The Hawaiian Romance Of Laieikawai Part 37

Before they left Kauai to return to the heavens, a certain agreement was made in their a.s.sembly at the government council.

Lo! on that day, the rainbow pathway was let down from Nuumealani and Kaonohiokala and Laieikawai mounted upon that way, and she laid her last commands upon her sisters, the seer, and Laielohelohe; these were her words:

"My companions and our father the prophet, my sister born with me in the womb and your husband, I return according to our agreement! leave you and return to that place where you will not soon come to see me; therefore, live in peace, for each alike has prospered, not one of you lacks fortune. But Kaonohiokala will visit you to look after your welfare."

After these words they were borne away out of sight. And as to her saying Kaonohiokala would come to look after the welfare of her companions, this was the sole source of disturbance in Laieikawai's life with her husband.

While Laieikawai lived at home with her husband it was Kaonohiokala's custom to come down from time to time to look after his sisters' welfare and that of his young wife three times every year.

They had lived perhaps five years under the marriage contract, and about the sixth year of Laieikawai's happy life with her husband, Kaonohiokala fell into sin with Laielohelohe without anyone knowing of his falling into sin.

After Laieikawai had lived three months above, Kaonohiokala went down to look after his sister's welfare, and returned to Laieikawai; so he did until the third year, and after three years of going below to see after his sisters, lo! Laielohelohe was full-grown and her beauty had increased and surpa.s.sed that of her sister, Laieikawai's.

Not at this time, however, did Kaonohiokala fall into sin, but his sinful longing had its beginning.

On every trip Kaonohiokala took to do his work below, for four years, lo! Laielohelohe's loveliness grew beyond what he had seen before, and his sinful l.u.s.t increased mightily, but by his nature as a child of G.o.d he persisted in checking his l.u.s.t; for perhaps a minute the l.u.s.t flew from him, then it clung to him once more.

In the fifth year, at the end of the first quarter, Kaonohiokala went away to do his work below.

At that time virtue departed far from the mind of Kaonohiokala and he fell into sin.

Now at this time, when he met his sisters, the prophet and his _punalua_ and their wife (Laielohelohe), Kaonohiokala began to redistribute the land, so he called a fresh council.

And to carry out his evil purpose, he transferred his sisters to be guards over the land called Kealohilani, and arranged that they should live with Mokukelekahiki and have charge of the land with him.

When some of his sisters saw how much greater the honor was to become chiefs in a land they had never visited, and serve with Mokukelekahiki there, they agreed to consent to their brother's plan.

But Kahalaomapuana would not consent to return to Kealohilani, for she cared more for her former post of honor than to return to Kealohilani.

And in refusing, she spoke to her brother as follows: "My high one, as to your sending us to Kealohilani, let them go and I will remain here, living as you first placed me; for I love the land and the people and am accustomed to the life; and if I stay below here and you above and they between, then all will be well, just as we were born of our mother; for you broke the way, your little sisters followed you, and I stopped it up; that was the end, and so it was."

Now he knew that his youngest sister had spoken well; but because of Kaonohiokala's great desire to get her away so that she would not detect his mischievous doings, therefore he cast lots upon his sisters, and the one upon whom, the lot rested must go back to Kealohilani.

Said Kaonohiokala to his sisters, "Go and pull a gra.s.s flower; do not go together, every one by herself, then the oldest return and give it to me, in the order of your birth, and the one who has the longest gra.s.s stem, she shall go to Kealohilani."

Every one went separately and returned as they had been told.

The first one went and pulled one about two inches in length, and the second one pulled and broke her flower perhaps three inches and a half; and the third, she pulled her gra.s.s stem about two inches long; and the fourth of them, hers was about one inch long; and Kahalaomapuana did not pull the tall flowers, she pulled a very short one, about three feet long hers was, and she cut off half and came back, thinking her gra.s.s stem was the shortest.

But in comparing them, the oldest laid hers down before her brother.

Kahalaomapuana saw it and was much surprised, so she secretly broke hers inside her clothing; but her brother saw her doing it and said, "Kahalaomapuana, no fooling! leave your gra.s.s stem as it is."

The others laid down theirs, but Kahalaomapuana did not show hers; said he, "The lot rests upon you."

Then she begged her brother to draw the lot again; again they drew lots, again the lot rested upon Kahalaomapuana; Kahalaomapuana had nothing left to say, for the lot rested upon her.

