The Hawaiian Romance Of Laieikawai Part 50

IWA

At Keaau, Puna, lives Keaau, who catches squid by means of two famous _leho_ sh.e.l.ls, Kalokuna, which the squid follow into the canoe. Umi, the king, hears about them and demands them. Keaau, mourning their loss, seeks some one clever enough to steal them back from Umi. He is directed to a grove of _kukui_ trees between Mokapu Point and Bird Island, on Oahu, where lives Kukui and his thieving son Iwa. This child, "while yet in his mother's womb used to go out stealing." He was the greatest thief of his day. Keaau engages his services and they start out. With one dip of Iwa's paddle, Kapahi, they are at the next island. So they go until they find Umi fishing off Kailua, Hawaii. Iwa swims 3 miles under water, steals the sh.e.l.ls, and fastens the hooks to the coral at the bottom of the sea 400 fathoms below. Later, Iwa steals back the sh.e.l.ls from Keaau for Umi.

Iwa's next feat is the stealing of Umi's ax, Waipu, which is kept under strict taboo in the temple of Pakaalana, in Waipio, on Hawaii. It hangs on a rope whose ends are fastened to the necks of two old women. A crier runs back and forth without the temple to proclaim the taboo. Iwa takes the place of the crier, persuades the old women to let him touch the ax, and escapes with it.

Umi arranges a contest to prove who is the champion thief. Iwa is pitted against the six champions from each of the six districts of Hawaii. The test is to see which can fill a house fullest in a single night. The six thieves go to work, but Iwa sleeps until c.o.c.kcrow, when he rises and steals all the things out of the other thieves' house. He also steals sleeping men, women, and children from the king's own house to fill his own. The championship is his, and the other six thieves are killed.

MANINIHOLOKUAUA

This skillful thief lives at Kaunakahakai on Molokai, where he is noted for strength and fleetness. In a cave at Kalamaula, in the uplands, his lizard guardian keeps all the valuables that he steals from strangers who land on his sh.o.r.e. This cave opens and shuts at his call.

Maniniholokuaua steals the canoe of the famous Oahu runner, Keliimalolo, who can make three circuits of Oahu in a day, and this man secures the help of two supernatural runners from Niihau, Kamaakauluohia (or Kaneulohia), and Kamaakamikioi (or Kaneikamikioi), sons of Halulu, who can make ten circuits of Kauai in a day. In spite of his grandmother's warning, Maniniholokuaua steals from them also, and they pursue him to his cave, where he is, caught between the jaws in his haste.

PUPUALENALENA

This marvelous dog named Pupualenalena fetches _awa_ from Hakau's food patches in Waipio, Hawaii, to his master in Puako. Hakau has the dog tracked, and is about to kill both dog and master when he bethinks himself. He has been troubled by the blowing of a conch sh.e.l.l, Kuana, by the spirits above Waipio, and he now promises life if the dog will bring him the sh.e.l.l. This the dog effects in the night, though breaking a piece in his flight, and the king, delighted, rewards the master with land in Waipio.

2. CONTESTS WITH SPIRITS

The son of Kakaalaneo, king of Maui and Kanikaniaula, uproots all the breadfruit trees of Lahaina to get the fruit that is out of reach, and does so much mischief with the other children born on the same day with him, who are brought to court for his companions, that they are sent home, and he is abandoned on the island of Lanai to be eaten by the spirits. His G.o.d shows him a secret cave to hide in. Each night the spirits run about trying to find him, but every time he tricks them until they get so overworked that all die except Pahulu and a few others. Finally his parents, seeing his light still burning, send a double canoe to fetch him home with honor. This is how Lanai was cleared of spirits.[1]

[Footnote 1: Daggett tells this story.]

LEPE

A trickster named Lepe lives at Hilo, Hawaii, calls up the spirits by means of an incantation, and then fools them in every possible way.

HANAAUMOE

Halalii is the king of the spirits on Oahu. The ghost of Hawaii is Kanikaa; that of Maui, Kaahualii; of Lanai, Pahulu; of Molokai, Kahiole.

The great flatterer of the ghosts, Hanaaumoe, persuades the Kauai chief, Kahaookamoku, and his men to land with the promise of lodging, food, and wives. When they are well asleep, the ghost come and eat them up--"they made but one smack and the men disappeared." But one man, Kaneopa, has suspected mischief and hidden under the doorsill where the king of the spirits sat, so no one found him. He returns and tells the Kauai king, who makes wooden images, brings them with him to Oahu, puts them in place of his men in the house; while they hide without, and while the ghosts are trying to eat these fresh victims, burns down the house and consumes all but the flatterer, who manages to escape.

PUNIA.

The artful son of Hina in Kohala goes to the cave of lobsters and by lying speech tricks the shark who guard it under their king, Kaialeale.

He pretends to dive, throws in a stone, and dives in another place. Then he accuses one shark after another as his accomplice, and its companions kill it, until only the king is left. The king is tricked into swallowing him whole instead of cutting him into bits. There he remains until he is bald--"serves him right, the rascal!"--but finally he persuades the shark to bring him to land, and the shark is caught and Punia escapes. Next he kills a parcel of ghosts by pretending that this is an old fishing ground of his and enticing them out to sea two by two, when he puts them to death, all but one.

WAKAINA

A cunning ghost of Waiapuka, North Kohala, disguises himself as a dancer and approaches a party of people. He shows off his skill, then calls for feather cloak, helmet, bamboo flute, skirt, and various other valuable things with which to display his art. When he has them secure, he flies off with them, and the audience never see him or their property again.[1]

[Footnote 1: Gill tells this same story from the Hervey group. Myths and Songs, p. 88.]

3. STORIES OF MODERN CUNNING

KULEPE

A cunning man and great thinker lives on Oahu in the days of Peleioholani. He travels to Kalaupapa, Molokai, is hungry, and, seeing some people bent over their food, chants a song that deceives them into believing him a soldier and man of the court. They become friendly at once and invite him to eat.

KAWAUNUIAOLA

A woman of Kula, Maui, whose husband deserts her for another woman, makes herself taboo, returns to her house, and offers prayers and invents conversations as if she had a new husband. The news quickly spreads, and Hoeu starts at once for home. In this cunning manner she regains her husband.

MAIAUHAALENALENAUPENA

The upland peddlers bring sugar cane, bananas, gourds, etc., to sea to peddle for fish. Maiauhaalenalenaupena pretends to be a fisherman. He spreads out his net as if just driven in from sea by the rough weather.

The peddlers trust him with their goods until he has better luck; but he really is no fisherman and never gives them anything.