This collection of Hawaiian folk-lore was gathered, as stated, some forty or more years ago. Several of the papers have been published in the native press, and a few, from translations which have appeared, will be found familiar to English readers, but by far the largest part comes to the reading public, Hawaiians and foreigners, for the first time; issued as Hawaiian literature, simply, irrespective of variance in writers, or inaccuracy in historic narrations. Although some of these papers are lengthy, yet if any demerit is to be ascribed to the collection, it likely would be due to incompleteness, or brevity, rather than to undue extension—a fault that has of late years come into vogue in Hawaiian story-writing. Nor could these tales be secured from original sources today. The bards, or haku mele, and chanters have passed away, and even those capable of interpreting the mele and antiquarian subjects are few. Therefore, the preservation by publication of this collection in the vernacular, with translations thereof, will increase not only its literary interest, but will add to its scientific value, while the notes accompanying the English version will aid the reader in the interpretation of ancient Hawaiian thought and customs. Thos. G. Thrum, Editor. STORY OF THE FORMATION OF THESE ISLANDS AND ORIGIN OF THIS RACE. CHAPTER I. PREFATORY REMARKS. There are twelve islands in this group and they are situated in the Pacific Ocean to the north of the Equator and between latitude 18° 54′ and 22° 17′, in west longitude 154° 54′. The wise people are not all agreed as to the origin of these islands, and some have thought that they appeared or grew up from the sea. But according to the history of Hawaii, the ideas of the learned historians were entirely different from that theory. According to the traditions of Wakea [1] and his wife Papa, these islands were the real children of this pair, being born of Papa and having Wakea for their father. Hawaii was the first child of Papa and Wakea, and some time afterwards Maui was born, and in this manner there were successive births of eleven islands. But Kahoolawe was not born of Papa and Wakea, but according to the tradition or legend of Haumea, Hina [2] was the one who gave birth to this island and it was called Kahoolawe. In the tradition of Opuukahonua [3] it is therein claimed that the island of Hawaii was found by a fisherman, and that Opuukahonua was the progenitor of this race; and this is the story as told by the historian named Kahakuikamoana, one of the famous men belonging to the order of priesthood. It is handed down in mele or poetic form: