And the voice answered mockingly: “Where art thou hidden?”
Then Rangi in anger shouted fiercely: “Accursed be thou, hide-and-seek spirit!”
And the voice screamed back as if in derision: “Accursed be thou!”
Thereupon Rangi grasped his spear tighter, and strode toward the rocks, determined to punish the insolent one. Leaping from boulder to boulder, he entered the gorge. And ever as he proceeded, he shouted threats; and ever the mocking voice answered from some distant spot.
The gorge grew darker and narrower, until Rangi suddenly found himself in a wide-mouthed cavern. Its walls and roof glittered with pendant crystals from which fell, drop by drop, clear water like dew. A white mist rose from the rocky floor, and through it Rangi saw dimly a lovely Fairy face gazing roguishly at him. It was wreathed in rippling hair, and crowned with flowers. Archly it smiled, then melted away in the mist.
“Who art thou?” whispered Rangi in awe. “Art thou Echo indeed?”
And from the glittering walls and roof came a thousand sweet answers:—
“Echo indeed!”