Said Aiwohikupua, "I should like to be her lover, for I see well that she is more beautiful than all the other women who have tempted me; but you have heard my vow not to take any woman of these islands to wife."

At these words his counsellor said, "You are bound by that vow of yours; better, therefore, that this woman be mine."

After this little parley, they went out surf riding and as they rode, behold! the princess conceived a passion for Aiwohikupua, and many others took a violent liking to the chief.

After the bath, they returned to the canoe thinking to go aboard and set out, but Aiwohikupua saw the princess playing konane[24] and the stranger chief thought he would play a game with her; now, the princess had first called them to come and play.

So Aiwohikupua joined the princess; they placed the pebbles on the board, and the princess asked, "What will the stranger stake if the game is lost to the woman of Hana?"

Said Aiwohikupua, "I will stake my double canoe afloat here on the sea, that is my wager with you."

Said the princess, "Your wager, stranger, is not well—a still lighter stake would be our persons; if I lose to you then I become yours and will do whatever you tell me just as we have agreed, and if you lose to me, then you are mine; as you would do to me, so shall I to you, and you shall dwell here on Maui."

The chief readily agreed to the princess's words. In the first game, Aiwohikupua lost.

Then said the princess, "I have won over you; you have nothing more to put up, unless it be your younger brother; in that case I will bet with you again."

To this jesting offer of the princess, Aiwohikupua readily gave his word of assent.

During the talk, Aiwohikupua gave to the princess this counsel. "Although I belong to you, and this is well, yet let us not at once become lovers, not until I return from my journey about Hawaii; for I vowed before sailing hither to know no woman until I had made the circuit of Hawaii; after that I will do what you please as we have agreed. So I lay my command upon you before I go, to live in complete purity, not to consent to any others, not to do the least thing to disturb our compact; and when I return from sight-seeing, then the princess's stake shall be paid. If when I return you have not remained pure, not obeyed my commands, then there is an end of it."

Now, this was not Aiwohikupua's real intention. After laying his commands upon Hinaikamalama, they left Maui and went to Kapakai at Kohala.

The next day they left Kapakai and sailed along by Kauhola, and Aiwohikupua saw a crowd of men gathering mountainward of Kapaau.

Then Aiwohikupua ordered the boatmen to paddle inshore, for he wanted to see why the crowd was gathering.

When they had come close in to the landing at Kauhola the chief asked why the crowd was gathering; then a native of the place said they were coming together for a boxing match.

At once Aiwohikupua trembled with eagerness to go and see the boxing match; they made the canoe fast, and Aiwohikupua, with his counsellor and the two steersmen, four in number, went ashore.

When they came to Hinakahua, where the field was cleared for boxing, the crowd saw that the youth from Kauai surpassed in beauty all the natives of the place, and they raised a tumult.

After the excitement the boxing field again settled into order; then Aiwohikupua leaned against the trunk of a milo tree to watch the attack begin.

As Aiwohikupua stood there, Cold-nose entered the open space and stood in the midst to show himself off to the crowd, and he called out in a loud voice: "What man on that side will come and box?" But no one dared to come and stand before Cold-nose, for the fellow was the strongest boxer in Kohala.

As Cold-nose showed himself off he turned and saw Aiwohikupua and called out, "How are you, stranger? Will you have some fun?"

When Aiwohikupua heard the voice of Cold-nose calling him, he came forward and stood in front of the boxing field while he bound his red loin cloth[25] about him in the fashion of a chief's bodyguard, and he answered his opponent:

"O native born, you have asked me to have some fun with you, and this is what I ask of you: Take two on your side with you, three of you together, to satisfy the stranger."

When Cold-nose heard Aiwohikupua, he said, "You are the greatest boaster in the crowd![26] I am the best man here, and yet you talk of three from this side; and what are you compared to me?"

Answered Aiwohikupua, "I will not accept the challenge without others on your side, and what are you compared to me! Now, I promise you, I can turn this crowd into nothing with one hand."

At Aiwohikupua's words, one of Cold-nose's backers came up behind Aiwohikupua and said: "Here! do not speak to Cold-nose; he is the best man in Kohala; the heavy weights of Kohala can not master that man."[27]

Then Aiwohikupua turned and gave the man at his back a push, and he fell down dead.[28]



CHAPTER V

When all the players on the boxing field saw how strong Aiwohikupua was to kill the man with just a push;

Then Cold-nose's backers went to him and said: "Here, Cold-nose, I see pretty plainly now our side will never get the best of it; I am sure that the stranger will beat us, for you see how our man was killed by just a push from his hand; when he gives a real blow the man will fly into bits. Now, I advise you to dismiss the contestants and put an end to the game and stop challenging the stranger. So, you go up to the stranger and shake hands,[29] you two, and welcome him, to let the people see that the fight is altogether hushed up."

These words roused Cold-nose to hot wrath and he said: "Here! you backers of mine, don't be afraid, don't get frightened because that man of ours was killed by a push from his hand. Didn't I do the same thing here some days ago? Then what are you afraid of? And now I tell you if you fear the stranger, then hide your eyes in the blue sky. When you hear that Cold-nose has conquered, then remember my blow called The-end-that-sang, the fruit of the tree which you have never tasted, the master's stroke which you have never learned. By this sign I know that he will never get the better of me, the end of my girdle sang to-day."[30]

At these words of Cold-nose his supporters said, "Where are you! We say no more; there is nothing left to do; we are silent before the fruit of this tree of yours which you say we have never tasted, and you say, too, that the end of your girdle has sung; maybe you will win through your girdle!" Then his backers moved away from the crowd.

While Cold-nose was boasting to his backers how he would overcome Aiwohikupua, then Aiwohikupua moved up and cocked his eye at Cold-nose, flapped with his arms against his side like a cock getting ready to crow, and said to Cold-nose, "Here, Cold-nose! strike me right in the stomach, four time four blows!"

When Cold-nose heard Aiwohikupua's boasting challenge to strike, then he glanced around the crowd and saw someone holding a very little child; then said Cold-nose to Aiwohikupua, "I am not the man to strike you; that little youngster there, let him strike you and let him be your opponent."

These words enraged Aiwohikupua. Then a flush rose all over his body as if he had been dipped in the blood of a lamb.[31] He turned right to the crowd and said, "Who will dare to defy the Kauai boy, for I say to him, my god can give me victory over this man, and my god will deliver the head of this mighty one to be a plaything for my paddlers."

Then Aiwohikupua knelt down and prayed to his gods as follows: "O you Heavens, Lightning, and Rain, O Air, O Thunder and Earthquake! Look upon me this day, the only child of yours left upon this earth. Give this day all your strength unto your child; by your might turn aside his fists from smiting your child, and I beseech you to give me the head of Ihuanu into my hand to be a plaything for my paddlers, that all this assembly may see that I have power over this uncircumcised[32] one. Amen."[33]

At the close of this prayer Aiwohikupua stood up with confident face and asked Cold-nose, "Are you ready yet to strike me?"

Cold-nose answered, "I am not ready to strike you; you strike me first!"

When Cold-nose's master heard these words he went to Cold-nose's side and said, "You are foolish, my pupil. If he orders you forward again then deliver the strongest blow you can give, for when he gives you the order to strike he himself begins the fight." So Cold-nose was satisfied.

After this, Aiwohikupua again asked Cold-nose, "Are you ready yet to strike me? Strike my face, if you want to!"

Then Cold-nose instantly delivered a blow like the whiz of the wind at Aiwohikupua's face, but Aiwohikupua dodged and he missed it.

As the blow missed, Aiwohikupua instantly sent his blow, struck right on the chest and pierced to his back; then Aiwohikupua lifted the man on his arm and swung him to and fro before the crowd, and threw him outside the field, and Aiwohikupua overcame Cold-nose, and all who looked on shouted.

When Cold-nose was dead his supporters came to where he was lying, those who had warned him to end the fight, and cried, "Aha! Cold-nose, could the fruit we have never tasted save you? Will you fight a second time with that man of might?" These were the scornful words of his supporters.

As the host were crowding about the dead body of their champion and wailing, Aiwohikupua came and cut off Cold-nose's head with the man's own war club[34] and threw it contemptuously to his followers; thus was his prayer fulfilled. This ended, Aiwohikupua left the company, got aboard the canoe, and departed; and the report of the deed spread through Kohala, Hamakua, and all around Hawaii.

They sailed and touched at Honokaape at Waipio, then came off Paauhau and saw a cloud of dust rising landward. Aiwohikupua asked his counsellor, "Why is that crowd gathering on land? Perhaps it is a boxing match; let us go again to look on!"

His counsellor answered, "Break off that notion, for we are not taking this journey for boxing contests, but to seek a wife."

Said Aiwohikupua to his counsellor, "Call to the steersman to turn the canoe straight ashore to hear what the crowd is for." The chief's wish was obeyed, they went alongside the cliff and asked the women gathering shellfish, "What is that crowd inland for?"

The women answered, "They are standing up to a boxing match, and whoever is the strongest, he will be sent to box with the Kauai man who fought here with Cold-nose and killed Cold-nose; that is what all the shouting is about."

So Aiwohikupua instantly gave orders to anchor the canoe, and Aiwohikupua landed with his counsellor and the two steersmen, and they went up to the boxing match; there they stood at a distance watching the people.

Then came one of the natives of the place to where they stood and Aiwohikupua asked what the people were doing, and the man answered as the women had said.

Aiwohikupua said to the man, "You go and say I am a fellow to have some fun with the boxers, but not with anyone who is not strong."

The man answered, "Haunaka is the only strong one in this crowd, and he is to be sent to Kohala to fight with the Kauai man."

Said Aiwohikupua, "Go ahead and tell Haunaka that we two will have some fun together."

When the man found Haunaka, and Haunaka heard these words, he clapped his hands, struck his chest, and stamped his feet, and beckoned to Aiwohikupua to come inside the field, and Aiwohikupua came, took off his cape,[35] and bound it about his waist.

When Aiwohikupua was on the field he said to Haunaka, "You can never hurt the Kauai boy; he is a choice branch of the tree that stands upon the steep."[36]

As Aiwohikupua was speaking a man called out from outside the crowd, who had seen Aiwohikupua fighting with Cold-nose, "O Haunaka and all of you gathered here, you will never outdo this man; his fist is like a spear! Only one blow at Cold-nose and the fist went through to his back. This is the very man who killed Cold-nose."

Then Haunaka seized Aiwohikupua's hand and welcomed him, and the end of it was they made friends and the players mixed with the crowd, and they left the place; Aiwohikupua's party went with their friends and boarded the canoes, and went on and landed at Laupahoehoe.



CHAPTER VI

In Chapter V of this story we have seen how Aiwohikupua got to Laupahoehoe. Here we shall say a word about Hulumaniani, the seer who followed Laieikawai hither from Kauai, as described in the first chapter of this story.

On the day when Aiwohikupua's party left Paauhau, at Hamakua, on the same day as he sailed and came to Laupahoehoe, the prophet foresaw it all on the evening before he arrived, and it happened thus:

That evening before sunset, as the seer was sitting at the door of the house, he saw long clouds standing against the horizon where the signs in the clouds appear, according to the soothsayers of old days even until now.

Said the seer, "A chief's canoe comes hither, 19 men, 1 high chief, a double canoe."

The men sitting with the chief started up at once, but could see no canoe coming. Then the people with him asked, "Where is the canoe which you said was a chief's canoe coming?"

Said the prophet, "Not a real canoe; in the clouds I find it; to-morrow you will see the chief's canoe."

A night and a day passed; toward evening he again saw the cloud rise on the ocean in the form which the seer recognized as Aiwohikupua's—perhaps as we recognize the crown of any chief that comes to us, so Aiwohikupua's cloud sign looked to the seer.

When the prophet saw that sign he arose and caught a little pig and a black cock, and pulled a bundle of awa root to prepare for Aiwohikupua's coming.

The people wondered at his action and asked, "Are you going away that you make these things ready?"

The seer said, "I am making ready for my chief, Aiwohikupua; he is the one I told you about last evening; for he comes hither over the ocean, his sign is on the ocean, and his mist covers it."

As Aiwohikupua's party drew near to the harbor of Laupahoehoe, 20 peals of thunder sounded, the people of Hilo crowded together, and as soon as it was quiet all saw the double canoe coming to land carrying above it the taboo sign[37] of a chief. Then the seer's prediction was fulfilled.

When the canoe came to land the seer was standing at the landing; he advanced from Kaiwilahilahi, threw the pig before the chief, and prayed in the name of the gods of Aiwohikupua, and this was his prayer:

"O Heavens, Lightning, and Rain; O Air, Thunder, and Earthquake; O gods of my chief, my beloved, my sacred taboo chief, who will bury these bones! Here is a pig, a black cock, awa, a priest, a sacrifice, an offering to the chief from your servant here; look upon your servant, Hulumaniani; bring to him life, a great life, a long life, to live forever, until the staff rings as he walks, until he is dragged upon a mat, until the eyes are dim.[38] Amen, it is finished, flown away."

As the chief listened to the prophet's prayer, Aiwohikupua recognized his own prophet, and his heart yearned with love toward him; for he had been gone a long while; he could not tell how long it was since he had seen him.

As soon as the prayer was ended, Aiwohikupua commanded his counsellor to "present the seer's gifts to the gods."

Instantly the seer ran and clasped the chief's feet and climbed upward to his neck and wept, and Aiwohikupua hugged his servant's shoulders and wailed out his virtues.

After the wailing the chief asked his servant: "Why are you living here, and how long have you been gone?"

The servant told him all that we have read about in former chapters. When the seer had told the business on which he had come and his reason for it, that was enough. Then it was the seer's turn to question Aiwohikupua, but the chief told only half the story, saying that he was on a sight-seeing tour.

The chief stayed with the seer that night until at daybreak they made ready the canoe and sailed.

They left Laupahoehoe and got off Makahanaloa when one of the men, the one who is called the counsellor, saw the rainbow arching over Paliuli.

He said to the chief: "Look! Where are you! See that rainbow arch? Laieikawai is there, the one whom you want to find and there is where I found her."

Said Aiwohikupua: "I do not think Laieikawai is there; that is not her rainbow, for rainbows are common to all rainy places. But let us wait until it is pleasant and see whether the rainbow is there then; then we shall know it is her sign."

At the chief's proposal they anchored their canoes in the sea, and Aiwohikupua went up with his counsellor to Kukululaumania to the houses of the natives of the place and stayed there waiting for pleasant weather. After four days it cleared over Hilo; the whole country was plainly visible, and Panaewa lay bare.

On this fourth day in the early morning Aiwohikupua awoke and went out of the house, lo! the rainbow arching where they had seen it before; long the chief waited until the sun came, then he went in and aroused his counsellor and said to him: "Here! perhaps you were right; I myself rose early while it was still dark, and went outside and actually saw the rainbow arching in the place you had pointed out to me, and I waited until sunrise—still the rainbow! And I came in to awaken you."

The man said: "That is what I told you; if we had gone we should have been staying up there in Paliuli all these days where she is."

That morning they left Makahanaloa and sailed out to the harbor of Keaau.

They sailed until evening, made shore at Keaau and saw Kauakahialii's houses standing there and the people of the place out surf riding. When they arrived, the people of the place admired Aiwohikupua as much as ever.

The strangers remained at Keaau until evening, then Aiwohikupua ordered the steersmen and rowers to stay quietly until the two of them returned from their search for a wife, only they two alone.

At sunset Aiwohikupua caught up his feather cloak and gave it to the other to carry, and they ascended.

They made way with difficulty through high forest trees and thickets of tangled brush, until, at a place close to Paliuli, they heard the crow of a cock. The man said to his chief: "We are almost out."

They went on climbing, and heard a second time the cock crow (the cock's second crow this). They went on climbing until a great light shone.

The man said to his chief, "Here! we are out; there is Laieikawai's grandmother calling together the chickens as usual."[39]

Asked Aiwohikupua, "Where is the princess's house?"

Said the man, "When we get well out of the garden patch here, then we can see the house clearly."

When Aiwohikupua saw that they were approaching Laieikawai's house, he asked for the feather cloak to hold in his hand when they met the princess of Paliuli.

