Fornander collection of Hawaiian antiquities and folk-lore, Volume 1 (of 3) : $b The Hawaiians' account of the formation of their islands and origin of their race, with the traditions of their migrations, etc., as gathered from original sources
History
Fornander collection of Hawaiian antiquities and folk-lore, Volume 1 (of 3) : $b The Hawaiians' account of the formation of their islands and origin of their race, with the traditions of their migrations, etc., as gathered from original sources
Folklore -- Hawaii; Hawaii -- Social life and customs; Hawaiian language -- Texts; Legends -- Hawaii
At the close of the above conversation Liloa instructed Akahiakuleana
as follows: “You live on, and should you give birth to a boy, give him
the name of Umi, but if you should give birth to a girl name her on
your side.” Akahiakuleana then said to Liloa: “What tokens are you to
leave behind in order that you may know that the child belongs to the
king?” When Liloa heard this he gave her his loin cloth, his necklace
of whale’s tooth and his war club, and then said: “Here are the tokens
for our child. [141] When it is full grown give these things to the
child as his.” Akahiakuleana assented to this, took them from the king
and passed them over to her maid servant who would take charge of them.
Liloa then went out and tied together some dried ti-leaf and girded
them around his loin as a loin cloth; and returned to his house. When
Liloa arrived at the house, his attendants said to him: “You had on a
real loin cloth when you went away, and here at this time you have on a
ti-leaf loin cloth.”
Liloa continued living at this place until the ceremonies pertaining to
the dedication of his temple were ended, when he returned to Waipio, to
his permanent residence.
CHAPTER II.
THE BIRTH OF UMI.
In course of due time it became apparent to all that Akahiakuleana was
with child. Her husband thought of course the child was his, so he took
great care of his wife. He did not know that it belonged to Liloa. When
Akahiakuleana gave birth to the child, she gave him the name of Umi,
and brought him up carefully until he was well grown. As he grew, Umi
was very mischievous and would often go out to play with other boys. It
was his custom on going out to join the boys in their games to bring
them all to the house and then give them all the food in the house.
When his mother’s husband returned he would get angry and often punish
the boy. This was continued for many days, until at last the mother
took pity on the boy and protested against the harsh treatment of her
son Umi.
One day Umi secretly asked of his mother: “Have I not a different
father?” The mother replied: “Your father is in Waipio; his name is
Liloa.” Umi then said: “Shall I not go and see my father?” The mother
replied: “Yes, you may go.” Some time after this Akahiakuleana’s
husband again beat Umi, when she said to her husband: “My husband, the
child is not yours that you should beat him.” The husband in angry
voice then asked: “And whose child is it, Liloa’s?” The wife replied:
“Yes, it is Liloa’s child, let me tell you.” The husband asked: “What
have you to prove that the child is Liloa’s?” Akahiakuleana then called
for her maid servant to bring the things for Umi that were left by
Liloa. On the things being brought in the wife said: “Here are the
proofs.” When the husband saw these things, his doubts were removed,
for he was sure the boy Umi belonged to Liloa.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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