When the octopus reached the shore off ran the rat into the bush. The octopus felt the pain still, however, and now discovered that the rat had been gnawing at the back of its neck. The octopus was enraged, called all his friends among the owls to assemble, and begged them to pursue and destroy the rat. They did so, caught it, killed it, and ate it, but there was hardly a morsel for each, they were so many. And hence the proverb in exhorting not to return evil for good:--"Do not be like the rat with the octopus, evil will overtake you if you do." 8. Here is a story of Toa and Pale, or Hero and Helper. The King of Fiji was a savage cannibal, and the people were melting away under him. Toa and Pale were brothers, they wished to escape being killed for the oven, and so fled to the bush and became trees. It was only the day before a party were to go to the woods to search for a straight tree from which to make the keel of a new canoe for the king. They knew this, and so Pale changed himself into a crooked stick overrun with creepers, that he might not be cut by the king's carpenters, and advised Toa to do the same. He declined, however, and preferred standing erect as a handsome straight tree. The party in search of a keel went to the very place, liked the look of Toa, and decided to cut it down. They cut, and Toa was felled to the ground, but Pale, who was close by, immediately raised him up again. The carpenters were confounded--cut again--but it was just the same. They persevered, and the cutting, falling, and rising again, went on till night fell, when they gave it up. After they left Toa said to Pale, "What a Toa (trouble) I have been to you!" and hence _the proverb_ to this day, when a person or thing has been a trouble to another, he says to the sufferer in a sympathising or apologetic tone: "_What a Toa it has been to you!"_ 9. The following are a few more of these _proverbs_, but stated more briefly. (1) "One and yet a thousand," is a common description of a clever man, and equivalent to our own expression: "He is a host in himself." (2) "Only the appearance of plait." Spoken of a thin worn-out person reduced to a mere shadow. Not a real plaited mat, but only the appearance of one. (3) "Many footprints." Spoken of a large settlement which makes many at a festival, or night-dance, or public meeting of any kind. (4) "A single cocoa-nut." Referring to a single nut hanging from a tree. This is said of a man who has no brothers, and who is therefore called the single nut of the family. (5) "Great and yet small." Applied to a populous place which has no _courage_. Or a large family, but without one who has any pluck. (6) "The emptiness of a large basket." A good deal of food seems but little if put in a large basket. Also the population of a large village, if the houses are widely apart, seems small until they really come together.