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
It was a well-known fact that no sharks were caught on these fishing
grounds, as the place was dedicated to the gods, hence no sharks were
supposed to get there, as the gods had charge of the place; but by the
supernatural powers of Loli and Hauna the fishing grounds known to be
without sharks became a place infested with them. Having won the wager,
Kakuhihewa lost to Lonoikamakahiki that portion of Oahu from Leahi to
Kaena point, which became the property of Lonoikamakahiki.
After this had taken place the desire to take a hand at fishing
overcame Lonoikamakahiki, so he said to Kakuhihewa: “Say, King of Oahu,
let me have a hook, line and some bait and also a sinker.” Kakuhihewa
replied: “Why did you not come prepared when you came out to fish? Did
you suppose that we were to supply you with these things necessary for
a fisherman?” Loli, the attendant, then said: “My king, you have been
shamed. This is what I expected and therefore warned you that we had
better not come out. Now, therefore, you must kill me.”
In obedience to the former instructions of his attendant,
Lonoikamakahiki proceeded to kill Loli and to make use of the different
parts for his fishing apparatus, then lowered the whole thing into the
sea. He then called the words taught him by Loli, saying: “Say, Loli!
Say, Loli, the fish without eyes of the sea!! Catch us a fish, Loli.”
At that very moment, as soon as the last word was spoken, an ahi bit
his hook. As soon as he felt the bite Lonoikamakahiki called out: “Say,
Kakuhihewa, what kind of a fish have I caught?” Kakuhihewa hesitated
for a while, then asked of Lanahuimihaku and his companion: “What kind
of a fish has the king of Hawaii caught?” Lanahuimihaku and his
companion replied: “Name it a shark, because the first fish caught
being a shark there must be a lot of them down below.” Because of this,
and in accordance with the words of Lanahuimihaku and his companion, he
answered Lonoikamakahiki, saying: “It is a shark.” Lonoikamakahiki
answered back: “No, you are mistaken, King of Oahu.” Kakuhihewa then
asked Lonoikamakahiki: “And what do you say it is?” Lonoikamakahiki
replied: “This is not a shark, it is an ahi.”
Because of this reply made by Lonoikamakahiki, Kakuhihewa therefore
asked of Lanahuimihaku and his companion: “Is the fish caught by the
king of Hawaii really an ahi?” Lanahuimihaku and his companion replied:
“The king of Hawaii is deceiving us. Don’t you know that everybody
knows that no ahi can be caught in Oahu, and that such fish can only be
caught at Niihau and Hawaii fishing stations? Make a wager with him.”
Kakuhihewa then called out: “Say, King of Hawaii, let us settle on a
wager then. From the Kaena point to the Kaoio point as against your
mooring rock.” Lonoikamakahiki replied: “It is a bet.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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