Czytaj książkę: «Legends of Gods and Ghosts (Hawaiian Mythology)», strona 6

XIV

KALAI-PAHOA, THE POISON-GOD

The Bishop Museum of Honolulu has one of the best as well as one of the most scientifically arranged collections of Hawaiian curios in the world. In it are images of many of the gods of long ago. One of these is a helmeted head made of wicker-work, over which has been woven a thick covering of beautiful red feathers bordered with yellow feathers. This was the mighty war-god of the great Kamehameha. Another is a squat rough image, crudely carved out of wood. This was Kamehameha's poison-god.

The ancient Hawaiians were acquainted with poisons of various kinds. They understood the medicinal qualities of plants and found some of these strong enough to cause sickness and even death. One of the Hawaiian writers said: "The opihi-awa is a poison shell-fish. These are bitter and deadly and can be used in putting enemies to death. Kalai-pahoa is also a tree in which there is the power to kill."

Kamehameha's poison-god was called Kalai-pahoa, because it was cut from that tree which grew in the upland forest on the island of Molokai.

A native writer says there was an antidote for the poison from Kalai-pahoa, and he thus describes it: "The war-god and the poison-god were not left standing in the temples like the images of other gods, but after being worshipped were wrapped in kapa and laid away.

"When the priest wanted Kalai-pahoa he was taken down and anointed with cocoanut-oil and wrapped in a fresh kapa cloth. Then he was set up above the altar and a feast prepared before him, awa to drink, and pig, fish, and poi to eat.

"Then the priest who had special care of this god would scrape off a little from the wood, and put it in an awa cup, and hold the cup before the god, chanting a prayer for the life of the king, the government, and the people. One of the priests would then take the awa cup, drink the contents, and quickly take food.

"Those who were watching would presently see a red flush creep over his cheeks, growing stronger and stronger, while the eyes would become glassy and the breath short like that of a dying man. Then the priest would touch his lips to the stick, Mai-ola, and have his life restored. Mai-ola was a god who had another tree. When Kalai-pahoa entered his tree on Molokai, Mai-ola entered another tree and became the enemy of the poison-god."

The priests of the poison-god were very powerful in the curious rite called pule-ana-ana, or praying to death. The Hawaiians said: "Perhaps the priests of Kalai-pahoa put poison in bananas or in taro. It was believed that they scraped the body of the image and put the pieces in the food of the one they wished to pray to death. There was one chief who was very skilful in waving kahilis, or feather fans, over any one and shaking the powder of death into the food from the moving feathers. Another would have scrapings in his cloak and would drop them into whatever food his enemy was eating." The spirit of death was supposed to reside in the wood of the poison-god.

A very interesting legend was told by the old people to their children to explain the coming of medicinal and poisonous properties into the various kinds of trees and plants. These stories all go back to the time when Milu died and became the king of ghosts. They say that after the death of Milu the gods left Waipio Valley on the island of Hawaii and crossed the channel to the island Maui.

These gods had all kinds of power for evil, such as stopping the breath, chilling or burning the body, making headaches or pains in the stomach, or causing palsy or lameness or other injuries, even inflicting death.

Pua and Kapo, who from ancient times have been worshipped as goddesses having medicinal power, joined the party when they came to Maui. Then all the gods went up Mauna Loa, a place where there was a large and magnificent forest with fine trees, graceful vines and ferns, and beautiful flowers. They all loved this place, therefore they became gods of the forest.

Near this forest lived Kane-ia-kama, a high chief, who was a very great gambler. He had gambled away all his possessions. While he was sleeping, the night of his final losses, he heard some one call, "O Kane-ia-kama, begin your play again." He shouted out into the darkness: "I have bet everything. I have nothing left."

Then the voice again said, "Bet your bones, bet your bones, and see what will happen."

When he went to the gambling-place the next day the people all laughed at him, for they knew his goods were all gone. He sat down among them, however, and said: "I truly have nothing left. My treasures are all gone; but I have my bones. If you wish, I will bet my body, then I will play with you."

The other chiefs scornfully placed some property on one side and said, "That will be of the same value as your bones."

They gambled and he won. The chiefs were angry at their loss and bet again and again. He always won until he had more wealth than any one on the island.

After the gambling days were over he heard again the same voice saying: "O Kane-ia-kama, you have done all that I told you and have become very rich in property and servants. Will you obey once more?"