The garden patch passed, they beheld Laieikawai's house covered with the yellow feathers of the oo bird, as the seer had seen in his vision from the god on Kauwiki.

When Aiwohikupua saw the house of the princess of Paliuli, he felt strangely perplexed and abashed, and for the first time he felt doubtful of his success.

And by reason of this doubt within him he said to his companion, "Where are you? We have come boldly after my wife. I supposed her just an ordinary woman. Not so! The princess's house has no equal for workmanship; therefore, let us return without making ourselves known."

Said his counsellor, "This is strange, after we have reached the woman's house for whom we have swum eight seas, here you are begging to go back. Let us go and make her acquaintance, whether for failure or success; for, even if she should refuse, keep at it; we men must expect to meet such rebuffs; a canoe will break on a coral reef."[40]

"Where are you?" answered Aiwohikupua. "We will not meet the princess, and we shall certainly not win her, for I see now the house is no ordinary one. I have brought my cloak wrought with feathers for a gift to the princess of Paliuli and I behold them here as thatch for the princess's house; yet you know, for that matter, even a cloak of feathers is owned by none but the highest chiefs; so let us return." And they went back without making themselves known.



CHAPTER VII

When Aiwohikupua and his companion had left Paliuli they returned and came to Keaau, made the canoe ready, and at the approach of day boarded the canoe and returned to Kauai.

On the way back Aiwohikupua would not say why he was returning until they reached Kauai; then, for the first time, his counsellor knew the reason.

On the way from Keaau they rested at Kamaee, on the rocky side of Hilo, and the next day left there, went to Humuula on the boundary between Hilo and Hamakua; now the seer saw Aiwohikupua sailing over the ocean.

After passing Humuula they stopped right off Kealakaha, and while the chief slept they saw a woman sitting on the sea cliff by the shore.

When those on board saw the woman they shouted, "Oh! what a beautiful woman!"

At this Aiwohikupua started up and asked what they were shouting about. They said, "There is a beautiful woman sitting on the sea cliff." The chief turned his head to look, and saw that the stranger was, indeed, a charming woman.

So the chief ordered the boatmen to row straight to the place where the woman was sitting, and as they approached they first encountered a man fishing with a line, and asked, "Who is that woman sitting up there on the bank directly above you?"

He answered, "It is Poliahu, Cold-bosom.".

As the chief had a great desire to see the woman, she was beckoned to; and she approached with her cloak all covered with snow and gave her greeting to Aiwohikupua, and he greeted her in return by shaking hands.

After meeting the stranger, Aiwohikupua said, "O Poliahu, fair mistress of the coast, happily are we met here; and therefore, O princess of the cliff, I wish you to take me and try me for your husband, and I will be the servant under you; whatever commands you utter I will obey. If you consent to take me as I beseech you, then come on board the canoe and go to Kauai. Why not do so?"

The woman answered, "I am not mistress of this coast. I come from inland; from the summit of that mountain, which is clothed in a white garment like this I am wearing; and how did you find out my name so quickly?"

Said Aiwohikupua, "This is the first I knew about your coming from the White Mountain, but we found out your name readily from that fisherman yonder."

"As to what the chief desires of me," said Poliahu, "I will take you for my husband; and now let me ask you, are you not the chief who stood up and vowed in the name of your gods not to take any woman of these islands from Hawaii to Kauai to wife—only a woman who comes from Moaulanuiakea? Are you not betrothed to Hinaikamalama, the famous princess of Hana? After this trip around Hawaii, then are you not returning for your marriage? And as to your wishing our union, I assure you, until you have made an end of your first vow it is not my part to take you, but yours to take me with you as you desire."

At Poliahu's words Aiwohikupua marveled and was abashed; and after a while a little question escaped him: "How have you ever heard of these deeds of mine you tell of? It is true, Poliahu, all that you say; I have done as you have described; tell me who has told you."

"No one has told me these things, O chief; I knew them for myself," said the princess; "for I was born, like you, with godlike powers, and, like you, my knowledge comes to me from the gods of my fathers, who inspire me; and through these gods I showed you what I have told you. As you were setting out at Humuula I saw your canoe, and so knew who you were."

At these words Aiwohikupua knelt and did reverence to Poliahu and begged to become Poliahu's betrothed and asked her to go with him to Kauai.

"We shall not go together to Kauai," said the woman, "but I will go on board with you to Kohala, then I will return, while you go on."

Now, the chiefs met and conversed on the deck of the canoe.

Before setting out the woman said to Aiwohikupua and his companion, "We sail together; let me be alone, apart from you two, fix bounds between us. You must not touch me, I will not touch you until we reach Kohala; let us remain under a sacred taboo;" and this request pleased them.

As they sailed and came to Kohala they did not touch each other.

They reached Kohala, and on the day when Aiwohikupua's party left, Poliahu took her garment of snow and gave it to Aiwohikupua, saying, "Here is my snow mantle, the mantle my parents strictly forbade my giving to anyone else; it was to be for myself alone; but as we are betrothed, you to me and I to you, therefore I give away this mantle until the day when you remember our vows, then you must seek me, and you will find me above on the White Mountain; show it to me there, then we shall be united."

When Aiwohikupua heard these things the chief's heart was glad, and his counsellor and the paddlers with him.

Then Aiwohikupua took out his feather cloak, brought it and threw it over Poliahu with the words, "As you have said to me before giving me the snow mantle, so do you guard this until our promised union."

When their talk was ended, at the approach of day, they parted from the woman of the mountain and sailed and came to Hana and met Hinaikamalama.



CHAPTER VIII

When Aiwohikupua reached Hana, after parting with Poliahu at Kohala, his boat approached the canoe landing at Haneoo, where they had been before, where Hinaikamalama was living.

When Aiwohikupua reached the landing the canoe floated on the water; and as it floated there Hinaikamalama saw that it was Aiwohikupua's canoe; joyful was she with the thought of their meeting; but still the boat floated gently on the water.

Hinaikamalama came thither where Aiwohikupua and his men floated. Said the woman, "This is strange! What is all this that the canoe is kept afloat? Joyous was I at the sight of you, believing you were coming to land. Not so! Now, tell me, shall you float there until you leave?"

"Yes," answered Aiwohikupua.

"You can not," said the woman, "for I will order the executioner to hold you fast; you became mine at konane and our vows are spoken, and I have lived apart and undefiled until your return."

"O princess, not so!" said Aiwohikupua. "It is not to end our vow—that still holds; but the time has not come for its fulfillment. For I said to you, 'When I have sailed about Hawaii then the princess's bet shall be paid;' now, I went meaning to sail about Hawaii, but did not; still at Hilo I got a message from Kauai that the family was in trouble at home, so I turned back; I have stopped in here to tell you all this; and therefore, live apart, and on my next return our vow shall be fulfilled."

At these words of Aiwohikupua the princess's faith returned.

After this they left Hana and sailed and came to Oahu, and on the sea halfway between Oahu and Kauai he laid his command upon the oarsmen and the steersmen, as follows: "Where are you? I charge you, when you come to Kauai, do not say that you have been to Hawaii to seek a wife lest I be shamed; if this is heard about, it will be heard through you, and the penalty to anyone who tells of the journey to Hawaii, it is death, death to himself, death to his wife, death to all his friends; this is the debt he shall pay." This was the charge the chief laid upon the men who sailed with him to Hawaii. Aiwohikupua reached Kauai at sunset and met his sisters. Then he spoke thus to his sisters: "Perhaps you wondered when I went on my journey, because I did not tell you my reason, not even the place where I was to go; and now I tell it to you in secret, my sisters, to you alone. To Hawaii I disappeared to fetch Laieikawai for my wife, after hearing Kauakahialii's story the day when his party returned here. But when I came there I did not get sight of the woman's face; I did not see Laieikawai, but my eyes beheld her house thatched with the yellow feathers of the oo bird, so I thought I could not win her and came back here unsuccessful. And as I thought of my failure, then I thought of you sisters,[41] who have won my wishes for me in the days gone by; therefore I came for you to go to Hawaii, the very ones to win what I wish, and at dawn let us rise up and go." Then they were pleased with their brother's words to them.

As Aiwohikupua talked with his sisters, his counsellor for the first time understood the reason for their return to Kauai.

