipapa you will find the whitebait at home in their millions; at Taupeka and elsewhere along our rock-bound coasts, the conger eel.