The chief gratefully thanked the god for the aid that he had received, and said he would obey. The voice then said: "Perhaps we can help you to one thing. You are now wealthy, but there is a last gift for you. You must listen carefully and note all I show you."

Then this god of the night pointed out the trees into which the gods had entered when they decided to remain for a time in the forest, and explained to him all their different characteristics. He showed him where gods and goddesses dwelt and gave their names. Then he ordered Kane-ia-kama to take offerings of pigs, fish, cocoanuts, bananas, chickens, kapas, and all other things used for sacrifice, and place them at the roots of these trees into which the gods had entered, the proper offerings for each.

The next morning he went into the forest and saw that he had received a very careful description of each tree. He observed carefully the tree shown as the home of the spirit who had become his strange helper.

Before night fell he placed offerings as commanded. As a worshipper he took each one of these trees for his god, so he had many gods of plants and trees.

For some reason not mentioned in the legends he sent woodcutters to cut down these trees, or at least to cut gods out of them with their stone axes.

They began to cut. The koko (blood) of the trees, as the natives termed the flowing sap, and the chips flying out struck some of the woodcutters and they fell dead.

Kane-ia-kama made cloaks of the long leaves of the ieie vine and tied them around his men, so that their bodies could not be touched, then the work was easily accomplished.

The chief kept these images of gods cut from the medicinal trees and could use them as he desired. The most powerful of all these gods was that one whose voice he had heard in the night. To this god he gave the name Kalai-pahoa (The-one-cut-by-the-pahoa-or-stone-axe).

One account relates that the pahoa (stone) from which the axe was made came from Kalakoi, a celebrated place for finding a very hard lava of fine grain, the very best for making stone implements.

The god who had spoken to the chief in his dream was sometimes called Kane-kulana-ula (noted red Kane).

The gods were caught by the sacrifices of the chief while they were in their tree bodies before they could change back into their spirit bodies, therefore their power was supposed to remain in the trees.

It was said that when Kane-kulana-ula changed into his tree form he leaped into it with a tremendous flash of lightning, thus the great mana, or miraculous power, went into that tree.

The strange death which came from the god Kalai-pahoa made that god and his priest greatly feared. One of the pieces of this tree fell into a spring at Kaakee near the maika, or disc-rolling field, on Molokai. All the people who drank at that spring died. They filled it up and the chiefs ruled that the people should not keep branches or pieces of the tree for the injury of others. If such pieces were found in the possession of any one he should die. Only the carved gods were to be preserved.

Kahekili, king of Maui at the time of the accession of Kamehameha to the sovereignty of the island Hawaii, had these images in his possession as a part of his household gods.

Kamehameha sent a prophet to ask him for one of these gods. Kahekili refused to send one, but told him to wait and he should have the poison-god and the government over all the islands.

One account records that a small part from the poison one was then given.

So, after the death of Kahekili, Kamehameha did conquer all the islands with their hosts of gods, and Kalai-pahoa, the poison-god, came into his possession.

The overthrow of idolatry and the destruction of the system of tabus came in 1819, when most of the wooden gods were burned or thrown into ponds and rivers, but a few were concealed by their caretakers. Among these were the two gods now to be seen in the Bishop Museum in Honolulu.

Note.—See Appendix, page 259, Chas. R. Bishop.

XV

KE-AO-MELE-MELE, THE MAID OF THE GOLDEN CLOUD

The Hawaiians never found gold in their islands. The mountains being of recent volcanic origin do not show traces of the precious metals; but hovering over the mountain-tops clustered the glorious golden clouds built up by damp winds from the seas. The Maiden of the Golden Cloud belonged to the cloud mountains and was named after their golden glow.

Her name in the Hawaiian tongue was Ke-ao-mele-mele (The Golden Cloud). She was said to be one of the first persons brought by the gods to find a home in the Paradise of the Pacific.

In the ancient times, the ancestors of the Hawaiians came from far-off ocean lands, for which they had different names, such as The Shining Heaven, The Floating Land of Kane, The Far-off White Land of Kahiki, and Kuai-he-lani (purchased is heaven). It was from Kuai-he-lani that the Maiden of the Golden Cloud was called to live in Hawaii.

In this legendary land lived Mo-o-inanea (self-reliant dragon). She cared for the first children of the gods, one of whom was named Hina, later known in Polynesian mythology as Moon Goddess.

Mo-o-inanea took her to Ku, one of the gods. They lived together many years and a family of children came to them.

