The Tupapaku of Tahiti

Ruao had never known any other, except during her three months' day at Tahiti. She was telling Crichton of the Tupapaku of her at all, which she dreaded most. It appeared in the form of a dog, with legs as long and thick as the stem of a full-grown coconut tree. Once it stepped lightly over it, without offering to harm her in any way. Her last son had been drowned while fishing by moonlight,. on the reef outside the next island, which lay about two miles distant across the eastern end of the lagoon. The spirit of the bravest and strongest of all her sons must appear to her in that shape.