The Game of Ruru.

In this game five stones are used. They are round (potakataka) and symmetrical; often they were chipped into the desired form by means of striking them with a piece of quartz, as flakes are struck off a flint core. Old men often amused themselves by making them, as well as other toys, &c., as playthings for children, and even for elders, inasmuch as the elderly people often entered into this and other games. of these stones one was marked and styled the “hai”; it was the principal one used for throwing, and was looked upon as the leader of the game. The other four stones were termed the “kai-mahi,” or common ones.

As many as ten players would sometimes take part in this game. First the operator would take the five stones in his right hand and throw them up; then quickly reversing his hand he would catch on the back of it as many as possible of the descending stones. Some will thus be caught and some will tall on the ground, where they are allowed to lie for the present. The hai is then taken in the right hand and thrown up. While it is in the air the player snatches up one of the fallen stones with the right hand and, holding it, catches the descending hai with the same hand. This is continued until all the fallen stones are picked up. This is termed “takitahi.”

In the takirua the same process is gone through, save that two of the stones are snatched up at once.

In the taktoru, or third stage, it is the same process again, but three stones must be snatched up before catching the hai.

And in the takiwha four stones must be so snatched up. The next stage in the game is termed “poipoi.” In this a mark is made on the ground—a straight line—on either side of which one stone is laid, these two and the hai being the only ones used. The hai is taken in the right hand and thrown up; then with the same hand one of the stones by the mark—the one on the right side—is taken and thrown up; then the descending hai is caught and thrown up again with the right hand; then the other descending stone is caught with the left hand and thrown up again. The remaining stone on the ground is thrown up by the left hand and caught with the right, and so on.

The next act is termed “kŏrŏpu.” A small circle is marked on the ground, around the outside of which are ranged the hai and three of the other stones. The hai is taken in the right hand and thrown up, and before it descends the same hand must move the other three stones into the centre