Two of the great gods of Polynesia, Kane and Kanaloa, had found a beautiful place above Honolulu on Oahu, one of the Hawaiian Islands. Here they determined to build a home for the first-born child of Hina.

Thousands of eepa (gnome) people lived around this place, which was called Waolani. The gods had them build a temple which was also called Waolani (divine forest).

When the time came for the birth of the child, clouds and fogs crept over the land, thunder rolled and lightning flashed, red torrents poured down the hillsides, strong winds hurled the rain through bending trees, earthquakes shook the land, huge waves rolled inland from the sea. Then a beautiful boy was born. All these signs taken together signified the birth of a chief of the highest degree—even of the family of the gods.

Kane and Kanaloa sent their sister Anuenue (rainbow) to get the child of Ku and Hina that they might care for it. All three should be the caretakers.

Anuenue went first to the place where Mo-o-inanea dwelt, to ask her if it would be right. Mo-o-inanea said she might go, but if they brought up that child he must not have a wife from any of the women of Hawaii-nui-akea (great wide Hawaii).

Anuenue asked, "Suppose I get that child; who is to give it the proper name?"

Mo-o-inanea said: "You bring the child to our brothers and they will name this child. They have sent you, and the responsibility of the name rests on them."

Anuenue said good-by, and in the twinkling of an eye stood at the door of the house where Ku dwelt.

Ku looked outside and saw the bright glow of the rainbow, but no cloud or rain, so he called Hina. "Here is a strange thing. You must come and look at it. There is no rain and there are no clouds or mist, but there is a rainbow at our door."

They went out, but Anuenue had changed her rainbow body and stood before them as a very beautiful woman, wrapped only in the colors of the rainbow.

Ku and Hina began to shiver with a nameless terror as they looked at this strange maiden. They faltered out a welcome, asking her to enter their house.

As she came near to them Ku said, "From what place do you come?"

Anuenue said: "I am from the sky, a messenger sent by my brothers to get your child that they may bring it up. When grown, if the child wants its parents, we will bring it back. If it loves us it shall stay with us."

Hina bowed her head and Ku wailed, both thinking seriously for a little while. Then Ku said: "If Mo-o-inanea has sent you she shall have the child. You may take this word to her."

Anuenue replied: "I have just come from her and the word I brought you is her word. If I go away I shall not come again."

Hina said to Ku: "We must give this child according to her word. It is not right to disobey Mo-o-inanea."

Anuenue took the child and studied the omens for its future, then she said, "This child is of the very highest, the flower on the top of the tree."

She prepared to take the child away, and bade the parents farewell. She changed her body into the old rainbow colors shining out of a mist, then she wrapped the child in the rainbow, bearing it away.

Ku and Hina went out looking up and watching the cloud of rainbow colors floating in the sky. Strong, easy winds blew and carried this cloud out over the ocean. The navel-string had not been cut off, so Anuenue broke off part and threw it into the ocean, where it became the Hee-makoko, a blood-red squid. This is the legendary origin of that kind of squid.

Anuenue passed over many islands, coming at last to Waolani to the temple built by the gnomes under Kane and Kanaloa. They consecrated the child, and cut off another part of the navel-cord. Kanaloa took it to the Nuuanu pali back of Honolulu, to the place called Ka-ipu-o-Lono. Kane and Kanaloa consulted about servants to live with the boy, and decided that they must have only ugly ones, who would not be desired as wives by their boy. Therefore they gathered together the lame, crooked, deformed, and blind among the gnome people. There were hundreds of these living in different homes, and performing different tasks. Anuenue was the ruler over all of them. This child was named Kahanai-a-ke-Akua (the one adopted by the gods). He was given a very high tabu by Kane and Kanaloa. No one was allowed to stand before him and no person's shadow could fall upon him.

Hina again conceived. The signs of this child appeared in the heavens and were seen on Oahu. Kane wanted to send Lanihuli and Waipuhia, their daughters, living near the pali of Waolani and Nuuanu. The girls asked where they should go.

THE MISTY PALI, NUUANU

Kane said: "We send you to the land Kuai-he-lani, a land far distant from Hawaii, to get the child of Hina. If the parents ask you about your journey, tell them you have come for the child. Tell our names and refer to Mo-o-inanea. You must now look at the way by which to go to Kuai-he-lani.

They looked and saw a great bird—Iwa. They got on this bird and were carried far up in the heavens. By and by the bird called two or three times. The girls were frightened and looking down saw the bright shining land Kuai-he-lani below them. The bird took them to the door of Ku's dwelling-place.