The next day Aiwohikupua picked out fresh paddlers, for the chief knew that the first were tired out. When all was ready for sailing, that very night the chief took on board 14 paddlers, 2 steersmen, the 5 sisters, Mailehaiwale, Mailekaluhea, Mailelaulii, Mailepakaha, and the youngest, Kahalaomapuana, the chief himself, and his counsellor, 23 in all. That night, at the approach of day, they left Kauai, came to Puuloa, and there rested at Hanauma; the next day they lay off Molokai at Kaunakakai, from there they went ashore at Mala at Lahaina; and they left the place, went to Keoneoio in Honuaula, and there they stayed 30 days.

For it was very rough weather on the ocean; when the rough weather was over, then there was good sailing.

Then they left Honuaula and sailed and came to Kaelehuluhulu, at Kona, Hawaii.

As Aiwohikupua's party were on the way from Maui thither, Poliahu knew of their setting sail and coming to Kaelehuluhulu.

Then Poliahu made herself ready to come to wed Aiwohikupua; one month she waited for the promised meeting, but Aiwohikupua was at Hilo after Laieikawai.

Then was revealed to Poliahu the knowledge of Aiwohikupua's doings; through her supernatural power she saw it all; so the woman laid it up in her mind until they should meet, then she showed what she saw Aiwohikupua doing.

From Kaelehuluhulu, Aiwohikupua went direct to Keaau, but many days and nights the voyage lasted.

At noon one day they came to Keaau, and after putting to rights the canoe and the baggage, the chief at once began urging his sisters and his counsellor to go up to Paliuli; and they readily assented to the chief's wish.

Before going up to Paliuli, Aiwohikupua told the steersmen and the paddlers, "While we go on our way to seek her whom I have so longed to see face to face, do you remain here quietly, doing nothing but guard the canoes. If you wait until this night becomes day and day becomes night, then we prosper; but if we come back to-morrow early in the morning, then my wishes have failed, then face about and turn the course to Kauai;" so the chief ordered.

After the chief's orders to the men they ascended half the night, reaching Paliuli. Said Aiwohikupua to the sisters: "This is Paliuli where Laieikawai is, your sister-in-law. See what you are worth."

Then Aiwohikupua took Mailehaiwale, the first born; she stood right at the door of Laieikawai's house, and as she stood there she sent forth a fragrance which filled the house; and within was Laieikawai with her nurse fast asleep; but they could no longer sleep, because they were wakened by the scent of Mailehaiwale.

And starting out of sleep, they two marveled what this wonderful fragrance could be, and because of this marvel Laieikawai cried out in a voice of delight to her grandmother:

LAIEIKAWAI: "O Waka! O Waka—O!"

WAKA: "Heigh-yo! why waken in the middle of the night?"

LAIEIKAWAI: "A fragrance is here, a strange fragrance, a cool fragrance, a chilling fragrance; it goes to my heart."

WAKA: "That is no strange fragrance; it is certainly Mailehaiwale, the sweet-smelling sister of Aiwohikupua, who has come to get you for his wife, you for the wife and he for the husband; here is the man for you to marry."

LAIEIKAWAI: "Bah! I will not marry him."[42]

When Aiwohikupua heard Laieikawai's refusal to take Aiwohikupua for her husband, then he was abashed, for they heard her refusal quite plainly.



CHAPTER IX

After this refusal, then Aiwohikupua said to his counsellor, "You and I will go home and let my sisters stay up here; as for them, let them live as they can, for they are worthless; they have failed to gain my wish."

Said the counsellor, "This is very strange! I thought before we left Kauai you told me that your sisters were the only ones to get your wish, and you have seen now what one of them can do; you have ordered Mailehaiwale to do her part, and we have heard, too, the refusal of Laieikawai. Is this your sisters' fault, that we should go and leave them? But without her you have four sisters left; it may be one of them will succeed."

Said Aiwohikupua, "If the first-born fails, the others perhaps will be worthless."

His counsellor, spoke again, "My lord, have patience; let Mailekaluhea try her luck, and if she fails then we will go."

Now, this saying pleased the chief; said Aiwohikupua, "Suppose you try your luck, and if you fail, all is over."

Mailekaluhea went and stood at the door of the chief-house and gave out a perfume; the fragrance entered and touched the rafters within the house, from the rafters it reached Laieikawai and her companion; then they were startled from sleep.

Said Laieikawai to her nurse, "This is a different perfume, not like the first, it is better than that; perhaps it comes from a man."

The nurse said, "Call out to your grandmother to tell you the meaning of the fragrance."

Laieikawai called:

LAIEIKAWAI: "O Waka! O Waka—O!"

WAKA: "Heigh-yo! why waken in the middle of the night?"

LAIEIKAWAI: "Here is a fragrance, a strange fragrance, a cool fragrance, a chilling fragrance; it goes to my heart."

WAKA. "That is no strange fragrance, it is Mailekaluhea, the sweet-smelling sister of Aiwohikupua, who has come to make you his wife to marry him."

LAIEIKAWAI: "Bah! I will not marry him!"

Said Aiwohikupua to his counsellor, "See! did you hear the princess's refusal?"

"Yes, I heard it; what of her refusing! it is only their scent she does not like; perhaps she will yield to Mailelaulii."

"You are persistent," said Aiwohikupua. "Did I not tell you I wanted to go back, but you refused—you would not consent!"

"We have not tried all the sisters; two are out; three remain," said his counsellor. "Let all your sisters take a chance; this will be best; perhaps you are too hasty in going home; when you reach Keaau and say you have not succeeded, your other sisters will say: 'If you had let us try, Laieikawai would have consented;' so, then, they get something to talk about; let them all try."

"Where are you, my counsellor!" said Aiwohikupua. "It is not you who bears the shame; I am the one. If the grandchild thought as Waka does all would be well."

"Let us bear the shame," said his counsellor. "You know we men must expect such rebuffs; 'a canoe will break on a coral reef;' and if she should refuse, who will tell of it? We are the only ones to hear it. Let us try what Mailelaulii can do."

And because the counsellor urged so strongly the chief gave his consent.

Mailelaulii went right to the door of the chief-house; she gave out her perfume as the others had done; again Laieikawai was startled from sleep and said to her nurse, "This is an entirely different fragrance—not like those before."

Said the nurse, "Call out to Waka."

LAIEIKAWAI: "O Waka! O Waka—O!"

WAKA: "Heigh-yo! Why waken in the middle of the night?"

LAIEIKAWAI: "Here is a fragrance, a strange fragrance, a cool fragrance, a chilling fragrance; it goes to my heart."

WAKA: "That is no strange fragrance; it is Mailelaulii, one of the sweet-smelling sisters of Aiwohikupua, who has come to get you for his wife; he is the husband, the husband for you to marry."

LAIEIKAWAI: "Bah! I will not marry him!"

"One refusal is enough," said Aiwohikupua, "without getting four more! You have brought this shame upon us both, my comrade."

"Let us endure the shame," said his counsellor, "and if our sisters do not succeed, then I will go and enter the house and tell her to take you for her husband as you desire."

Then the chief's heart rejoiced, for Kauakahialii had told him how this same man had got Laieikawai to come down to Keaau, so Aiwohikupua readily assented to his servant's plea.

Then Aiwohikupua quickly ordered Mailepakaha to go and stand at the door of the chief-house; she gave forth her perfume, and Laieikawai was startled from sleep, and again smelled the fragrance. She said to her nurse, "Here is this fragrance again, sweeter than before."

Said the nurse again, "Call Waka."

LAIEIKAWAI: "O Waka! O Waka—O!"

WAKA: "Heigh-yo! Why waken in the middle of the night?"

LAIEIKAWAI: "Here is a fragrance, a strange fragrance, not like the others, a sweet fragrance, a pleasant fragrance; it goes to my heart."

WAKA: "That is no strange fragrance; it is Mailepakaha, the sweet-smelling sister of Aiwohikupua, who has come to get you for a wife to marry him."

LAIEIKAWAI: "Bah! I will not marry him! No matter who comes I will not sleep with him. Do not force Aiwohikupua on me again."

