The Hawaiian Romance Of Laieikawai Part 31

When Laieikawai returned from Keaau after Waka had disgraced her, and dwelt at Olaa, then Aiwohikupua's sisters consulted how to comfort the heavy heart of the princess, Laieikawai, for her shame at Waka's reproaches.

They went and told Laieikawai their decision, saying:

"O princess of peace, we have agreed upon something to relieve your burden of shame, for not you alone bear the burden; all of us share your trouble.

"Therefore, princess, we beseech you, best ease your heart of sorrow; good fortune shall be yours hereafter.

"We have agreed here to share your fortune; our younger sister has consented to go and get Kaonohiokala for your husband, the boy chief who dwells in the taboo house at the borders of Tahiti, a brother of ours, through whom Aiwohikupua gained the rank of chief.

"If you will consent to your brother being fetched, then we shall win greater honor than was ours before, and you will become a sacred person of great dignity so that you can not a.s.sociate with us; now this is what we have thought of; you consent, then your reproach is lifted, Waka is put to shame."

Said Laieikawai, "Indeed I would consent to ease my burden of shame, only one thing I will not consent to--my becoming your brother's wife; for you say he is a taboo chief, and if we should be united, I should not see you again, so high a chief is he, and this I should regret exceedingly, our friendship together."

Said her companions, "Do not think of us; consider your grandmother's taunts; when her reproach is lifted, then we are happy, for we think first of you."

And for this reason Laieikawai gave her consent.

Then Kahalaomapuana left directions with Laieikawai and her sisters, saying: "I go to get our brother as husband for the princess; your duty is to take good care of our mistress; wherever she goes, there you go, whatever she wishes, that is yours to fulfill; but let her body be kept pure until I return with our brother."

After saying all this, Kahalaomapuana left her sisters and was borne on the back of the big lizard Kihanuilulumoku and went to fetch Kaonohiokala.

At this place we will leave off speaking of this journey; we must tell about Laieikawai and her meeting with the prophet who followed her from Kauai hither, as related in the first two chapters of this story.

After Kahalaomapuana left her sisters, the desire grew within Laieikawai's mind to travel around Hawaii.

So her companions carried out the chief's wish and they set out to travel around about Hawaii.

On the princess's journey around Hawaii they went first to Kau, then Kona, until they reached Kaiopae in Kohala, on the right-hand side of Kawaihae, about five miles distant; there they stayed several days for the princess to rest.

During the days they were there the seer saw the rainbow arching over the sea as if right at Kawaihae. The uplands of Ouli at Waimea was the place the seer looked from.

For in former chapters it has been told how the seer came to Hilo, to Kaiwilahilahi, and lived there some years waiting for the sign he was seeking.

But when it did not come to the seer as he waited for the sign he was seeking, then he waited and sought no longer for the sign he had followed from Kauai to this place.

So he left Hilo, intending to go all the way back to Kauai, and he set out. On his return, he did not leave the offerings which he had brought from Kauai thither, the pig and the c.o.c.k.

When he reached Waimea, at Ouli, there he saw the rainbow arching over the sea at Kawaihae.

And the seer was so weary he was not quick to recognize the rainbow, but he stayed there, and on the next day he did not see the sign again.

Next day the seer left the place, the very day when Laieikawai's party left Kaiopae, and came back above Kahuwa and stopped at Moolau.

When the seer reached Puuloa from Waimea, he saw the rainbow arching over Moolau; then the seer began to wonder, "Can that be the sign I came to seek?"

The seer kept right on up to the summit of Palalahuakii. There he saw the rainbow plainly and recognized it, and knew it was the sign he was seeking.

Then he prayed to his G.o.d to interpret the rainbow to him, but his G.o.d did not answer his prayer.

The seer left that place, went to Waika and stayed there, for it was then dark.

In the early morning, lo! the rainbow arched over the sea at Kaiopae, for Laieikawai had gone back there.

Then the seer went away to the place where he had seen the rainbow, and, approaching, he saw Laieikawai plainly, strolling along the sea beach. A strange sight the beautiful woman was, and there, directly above the girl, the rainbow bent.

Then the seer prayed to his G.o.d to show him whether this woman was the one he was seeking or not, but he got no answer that day. Therefore, the seer did not lay down his offering before Laieikawai. The seer returned and stayed above Waika.

The next day the seer left the place, went to Lamaloloa and remained there. Then he went repeatedly into the temple of Pahauna and there prayed unceasingly to his G.o.d. After a number of days at Moolau, Laieikawai and her companions left that place.

They came and stayed at Puakea and, because the people of the place were surf riding, gladly remained.

The next day at noon, when the sun shone clear over the land, the prophet went outside the temple after his prayer.

Lo! he saw the rainbow bending over the sea at Puakea, and he went away thither, and saw the same girl whom he had seen before at Kaiopae.

So he fell back to a distance to pray again to his G.o.d to show him if this was the one he was seeking, but he got no answer that day; and, because his G.o.d did not answer his pet.i.tion, he almost swore at his G.o.d, but still he persevered.

He approached the place where Laieikawai and her sisters were sitting.

The seer was greatly disturbed at seeing Laieikawai, and when he had reached the spot, he asked Laieikawai and her companions, "Why do you sit here? Why do you not go surfing with the natives of the place?"

The princess answered, "We can not go; it is better to watch the others."

The seer asked again, "What are you doing here?"

"We are sitting here, waiting for a canoe to carry us to Maui, Molokai, Oahu, and to Kauai, then we shall set sail," so they answered.

To this the seer replied, "If you are going to Kauai, then here is my canoe, a canoe without pay."

Said Laieikawai, "If we go on board your canoe, do you require anything of us?"

The seer answered, "Where are you? Do not suppose I have asked you on board my canoe in order to defile you; but my wish is to take you all as my daughters; such daughters as you can make my name famous, for my name will live in the saying, 'The daughters of Hulumaniani,' so my name shall live; is not this enough to desire?"

Then the seer sought a canoe and found a double canoe with men to man it.

Early in the morning of the next day they went on board the canoe and sailed and rested at Honuaula on Maui, and from there to Lahaina, and the next day to Molokai; they left Molokai, went to Laie, Koolauloa, and stayed there some days.

On the day of their arrival at Laie, that night, Laieikawai said to her companions and to her foster father:

"I have heard from my grandmother that this is my birthplace; we were twins, and because our father had killed the first children our mother bore, because they were girls, when we also were born girls, then I was hidden within a pool of water; there I was brought up by my grandmother.

"And my twin, the priest guarded her, and because the priest who guarded my companion saw the prophet who had come here from Kauai to see us, therefore the priest commanded my grandmother to flee far away; and this was why I was carried away to Paliuli and why we met there."

CHAPTER XXVI