Lo! she was sorrowful at separating herself from her own chief-house and the people of the land; darkened was the princess's heart by the unwelcome lot that sent her back to Kealohilani.

And on the day when Kahalaomapuana was to depart for Kealohilani, the rainbow was let down from above the earth.

Then she said to her brother, "Let the pathway of my high one wait ten days, and let the chiefs be gathered together and all the people of the land, that I may show them my great love before you take me away."

When Kaonohiokala saw that his sister's words were well, he granted her wish; then the pathway was taken up again with her brother.

And on the tenth day, the pathway was let down again before the a.s.sembly, and Kahalaomapuana mounted upon the ladder way prepared for her and turned with heavy heart, her eyes filled with a flood of tears, the water drops of Kulanihakoi, and said: "O chiefs and people, I am leaving you to return to a land unknown to you; only I and my older sisters have visited it; it was not my wish to go back to this land; but my hand decided my leaving you according to the lot laid by my divine brother. But I know that every one of us has a G.o.d, no one is without; now, therefore, do you pray to your G.o.d and I will pray to my G.o.d, and if our prayer has might, then shall we meet again hereafter. Love to you all, love to the land, we cease and disappear."

Then she caught hold of her garment and held it up to her eyes before the a.s.sembly to hide her feeling for the people and the land. And she was borne by the rainbow to the land above the clouds, to Lanikuakaa, the heavens higher up.

The great reason why Kaonohiokala wished to separate Kahalaomapuana in Kealohilani was to hide his evil doings with Laielohelohe, for Kahalaomapuana was the only one who could see things done in secret; and she was a resolute girl, not one to give in. Kaonohiokala thought she might disclose to Moa.n.a.lihaikawaokele this evil doing; so he got his sister away, and by his supernatural arts he made the lot fall to Kahalaomapuana.

When his sister had gone, about the end of the second quarter of the fifth year, he went away below to carry out his l.u.s.tful design upon Laielohelohe.

Not just at that time, but he made things right with Kekalukaluokewa by putting him in Kahalaomapuana's place and the seer as his chief counsellor.

Mailehaiwale was made governor on Kauai, Mailekaluhea on Oahu, Mailelaulii on Maui and the other islands, Mailepakaha on Hawaii.

CHAPTER x.x.xII

When Kekalukaluokewa became head over the group, then Kaonohiokala sent him to make a tour of the islands and perform the functions of a ruler, and he put Laielohelohe in Kekalukaluokewa's place as his subst.i.tute.

And for this reason Kekalukaluokewa took his chief counsellor (the prophet) with him on the circuit.

So Kekalukaluokewa left Pihanakalani and started on the business of visiting the group; the same day Kaonohiokala left those below.

When Kaonohiokala started to return he did not go all the way up, but just watched that day the sailing of Kekalukaluokewa's canoes over the ocean.

Then Kaonohiokala came back down and sought the companionship of Laielohelohe, but not just then was the sin committed.

When the two met, Kaonohiokala asked Laielohelohe to separate herself from the rest, and at the high chief's command the princess's retainers withdrew.

When Laielohelohe and Kaonohiokala were alone he said, "This is the third year that I have desired you, for your beauty has grown and overshadowed your sister's, Laieikawai's. Now at last my patience no longer avails to turn away my pa.s.sion from you."

"O my high one," said Laielohelohe, "how can you rid yourself of your pa.s.sion? And what does my high one see fit to do?"

"Let us know one another," said Kaonohiokala, "this is the only thing to be done for me."

Said Laielohelohe, "We can not touch one another, my high one, for the one who brought me up from the time I was born until I found my husband, he has strictly bound me not to defile my flesh with anyone; and, therefore, my high one, it is his to grant your wish."

When Kaonohiokala heard this, then he had some check to his pa.s.sion, then he returned to the heavens to his wife, Laieikawai. He had not been ten days there when, he was again thick-pressed by the thunders of his evil l.u.s.t, and he could not hold out against it.

To ease this pa.s.sion he was again forced down below to meet Laielohelohe.

And having heard that her guardian who bound her must give his consent, he first sought Kapukaihaoa and asked his consent to the chief's purpose.

So he went first and said to Kapukaihaoa: "I wish to unite myself with Laielohelohe for a time, not to take her away altogether, but to ease my heavy heart of its l.u.s.t after your foster child; for I first begged my boon of her, but she sent me for your consent, and so I have come to you."