Ku and Hina were caring for a beautiful girl-baby. They looked up and saw two fine women at their door. They invited them in and asked whence they came and why they travelled.

The girls told them they were sent by the gods Kane and Kanaloa. Suddenly a new voice was heard. Mo-o-inanea was by the house. She called to Ku and to Hina, telling them to give the child into the hands of the strangers, that they might take her to Waka, a great priestess, to be brought up by her in the ohia forests of the island of Hawaii. She named that girl Paliula, and explained to the parents that when Paliula should grow up, to be married, the boy of Waolani should be her husband. The girls then took the babe. They were all carried by the bird, Iwa, far away in the sky to Waolani, where they told Kane and Kanaloa the message or prophecy of Mo-o-inanea.

The gods sent Iwa with the child to Waka, on Hawaii, to her dwelling-place in the districts of Hilo and Puna where she was caring for all kinds of birds in the branches of the trees and among the flowers.

Waka commanded the birds to build a house for Paliula. This was quickly done. She commanded the bird Iwa to go to Nuumea-lani, a far-off land above Kuai-he-lani, the place where Mo-o-inanea was now living.

It was said that Waka, by her magic power, saw in that land two trees, well cared for by multitudes of servants; the name of one was "Makalei." This was a tree for fish. All kinds of fish would go to it. The second was "Kalala-ika-wai." This was the tree used for getting all kinds of food. Call this tree and food would appear.

Waka wanted Mo-o-inanea to send these trees to Hawaii.

Mo-o-inanea gave these trees to Iwa, who brought them to Hawaii and gave them to Waka. Waka rejoiced and took care of them. The bird went back to Waolani, telling Kane and Kanaloa all the journey from first to last.

The gods gave the girls resting-places in the fruitful lands under the shadow of the beautiful Nuuanu precipices.

Waka watched over Paliula until she grew up, beautiful like the moon of Mahea-lani (full moon).

The fish tree, Makalei, which made the fish of all that region tame, was planted by the side of running water, in very restful places spreading all along the river-sides to the seashore. Fish came to every stream where the trees grew, and filled the waters.

The other tree was planted and brought prepared food for Paliula. The hidden land where this place was has always been called Paliula, a beautiful green spot—a home for fruits and flowers and birds in a forest wilderness.

When Paliula had grown up, Waka went to Waolani to meet Kane, Kanaloa, and Anuenue. There she saw Kahanai-a-ke-Akua (the boy brought up by the gods) and desired him for Paliula's husband. There was no man so splendid and no woman so beautiful as these two. The caretakers decided that they must be husband and wife.

Waka returned to the island Hawaii to prepare for the coming of the people from Waolani.

Waka built new houses finer and better than the first, and covered them with the yellow feathers of the Mamo bird with the colors of the rainbow resting over. Anuenue had sent some of her own garments of rainbows.

Then Waka went again to Waolani to talk with Kane and Kanaloa and their sister Anuenue.

They said to her: "You return, and Anuenue will take Kahanai and follow. When the night of their arrival comes, lightning will play over all the mountains above Waolani and through the atmosphere all around the temple, even to Hawaii. After a while, around your home the leaves of the trees will dance and sing and the ohia-trees themselves bend back and forth shaking their beautiful blossoms. Then you may know that the Rainbow Maiden and the boy are by your home on the island of Hawaii.

Waka returned to her home in the tangled forest above Hilo. There she met her adopted daughter and told her about the coming of her husband.

Soon the night of rolling thunder and flashing lightning came. The people of all the region around Hilo were filled with fear. Kane-hekili (flashing lightning) was a miraculous body which Kane had assumed. He had gone before the boy and the rainbow, flashing his way through the heavens.

The gods had commanded Kane-hekili to dwell in the heavens in all places wherever the gods desired him to be, so that he could go wherever commanded. He always obeyed without questioning.

The thunder and lightning played over ocean and land while the sun was setting beyond the islands in the west.

After a time the trees bent over, the leaves danced and chanted their songs. The flowers made a glorious halo as they swayed back and forth in their dances.

Kane told the Rainbow Maiden to take their adopted child to Hawaii-nui-akea.

