Origin: New Zealand
History: Many people going between Rotorua and Taupo began to disappear. Thinking that neighboring countries were the problem, a war band was set out. Instead of finding attackers, however, they encountered a dragon called Hotu-puku.
Hotu-puku became very agrivated and attacked the war band. Many warriors were killed and the rest of the band fleed so that they may tell the story.
A man named Pitaka then arrived and organized a dragon-hunting party. Using himself as bait, he managed to hang a noose around the tail of the dragon. This worked when Hotu-puku attack, was ensnared by the net, and eventually died of strangulation.
They made sure that this was the same dragon by cutting him opened. There they found the remains of the other victims, and they burried them. After this, they roasted and ate Hotu-puku.
Symbolism: I am unsure of the symbolic nature of Hotu-puku. The story's moral, however, was to not to assume. (Had they not assumed that their neighbors were involved with the missing people, they would not have lost their warriors.)
Physical Description: A huge lizard, one of the few famous Taniwha.
For more information about these footnotes, please see the bibliography.
Privacy Policy | Disclaimer |
Contact | Home
© Kylie 'drago' McCormick.
Last updated: 4 October 2009