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
We will now take up the relationship between the bird and Namakaokahai,
for they were connected. The bird Halulu was a cousin to Namakaokahai,
the queen of the land of Kalakeenuiakane. When Namakaokahai saw that
her cousin Halulu was dead she called for her brothers, Kanemoe,
Leapua, Kahaumana and Kaneapua. When they came to her she said to them:
“Here are Hinawaikoli, the feathers from the forehead of Halulu, who is
dead. He has been killed.” When the brothers heard this, they said to
Namakaokahai: “It is quite right that the bird should be killed,
because he is an evil thing, he eats men.”
After the bird was killed, Aukelenuiaiku and the men cut it up and
roasted some of the meat on the coals, and after the meat was cooked
they sat down and had their meal. After their meal was finished, they
began to study how to get down from the cliff. At this time there was
another bird in the cave, the mate of Halulu, by the name of Kiwaha.
This bird gave Aukelenuiaiku the means of getting down the cliff, by
giving him a short-ended rainbow, [79] one with only three colors,
yellow, red and green. By means of this rainbow they reached the bottom
of the cliff. In thus getting away successfully, the four men were
thankful to Aukelenuiaiku, for they knew that they were rescued from a
terrible death, and so they were very grateful for the kindness shown
them.
THE RETURN OF AUKELENUIAIKU TO THE BOTTOM WITH THE MEN.
When Aukelenuiaiku and the men reached the bottom [of the cliff],
Kiwaha again took up the rainbow and placed it on the cliff. After this
Aukelenuiaiku asked the men: “What do you want?” They each answered: “I
want a piece of sugar-cane.” “I want a potato.” “I want a banana.” “I
want a taro.” Aukelenuiaiku then said to them: “The sugar-cane is
kapued for my son. If any one eats it he will die. So are the potatoes,
the bananas and the taro. So I will advise each of you not to touch
these things as we go on our way, else you will all die.” After giving
them this advice they all started out. On the way, however, the men did
not adhere to the advice given them by Aukelenuiaiku, for he who wanted
the sugar-cane took a piece and ate it, so he died; the other three men
also took up the things they craved for and they also died. Thus did
the four men die, for not keeping the advice given them by
Aukelenuiaiku.
After the death of the four men, Aukelenuiaiku continued on by himself
until he reached the house. When the wife and the brothers-in-law saw
Aukelenuiaiku, they all wept for joy and he was welcomed home. After
this, Aukelenuiaiku and his wife lived on happily, each determined to
love each other more and more. The wife had no other thoughts but of
the comfort of her husband. They continued living this way for some
time. Because of this great love for her husband, Namakaokahai gave
over the kingdom to her husband, as well as everything else at her
command; and she even gave him the command and the use of her
supernatural bodies.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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