When she was ready, she heard her brothers calling the names of trees which were to go with her on her journey. Some of the legends say that Laka, the hula-god, was dancing before the two. The tree people stood before the Rainbow Maiden and the boy, ready to dance all the way to Hawaii. The tree people are always restless and in ceaseless motion. The gods told them to sing together and dance. Two of the tree people were women, Ohia and Lamakea. Lamakea is a native whitewood tree. There are large trees at Waialae in the mountains of the island Oahu. Ohia is a tree always full of fringed red blossoms. They were very beautiful in their wind bodies. They were kupuas, or wizards, and could be moving trees or dancing women as they chose.

The Rainbow Maiden took the boy in her arms up into the sky, and with the tree people went on her journey. She crossed over the islands to the mountains of the island Hawaii, then went down to find Paliula.

She placed the tree people around the house to dance and sing with soft rustling noises.

Waka heard the chants of the tree people and opened the door of the glorious house, calling for Kahanai to come in. When Paliula saw him, her heart fluttered with trembling delight, for she knew this splendid youth was the husband selected by Waka, the prophetess. Waka called the two trees belonging to Paliula to bring plenty of fish and food.

Then Waka and Anuenue left their adopted children in the wonderful yellow feather house.

The two young people, when left together, talked about their birthplaces and their parents. Paliula first asked Kahanai about his land and his father and mother. He told her that he was they child of Ku and Hina from Kuai-he-lani, brought up by Kane and the other gods at Waolani.

The girl went out and asked Waka about her parents, and learned that this was her first-born brother, who was to be her husband because they had very high divine blood. Their descendants would be the chiefs of the people. This marriage was a command from parents and ancestors and Mo-o-inanea.

She went into the house, telling the brother who she was, and the wish of the gods.

After ten days they were married and lived together a long time.

At last, Kahanai desired to travel all around Hawaii. In this journey he met Poliahu, the white-mantle girl of Mauna Kea, the snow-covered mountain of the island Hawaii.

Meanwhile, in Kuai-he-lani, Ku and Hina were living together. One day Mo-o-inanea called to Hina, telling her that she would be the mother of a more beautiful and wonderful child than her other two children. This child should live in the highest places of the heavens and should have a multitude of bodies which could be seen at night as well as in the day.

Mo-o-inanea went away to Nuumea-lani and built a very wonderful house in Ke-alohi-lani (shining land), a house always turning around by day and by night like the ever moving clouds; indeed, it was built of all kinds of clouds and covered with fogs. There she made a spring of flowing water and put it outside for the coming child to have as a bath. There she planted the seeds of magic flowers, Kanikawi and Kanikawa, legendary plants of old Hawaii. Then she went to Kuai-he-lani and found Ku and Hina asleep. She took a child out of the top of the head of Hina and carried it away to the new home, naming it Ke-ao-mele-mele (the yellow cloud), the Maiden of the Golden Cloud, a wonderfully beautiful girl.

No one with a human body was permitted to come to this land of Nuumea-lani. No kupuas were allowed to make trouble for the child.

The ao-opua (narrow-pointed clouds) were appointed watchmen serving Ke-ao-mele-mele, the Maiden of the Golden Cloud.

All the other clouds were servants: the ao-opua-ka-kohiaka (morning clouds), ao-opua-ahiahi (evening clouds), ao-opua-aumoe (night clouds), ao-opua-kiei (peeking clouds), ao-opua-aha-lo (down-looking clouds), ao-opua-ku (image-shaped clouds rising at top of sea), opua-hele (morning-flower clouds), opua-noho-mai (resting clouds), opua-mele-mele (gold-colored clouds), opua-lani (clouds high up), ka-pae-opua (at surface of sea or clouds along the horizon), ka-lani-opua (clouds up above horizon), ka-ma-kao-ka-lani (clouds in the eye of the sun), ka-wele-lau-opua (clouds highest in the sky).

All these clouds were caretakers watching for the welfare of that girl. Mo-o-inanea gave them their laws for service.

She took Ku-ke-ao-loa (the long cloud of Ku) and put him at the door of the house of clouds, with great magic power. He was to be the messenger to all the cloud-lands of the parents and ancestors of this girl.

"The Eye of the Sun" was the cloud with magic power to see all things passing underneath near or far.

Then there was the opua-alii, cloud-chief with the name Ka-ao-opua-ola (the sharp-pointed living cloud). This was the sorcerer and astronomer, never weary, never tired, knowing and watching over all things.

Mo-o-inanea gave her mana-nui, or great magic power, to Ke-ao-mele-mele—with divine tabus. She made this child the heir of all the divine islands, therefore she was able to know what was being done everywhere. She understood how the Kahanai had forsaken his sister to live with Poliahu. So she went to Hawaii to aid her sister Paliula.

