George Grey and John White for the New Zealand myths in which both of
these legends occur.

Maui's sister Hina-uri married Ira-waru, who was willing to work with
his skillful brother-in-law. They hunted in the forests and speared
birds. They fished and farmed together. They passed through many
experiences similar to those Maui's own brothers had suffered before the
brother-in-law took their place as Maui's companion. They made spears
together--but Maui made notched barbs for his spear ends--and slipped
them off when Ira-waru came near. So for a long time the proceeds of
bird hunting fell to Maui. But after a time the brother-in-law learned
the secret as the brothers had before, and Maui was looked up to by his
fellow hunter as the skillful one. Sometimes Ira-waru was able to see
at once Maui's plan and adopt it. He discovered Maui's method of making
the punga or eel baskets for catching eels.

The two hunters went to the forest to find a certain creeping vine with
which to weave their eel snares. Ira-waru made a basket with a hole, by
which the eels could enter, but they could turn around and go out the
same way. So he very seldom caught an eel. But Maui made his basket with
a long funnel-shaped door, by which the eels could easily slide into the
snare but could scarcely escape. He made a door in the side which he
fastened tight until he wished to pour the eels out.

Ira-waru immediately made a basket like Maui. Then Maui became angry and
uttered incantations over Ira-waru. The man dropped on the ground and
became a dog. Maui returned home and met his sister, who charged him
with sorcery concerning her husband.

Maui did not deny the exercise of his power, but taught his sister a
chant and sent her out to the level country. There she uttered her chant
and a strange dog with long hair came to her, barking and leaping around
her. Then she knew what Maui had done. "Thus Ira-waru became the first
of the long-haired dogs whose flesh has been tabooed to women."

The Tahu and Hau tribes of New Zealand tell a different story. They say
that Maui went to visit Ira-waru. Together they set out on a journey.
After a time they rested by the wayside and became sleepy. Maui asked
Ira-waru to cleanse his head. This gave him the restful, soothing touch
which aided sleep. Then Maui proposed that Ira-waru sleep. Taking the
head in his hands, Maui put his brother-in-law to sleep. Then by
incantations he made the sleep very deep and pro