When Aiwohikupua heard this fresh refusal from Laieikawai, his counsellor said, "My lord, it is useless! There is nothing more to be done except one thing; better put off trying the youngest sister and, if she is refused, my going myself, since we have heard her vehement refusal and the sharp chiding she gave her grandmother. And now I have only one thing to advise; it is for me to speak and for you to decide."

"Advise away," said Aiwohikupua, "If it seems good, I will consent; but if not, I will refuse."

"Let us go to the grandmother," said his counsellor, "and ask her; maybe we can get the consent from her."

Said Aiwohikupua, "There is nothing left to be done; it is over; only one word more—our sisters, let them stay here in the jungle, for they are worthless."

Then Aiwohikupua said to his sisters, "You are to stay here; my cherished hope has failed in bringing you here; the forest is your dwelling hereafter." It was then pretty near dawn.

At Aiwohikupua's words all the sisters bowed their heads and wailed.

When Aiwohikupua and his companion started to go, Kahalaomapuana, the youngest sister, called out, "O you two there! Wait! Had we known in Kauai that you were bringing us to leave us in this place, we would never have come. It is only fair that I, too, should have had a chance to win Laieikawai, and had I failed then you would have a right to leave me; we are all together, the guilty with the guiltless; you know me well, I have gained all your wishes."

When Aiwohikupua heard his youngest sister, he felt himself to blame.

Aiwohikupua called to his sister, "You shall come with me; your older sisters must stay here."

"I will not go," answered the youngest sister, "unless we all go together, only then will I go home."



CHAPTER X

At these words of his youngest sister[43] Aiwohikupua said, "Stay here, then, with your sisters and go with them wherever you wish, but I am going home."

Aiwohikupua turned to go, and as the two were still on the way, sang the song of Mailehaiwale, as follows:

My divine brother, My heart's highest, Go and look Into the eyes of our parents, say We abide here, Fed upon the fruit of sin.[44] Is constancy perhaps a sin?

Aiwohikupua turned and looked back at his younger sisters and said, "Constancy is not a sin; haven't I told you that I leave you because you are worthless? If you had gained for me my desire you would not have to stay here; that was what you were brought here for." The two turned and went on and did not listen to the sisters any longer.

When Aiwohikupua and his companion had departed, the sisters conferred together and agreed to follow him, thinking he could be pacified.

They descended and came to the coast at Keaau, where the canoe was making ready for sailing. At the landing the sisters sat waiting to be called; all had gone aboard the canoe, there was no summons at all, the party began to move off; then rang out the song of Mailekaluhea, as follows:

My divine brother, My heart's highest—turn hither, Look upon your little sisters, Those who have followed you over the way, Over the high way, over the low way, In the rain with a pack on its back, Like one carrying a child, In the rain that roars in the hala trees, That roars in the hala trees of Hanalei. How is it with us? Why did you not leave us, Leave us at home, When you went on the journey? You will look, Look into the eyes, The eyes of our parents, Fare you well!

While Mailekaluhea was singing not once did their brother compassionately look toward them, and the canoe having departed, the sisters sat conferring, then one of them, Kahalaomapuana, the youngest, began to speak.

These were her words: "It is clear that our brother chief is not pacified by the entreaties of Mailehaiwale and Mailekaluhea. Let us, better, go by land to their landing place, then it will be Mailelaulii's turn to sing. It may be he will show affection for her." And they did as she advised.

They left Keaau, came first to Punahoa, to a place called Kanoakapa, and sat down there until Aiwohikupua's party arrived.

When Aiwohikupua and his companions had almost come to land where the sisters were sitting, Aiwohikupua suddenly called out to the paddlers and the steersmen, "Let us leave this harbor; those women have chased us all this way; we had better look for another landing place."

As they left the sisters sitting there, Mailelaulii sang a song, as follows:

My divine brother, My heart's highest, What is our great fault? The eyes of our chief are turned away in displeasure, The sound of chanting is forbidden, The chant of your little ones Of your little sisters. Have compassion upon us, Have compassion upon the comrades who have followed you, The comrades who climbed the cliffs of Haena, Crept over the cliff where the way was rugged, The rugged ladder-way up Nualolo The rough cliff-way up Makana, It is there—return hither, Give a kiss to your sisters, And go on your way, On the home journey—heartless. Farewell-to you, you shall look Look, in our native land, Into the eyes of our parents. Fare you well!

As Aiwohikupua heard the sister's voice, they let the canoe float gently; then said Kahalaomapuana, "That is good for us; this is the only time they have let the canoe float; now we shall hear them calling to us, and go on board the canoe, then we shall be safe."

After letting the canoe float a little while, the whole party turned and made off, and had not the least compassion.

When they had left, the sisters consulted afresh what they should do. Kahalaomapuana gave her advice.

She said to her sisters, "There are two of us left, I and Mailepakaha."

Answered Mailepakaha, "He will have no compassion for me, for he had none on any of our sisters; it may be worse with me. I think you had better plead with him as you are the little one, it may be he will take pity on you."

But the youngest would not consent; then they drew lots by pulling the flower stems of grass; the one who pulled the longest, she was the one to plead with the brother; now when they drew, the lot fell to Kahalaomapuana.

When this was done, they left Punahoa, again followed their brother and came to Honolii, where Aiwohikupua's party had already arrived. Here they camped at some distance from Aiwohikupua's party, and Aiwohikupua's party from them.

At Honolii that night they arranged that the others should sleep and a single one keep watch, and to this all consented. They kept watch according to age and gave the morning watch to the youngest. This was in order to see Aiwohikupua's start, for on their journey from Kauai the party had always set out at dawn.

The sisters stood guard that night, until in Mailepakaha's watch Aiwohikupua's party made the canoes ready to start; she awakened the others, and all awoke together.

As the sisters crouched there Kahalaomapuana's watch came, and the party boarded the canoe. The sisters followed down to the landing, and Kahalaomapuana ran and clung to the back of the canoe and called to them in song, as follows:

Our brother and lord, Divine brother, Highest and closest! Where are you, oh! where? You and we, here and there, You, the voyager, We, the followers. Along the cliffs, swimming 'round the steeps, Bathing at Waihalau, Waihalau at Wailua; No longer are we beloved. Do you no longer love us? The comrades who followed you over the ocean, Over the great waves, the little waves, Over the long waves, the short waves, Over the long-backed waves of the ocean, Comrades who followed you inland, Far through the jungle, Through, the night, sacred and dreadful, Oh, turn back! Oh, turn back and have pity, Listen to my pleading, Me the littlest of your sisters. Why will you abandon, Abandon us In this desolation? You have opened the highway before us, After you we followed, We are known as your little sisters, Then forsake your anger, The wrath, the loveless heart, Give a kiss to your little ones, Fare you well!

When, his youngest sister raised this lamentation to Aiwohikupua, then the brother's heart glowed with love and longing for his sister.

And because of his great love for his little sister, he took her in his arms, set her on his lap, and wept.

When Kahalaomapuana was in her brother's lap, Aiwohikupua ordered the canoemen to paddle with all their might; then the other sisters were left far behind and the canoe went ahead.

As they went, Kahalaomapuana was troubled in mind for her sisters.

Then Kahalaomapuana wept for her sisters and besought Aiwohikupua to restore her to her sisters; but Aiwohikupua would not take pity on her.

"O Aiwohikupua," said his sister, "I will not let you take me by myself without taking my sisters with me, for you called me to you before when we were at Paliuli, but I would not consent to your taking me alone."

And because of Aiwohikupua's stubbornness in refusing to let his sister go, then Kahalaomapuana jumped from the canoe into the sea. Then, for the last time she spoke to her brother in a song, as follows:

You go home and look, Look into the eyes, Into the eyes of our parents. Love to our native land, My kindred and our friends, I am going back to your little sisters, To my older sisters I return.



Chapter XI

During this very last song of Kahalaomapuana's, Aiwohikupua's heart filled with love, and he called out for the canoe to back up, but Kahalaomapuana had been left far behind, so swiftly were the men paddling, and by the time the canoe had turned about to pick her up she was not to be found.

Here we must leave Aiwohikupua for a little and tell about his sisters, then speak again about Aiwohikupua.

When Aiwohikupua's party forsook his sisters at Honolii and took Kahalaomapuana with them, the girls mourned for love of their younger sister, for they loved Kahalaomapuana better than their parents or their native land.