When Mo-o-inanea had taken the child from the head of Hina, Ku and Hina were aroused. Ku went out and saw wonderful cloud images standing near the house, like men. Ku and Hina watched these clouds shining and changing colors in the light of the dawn, as the sun appeared. The light of the sun streamed over the skies. For three days these changing clouds were around them. Then in the midst of these clouds appeared a strange land of the skies surrounded by the ao-opua (the narrow-pointed clouds). In the night of the full moon, the aka (ghost) shadow of that land leaped up into the moon and became fixed there. This was the Alii-wahine-o-ka-malu (the queen of shadows), dwelling in the moon.

Ku and Hina did not understand the meaning of these signs or shadows, so they went back into the house, falling into deep sleep.

Mo-o-inanea spoke to Hina in her dreams, saying that these clouds were signs of her daughter born from the head—a girl having great knowledge and miraculous power in sorcery, who would take care of them in their last days. They must learn all the customs of kilo-kilo, or sorcery.

Mo-o-inanea again sent Ku-ke-ao-loa to the house of Ku, that cloud appearing as a man at their door.

They asked who he was. He replied: "I am a messenger sent to teach you the sorcery or witcheries of cloud-land. You must have this knowledge that you may know your cloud-daughter. Let us begin our work at this time."

They all went outside the house and sat down on a stone at the side of the door.

Ku-ke-ao-loa looked up and called Mo-o-inanea by name. His voice went to Ke-alohilani, and Mo-o-inanea called for all the clouds to come with their ruler Ke-ao-mele-mele.

 
   "Arise, O yellow cloud,
    Arise, O cloud—the eye of the sun,
    Arise, O beautiful daughters of the skies,
    Shine in the eyes of the sun, arise!"
 

Ke-ao-mele-mele arose and put on her glorious white kapas like the snow on Mauna Kea. At this time the cloud watchmen over Kuai-he-lani were revealing their cloud forms to Hina and Ku. The Long Cloud told Hina and Ku to look sharply into the sky to see the meaning of all the cloud forms which were servants of the divine chiefess, their habits of meeting, moving, separating, their forms, their number, the stars appearing through them, the fixed stars and moving clouds, the moving stars and moving clouds, the course of the winds among the different clouds.

When he had taught Ku and Hina the sorcery of cloud-land, he disappeared and returned to Ke-alohi-lani.

Some time afterward, Ku went out to the side of their land. He saw a cloud of very beautiful form, appearing like a woman. This was resting in the sky above his head. Hina woke up, missed Ku, looked out and saw Ku sitting on the beach watching the clouds above him. She went to him and by her power told him that he had the desire to travel and that he might go on his journey and find the woman of his vision.

A beautiful chiefess, Hiilei, was at that time living in one of the large islands of the heavens. Ku and Hina went to this place. Ku married Hiilei, and Hina found a chief named Olopana and married him. Ku and Hiilei had a redskin child, a boy, whom they named Kau-mai-liula (twilight resting in the sky). This child was taken by Mo-o-inanea to Ke-alohi-lani to live with Ke-ao-mele-mele. Olopana and Hina had a daughter whom they called Kau-lana-iki-pokii (beautiful daughter of sunset), who was taken by Ku and Hiilei.

Hina then called to the messenger cloud to come and carry a request to Mo-o-inanea that Kau-mai-liula be given to her and Olopana. This was done. So they were all separated from each other, but in the end the children were taken to Hawaii.

Meanwhile Paliula was living above Hilo with her husband Kahanai-a-ke-Akua (adopted son of the gods). Kahanai became restless and determined to see other parts of the land, so he started on a journey around the islands. He soon met a fine young man Waiola (water of life).

Waiola had never seen any one so glorious in appearance as the child of the gods, so he fell down before him, saying: "I have never seen any one so divine as you. You must have come from the skies. I will belong to you through the coming years."

The chief said, "I take you as my aikane [bosom friend] to the last days."

They went down to Waiakea, a village by Hilo, and met a number of girls covered with wreaths of flowers and leaves. Kahanai sent Waiola to sport with them. He himself was of too high rank. One girl told her brother Kanuku to urge the chief to come down, and sent him leis. He said he could not receive their gift, but must wear his own lei. He called for his divine caretaker to send his garlands, and immediately the most beautiful rainbows wrapped themselves around his neck and shoulders, falling down around his body.