While they were still mourning Kahalaomapuana appeared by the cliff; then their sorrow was at an end.

They crowded about their younger sister, and she told them what had happened to her and why she had returned, as has been told in the chapter before.

After talking of all these things, they consulted together where they might best live, and agreed to go back to Paliuli.

After their council they left Honolii and returned to the uplands of Paliuli, to a place near Laieikawai's house, and lived there inside of hollow trees.

And because they wished so much to see Laieikawai they spied out for her from day to day, and after many days of spying they had not had the least sight of her, for every day the door was fast closed.

So they consulted how to get sight of Laieikawai, and after seeking many days after some way to see the princess of Paliuli they found none.

During this debate their younger sister did not speak, so one of her older sisters said, "Kahalaomapuana, all of us have tried to devise a way to see Laieikawai, but we have not found one; perhaps you have something in mind. Speak."

"Yes" said, their younger sister, "let us burn a fire every night, and let the oldest sing, then the next, and so on until the last of us, only one of us sing each night, then I will come the last night; perhaps the fire burning every night will annoy the princess so she will come to find out about us, then perhaps we shall see Laieikawai."

Kahalaomapuana's words pleased them.

The next night they lighted the fire and Mailehaiwale sang that night, as they had agreed, and the next night Mailekaluhea; so they did every night, and the fourth night passed; but Laieikawai gave them no concern. The princess had, in fact, heard the singing and seen the fire burning constantly, but what was that to the princess!

On the fifth night, Kahalaomapuana's night, the last night of all, they lighted the fire, and at midnight Kahalaomapuana made a trumpet of a ti leaf[45] and played on it.

Then for the first time Laieikawai felt pleasure in the music, but the princess paid no attention to it. And just before daylight Kahalaomapuana played again on her ti leaf trumpet as before, then this delighted the princess. Only two times Kahalaomapuana blew on it that night.

The second night Kahalaomapuana did the same thing again; she began early in the evening to play, but the princess took no notice.

Just before daylight that night she played a second time. Then Laieikawai's sleep was disturbed, and this night she was even more delighted.

And, her interest aroused, she sent her attendant to see where the musical instrument was which was played so near her.

Then the princess's attendant went out of the door of the chief-house and saw the fire which the girls had lighted, crept along until she came to the place where the fire was, and stood at a distance where she was out of sight of those about the fire.

And having seen, she returned to Laieikawai, and the princess inquired about it.

The attendant told the princess what she had seen. "When I went outside the door of the house I saw a fire burning near, and I went and came and stood at a distance without being myself seen. There, behold! I saw five girls sitting around the fire, very beautiful girls; all looked alike, but one of them was very little and she was the one who played the sweet music that we heard."

When the princess heard this she said to her attendant, "Go and get the smallest of them, tell her to come here and amuse us."

At these words of the princess, the nurse went and came to the place where the sisters were and they saw her, and she said, "I am a messenger sent hither by my chief to fetch whichever one of you I want to take; so I take the smallest of you to go and visit my princess as she has commanded."

When Kahalaomapuana was carried away, the hearts of the sisters sang for joy, for they thought to win fortune thereafter.

And their sister went into the presence of Laieikawai.

When they had come to the house, the attendant opened the door; then, Kahalaomapuana was terrified to see Laieikawai resting on the wings of birds as was her custom; two scarlet iiwi birds were perched on the shoulders of the princess and shook the dew from red lehua blossoms upon her head.

And when Kahalaomapuana saw this, then it seemed marvelous to the stranger girl, and she fell to the ground with trembling heart.

The princess's attendant came and asked, "What is the matter, daughter?"

And twice she asked, then the girl arose and said to the princess's attendant as follows: "Permit me to return to my sisters, to the place from which you took me, for I tremble with fear at the marvelous nature of your princess."

Said the princess's attendant, "Do not fear, have no dread, arise and enter to meet my princess as she has commanded you."

"I am afraid," said the girl.

When the princess heard their low voices, she arose and called to Kahalaomapuana; then the girl's distress was at an end, and the stranger entered to visit the princess.

Said Laieikawai, "Is the merry instrument yours that sounded here last night and this?"

"Yes; it is mine," said Kahalaomapuana.

"Go on," said Laieikawai, "play it."

Kahalaomapuana took her ti leaf trumpet from behind her ear, and played before the princess; then Laieikawai was delighted. This was the first time the princess had seen this kind of instrument.



CHAPTER XII

Now, Laieikawai became fascinated with the merry instrument upon which the girl played, so she bade her sound it again.

Said the girl, "I can not sound it again, for it is now daylight, and this instrument is a kind that sounds only by night; it will never sound by day."

Laieikawai was surprised at these words, thinking the girl was lying. So she snatched the trumpet out of the girl's hand and played upon it, and because she was unpracticed in playing the trumpet the thing made no sound; then the princess believed that the trumpet would not sound by day.

Said Laieikawai to Kahalapmapuana, "Let us two be friends, and you shall live here in my house and become my favorite, and your work will be to amuse me."

Said Kahalaomapuana, "O princess, you have spoken well; but it would grieve me to live with you and perhaps gain happiness for myself while my sisters might be suffering."

"How many of you are there?" asked Laieikawai, "and how did you come here?"

Said Kahalaomapuana, "There are six of us born of the same parents; one of the six is a boy and five of us are his younger sisters, and the boy is the oldest, and I am the youngest born. And we journeyed hither with our brother, and because we failed to gain for him his wish, therefore he has abandoned us and has gone back with his favorite companion, and we live here in distress."

Laieikawai asked, "Where do you come from?"

"From Kauai," answered Kahalaomapuana.

"And what is your brother's name?"

"Aiwohikupua," replied the girl.

Again Laieikawai asked, "What are the names of each of you?"

Then she told them all.

Then Laieikawai understood that these were the persons who came that first night.

Said Laieikawai, "Your sisters and your brother I know well, if it was really you who came to me that night; but you I did not hear."

"Yes; we were the ones," said Kahalaomapuana.

Said Laieikawai, "If you were the ones who came that night, who guided you here? For the place is unfrequented, not a single person comes here."

The girl said, "We had a native of the place to guide us, the same man who spoke to you in behalf of Kauakahialii." Then it was clear he was a fellow countryman of theirs.

The end of all this talk was that Laieikawai bade her grandmother to prepare a house for the sisters of Aiwohikupua.

Then, through the supernatural power of her grandmother, Waka, the matter was quickly dispatched, the house was made ready.

When the house was prepared Laieikawai gave orders to Kahalaomapuana: "You return, and to-night come here with all your sisters; when I have seen them then you shall play to us on your merry instrument."

When Kahalaomapuana rejoined her sisters they asked what she had done—what kind of interview she had had with the princess.

Answered the girl, "When I reached the door of the palace a hunchback opened the door to receive me, and when I saw the princess resting on the wings of birds, at the sight I trembled with fear and fell down to the earth. For this reason when I was taken in to talk with the princess I did just what she wished, and she asked about us and I told her everything. The result is, fortune is ours; she has commanded us all to go to her to-night."

When they heard this the sisters were joyful.

At the time the princess had directed they left the hollow tree where they had lived as fugitives.

They went and stood at the door of the chief-house. Laieikawai's attendant opened the door, and they saw just what their sister had described to them.

But when they actually saw Laieikawai, then they were filled with dread, and all except Kahalaomapuana ran trembling with fear and fell to the ground.

And at the princess's command the strangers were brought into the presence of the princess, and the princess was pleased with them.

And at this interview with the princess she promised them her protection, as follows:

"I have heard from your younger sister that you are all of the same parentage and the same blood; therefore I shall treat you all as one blood with me, and we shall protect each other. Whatever one says, the others shall do. Whatever trouble comes to one, the others shall share; and for this reason I have asked our grandmother to furnish you a home where you may live virgin like myself, no one taking a husband without the others' consent. So shall it be well with us from this time on."[46]

To these conditions the stranger girls agreed; the younger sister answered the princess for them all:

"O princess, we are happy that you receive us; happy, too, that you take us to be your sisters as you have said; and so we obey. Only one thing we ask of you: All of us sisters have been set apart by our parents to take no delight in men; and it is their wish that we remain virgin until the end of our days; and so we, your servants, beseech you not to defile us with any man, according to the princess's pleasure, but to allow us to live virgin according to our parents' vow."

And this request of the strangers seemed good to the princess.

After talking with the princess concerning all these things, they were dismissed to the house prepared for them.

As soon as the girls went to live in the house they consulted how they should obey the princess's commands, and they appointed their younger sister to speak to the princess about what they had agreed upon.

One afternoon, just as the princess woke from sleep, came Kahalaomapuana to amuse the princess by playing on the trumpet until the princess wished it no longer.

Then she told Laieikawai what the sisters had agreed upon and said, "O princess, we have consulted together how to protect you, and all five of us have agreed to become the bodyguard for your house; ours shall be the consent, ours the refusal. If anyone wishes to see you, be he a man, or maybe a woman, or even a chief, he shall not see you without our approval. Therefore I pray the princess to consent to what we have agreed."

Said Laieikawai, "I consent to your agreement, and yours shall be the guardianship over all the land of Paliuli."

Now the girls' main purpose in becoming guardians of Paliuli was, if Aiwohikupua should again enter Paliuli, to have power to bar their enemy.

Thus they dwelt in Paliuli, and while they dwelt there never did they weary of life. Never did they even see the person who prepared them food, nor the food itself, save when, at mealtimes, the birds brought them food and cleared away the remnants when they had done. So Paliuli became to them a land beloved, and there they dwelt until the trouble came upon them which was wrought by Halaaniani.

Here, O reader, we leave speaking of the sisters of Aiwohikupua, and in Chapter XIII of this tale will speak again of Aiwohikupua and his coming to Kauai.



CHAPTER XIII

At the time when Kahalaomapuana leaped from the canoe into the sea it was going very swiftly, so she fell far behind. The canoe turned back to recover Kahalaomapuana, but the party did not find her; then Aiwohikupua abandoned his young sister and sailed straight for Kauai.

As Aiwohikupua sailed away from Hawaii, between Oahu and Kauai he spoke to his paddlers as follows: "When we get back to Kauai let no one tell that we have been to Hawaii after Laieikawai, lest shame come to me and I be spoken of jeeringly; and therefore I lay my commands upon you. Whoever speaks of this journey of ours and I hear of it, his penalty is death, his and all his offspring, as I vowed to those paddlers of mine before."

They returned to Kauai. A few days afterwards Aiwohikupua, the chief, wished to make a feast for the chiefs and for all his friends on Kauai.

While the feast was being made ready the chief gave word to fetch the feasters; with all the male chiefs, only one woman of rank was allowed to come to the celebration; this was Kailiokalauokekoa.[47]

On the day of the feast all the guests assembled, the food was ready spread, and the drink at the feast was the awa.

Before eating, all the guests together took up their cups of awa and drank. During the feasting, the awa had not the least effect upon them.

And because the awa had no effect, the chief hastily urged his awa chewers to chew the awa a second time. When the chief's command was carried out, the guests and the chief himself took up their cups of awa all together and drank. When this cup of awa was drained the effect of the awa overcame them. But the one who felt the effects most was the chief who gave the feast.

Now, while the chief was drunk, the oath which he swore at sea to the rowers was not forgotten; not from one of his own men was the forbidden story told, but from the mouth of Aiwohikupua himself was the chief's secret heard.

While under the influence of the awa, Aiwohikupua turned right around upon Kauakahialii, who was sitting near, and said: "O Kauakahialii, when you were talking to us about Laieikawai, straightway there entered into me desire after that woman; then sleepless were my nights with the wish, to see her; so I sailed and came to Hawaii, two of us went up, until at daylight we reached the uplands of Paliuli; when I went to see the chief's house, it was very beautiful, I was ashamed; therefore I returned here. I returned, in fact, thinking that the little sisters were the ones to get my wish; I fetched them, made the journey with the girls to the house of the princess, let them do their best; when, as it happened, they were all refused, all four sisters except the youngest; for shame I returned. Surely that woman is the most stubborn of all, she has no equal."

While Aiwohikupua talked of Laieikawai's stubbornness, Hauailiki was sitting at the feast, the young singer of Mana, a chief of high rank on the father's side and of unrivaled beauty.

He arose and said to Aiwohikupua, "You managed the affair awkwardly. I do not believe her to be a stubborn woman; give me a chance to stand before her eyes; I should not have to speak, she would come of her own free will to meet me, then you would see us together."

Said Aiwohikupua, "Hauailiki, I wish you would go to Hawaii; if you get Laieikawai, you are a lucky fellow, and I will send men with you and a double canoe; and should you lose in this journey then your lands become mine, and if you return with Laieikawai then all my lands are yours."

After Aiwohikupua had finished speaking, that very night, Hauailiki boarded the double canoe and set sail, but many days passed on the journey.

As they sailed they stood off Makahanaloa, and, looking out, saw the rainbow arching above the beach of Keaau. Said Aiwohikupua's chief counsellor to Hauailiki, "Look well at that rainbow arching the beach there at Keaau. There is Laieikawai watching the surf riding."

Said Hauailiki, "I thought Paliuli was where she lived."

And on the next day, in the afternoon, when they reached Keaau, Laieikawai had just returned with Aiwohikupua's sisters to Paliuli.

When Hauailiki's party arrived, behold many persons came to see this youth who rivaled Kauakahialii and Aiwohikupua in beauty, and all the people of Keaau praised him exceedingly.

Next day at sunrise the mist and fog covered all Keaau, and when it cleared, behold! seven girls were sitting at the landing place of Keaau, one of whom was more beautiful than the rest. This was the very first time that the sisters of Aiwohikupua had come down with Laieikawai, according to their compact.

As Laieikawai and her companions were sitting there that morning, Hauailiki stood up and walked about before them, showing off his good looks to gain the notice of the princess of Paliuli. But what was Hauailiki to Laieikawai? Mere chaff!

Four days Laieikawai came to Keaau after Hauailiki's entering the harbor; and four days Hauailiki showed himself off before Laieikawai, and she took no notice at all of him.

On the fifth day of her coming, Hauailiki thought to display before the beloved one his skill with the surf board;[48] the truth is Hauailiki surpassed any one else on Kauai as an expert in surf riding, he surpassed all others in his day, and he was famous for this skill as well as for his good looks.

That day, at daybreak, the natives of the place, men and women, were out in the breakers.

While the people were gathering for surfing, Hauailiki undid his garment, got his surf board, of the kind made out of a thick piece of wili-wili wood, went directly to the place where Laieikawai's party sat, and stood there for some minutes; then it was that the sisters of Aiwohikupua took a liking to Hauailiki.

Said Mailehaiwale to Laieikawai, "If we had not been set apart by our parents, I would take Hauailiki for my husband."

Said Laieikawai, "I like him, too; but I, too, have been set apart by my grandmother, so that my liking is useless."

"We are all alike," said Mailehaiwale.

When Hauailiki had showed himself off for some minutes, Hauailiki leaped with his surf board into the sea and swam out into the breakers.

When Hauailiki was out in the surf, one of the girls called out, "Land now!"

"Land away!" answered Hauailiki, for he did not wish to ride in on the same breaker with the crowd. He wished to make himself conspicuous on a separate breaker, in order that Laieikawai should see his skill in surf riding and maybe take a liking to him. Not so!

When the others had gone in a little wave budded and swelled, then Hauailiki rode the wave. As he rode, the natives cheered and the sisters of Aiwohikupua also. What was that to Laieikawai?

When Hauailiki heard the cheering, then he thought surely Laieikawai's voice would join the shouting. Not so! He kept on surfing until the fifth wave had passed; it was the same; he got no call whatever; then Hauailiki first felt discouragement, with the proof of Aiwohikupua's saying about the "stubbornness of Laieikawai."



CHAPTER XIV

When Hauailiki saw that Laieikawai still paid no attention to him he made up his mind to come in on the surf without the board.

He left it and swam out to the breakers. As he was swimming Laieikawai said, "Hauailiki must be crazy."

Her companions said, "Perhaps he will ride in on the surf without a board."

When Hauailiki got to the breakers, just as the crest rose and broke at his back, he stood on its edge, the foam rose on each side of his neck like boars' tusks. Then all on shore shouted and for the first time Laieikawai smiled; the feat was new to her eyes and to her guardians also.

When Hauailiki saw Laieikawai smiling to herself he thought she had taken a liking to him because of this feat, so he kept on repeating it until five breakers had come in; no summons came to him from Laieikawai.

Then Hauailiki was heavy-hearted because Laieikawai took no notice of him, and he felt ashamed because of his boast to Aiwohikupua, as we have seen in the last chapter.

So he floated gently on the waves, and as he floated the time drew near for Laieikawai's party to return to Paliuli. Then Laieikawai beckoned to Hauailiki.

When Hauailiki saw the signal the burden was lifted from his mind; Hauailiki boasted to himself, "You wanted me all the time; you just delayed."

And at the signal of the princess of Paliuli he lay upon the breaker and landed right where Laieikawai and her companions were sitting; then Laieikawai threw a lehua wreath around Hauailiki's neck, as she always did for those who showed skill in surf riding. And soon after the mist and fog covered the land, and when it passed away nothing was to be seen of Laieikawai and her party; they were at Paliuli.

This was the last time that Laieikawai's party came to Keaau while Hauailiki was there; after Hauailiki's return to Kauai, then Laieikawai came again to Keaau.

After Laieikawai's party were gone to the uplands of Paliuli, Hauailiki left off surf riding and joined his guide, the chief counsellor of Aiwohikupua. Said he, "I think she is the only one who is impregnable; what, Aiwohikupua said is true. There is no luck in my beauty or my skill in surf riding; only one way is left, for us to foot it to Paliuli to-night." To this proposal of Hauailiki his comrade assented.

In the afternoon, after dinner, the two went up inland and entered the forest where it was densely overgrown with underbrush. As they went on, they met Mailehaiwale, the princess's first guardian. When she saw them approaching from a distance, she cried, "O Hauailiki, you two go back from there, you two have no business to come up here, for I am the outpost of the princess's guards and it is my business to drive back all who come here; so turn back, you two, without delay."

Said Hauailiki, "Just let us go take a look at the princess's house."

Said Mailehaiwale, "I will not let you; for I am put here to drive off everybody who comes up here like you two."

But because they urged her with such persuasive words, she did consent.

As they went on, after Mailehaiwale let them pass, they soon encountered Mailekaluhea, the second of the princess's guardians.

Said Mailekaluhea, "Here! you two go back, you two have no right to come up here. How did you get permission to pass here?"

Said they, "We came to see the princess."

"You two have no such right," said Mailekaluhea, "for we guards are stationed here to drive off everybody who comes to this place; so, you two go back."

But to Mailekaluhea's command they answered so craftily with flattering words that they were allowed to pass.

As the two went on they met Mailelaulii and with the same words they had used to the first, so they addressed Mailelaulii.

And because of their great craft in persuasion, the two were allowed to pass Mailelaulii's front. And they went on, and met Mailepakaha, the fourth guardian.

When they came before Mailepakaha this guardian was not at all pleased at their having been let slip by the first guards, but so crafty was their speech that they were allowed to pass.

And they went on, and behold! they came upon Kahalaomapuana, the guardian at the door of the chief-house, who was resting on the wings of birds, and when they saw how strange was the workmanship of the chief-house, then Hauailiki fell to the earth with trembling heart.

When Kahalaomapuana saw them she was angry, and she called out to them authoritatively, as the princess's war chief, "O Hauailiki! haste and go back, for you two have no business here; if you persist, then I will call hither the birds of Paliuli to eat your flesh; only your spirits will return to Kauai."

At these terrible words of Kahalaomapuana, Hauailiki's courage entirely left him; he arose and ran swiftly until he reached Keaau in the early morning.

For weariness of the journey up to Paliuli, they fell down and slept.

While Hauailiki slept, Laieikawai came to him in a dream, and they met together; and on Hauailiki's starting from sleep, behold! it was a dream.

Hauailiki slept again; again he had the dream as at first; four nights and four days the dream was repeated to Hauailiki, and his mind was troubled.

On the fifth night after the dream had come to Hauailiki so repeatedly, after dark, he arose and ascended to the uplands of Paliuli without his comrade's knowledge.

In going up, he did not follow the road the two had taken before, but close to Mailehaiwale he took a new path and escaped the eyes of the princess's guardians.

When he got outside the chief-house Kahalaomapuana was fast asleep, so he tiptoed up secretly, unfastened the covering at the entrance to the house, which was wrought with feather work, and behold! he saw Laieikawai resting on the wings of birds, fast asleep also.

When he had entered and stood where the princess was sleeping, he caught hold of the princess's head and shook her. Then Laieikawai started up from' sleep, and behold! Hauailiki standing at her head, and her mind was troubled.

Then Laieikawai spoke softly to Hauailiki, "Go away now, for death and life have been left with my guardians, and therefore I pity you; arise and go; do not wait."

Hauailiki said, "O Princess, let us kiss[49] one another, for a few nights ago I came up and got here without seeing you; we were driven away by the power of your guards, and on our reaching the coast, exhausted, I fell asleep; while I slept we two met together in a dream and we were united, and many days and nights the same dream came; therefore I have come up here again to fulfill what was done in the dream."

Laieikawai said, "Return; what you say is no concern of mine; for the same thing has come to me in a dream and it happened to me as it happened to you, and what is that to me? Go! return!"

As Kahalaomapuana slept, she heard low talking in the house, and she started up from sleep and called out, "O Laieikawai, who is the confidant who is whispering to you?"

When she heard the questioner, Laieikawai ceased speaking.

Soon Kahalaomapuana arose and entered the house, and behold! Hauailiki was in the house with Laieikawai.

Kahalaomapuana said, "O Hauailiki, arise and go; you have no right to enter here; I told you before that you had no business in this place, and I say the same thing to-night as on that first night, so arise and return to the coast."

And at these words of Kahalaomapuana Hauailiki arose with shame in his heart, and returned to the beach at Keaau and told his comrades about his journey to Paliuli.

When Hauailiki saw that he had no further chance to win Laieikawai, then he made the canoe ready to go back to Kauai, and with the dawn left Keaau and sailed thither.

When Hauailiki's party returned to Kauai and came to Wailua, he saw a great company of the high chiefs and low chiefs of the court, and Kauakahialii and Kailiokalauokekoa with them.

As Hauailiki and his party were nearing the mouth of the river at Wailua, he saw Aiwohikupua and called out, "I have lost."

When Hauailiki landed and told Aiwohikupua the story of his journey and how his sisters had become the princess's guardians, then Aiwohikupua rejoiced.

He declared to Hauailiki, "There's an end to our bet, for it was made while we were drunk with awa."

While Hauailiki was telling how Aiwohikupua's sisters had become guardians to Laieikawai, then Aiwohikupua conceived afresh the hope of sailing to Hawaii to get Laieikawai, as he had before desired.



CHAPTER XV

Said Aiwohikupua, "How fortunate I am to have left my sisters on Hawaii, and so I shall attain my desire, for I have heard that my sisters are guardians to the one on whom I have set my heart."

Now, while all the chiefs were gathered at Wailua, then Aiwohikupua stood up and declared his intention in presence of the chiefs: "Where are you! I shall go again to Hawaii, I shall not fail of my desire; for my sisters are now guardians of her on whom I have set my heart."

At these words of Aiwohikupua, Hauailiki said, "You will not succeed, for I saw that the princess was taboo, and your sisters also put on reserved airs; one of them, indeed, was furious, the smallest of them; so my belief is you will not succeed, and if you go near you will get paid for it."

To Hauailiki's words Aiwohikupua paid no attention, for he was hopeful because of what he had heard of his sisters' guarding the princess.

After this he summoned the bravest of his fighting men, his bodyguard, all his chiefly array, and the chief arranged for paddlers; then he commanded the counsellor to make the canoes ready.

The counsellor chose the proper canoes for the trip, twenty double canoes, and twice forty single canoes, these for the chiefs and the bodyguard, and forty provision canoes for the chief's supplies; and as for the chief himself and his counsellor, they were on board of a triple canoe.

When everything was ready for such a journey they set out.

Many days they sailed. When they came to Kohala, for the first time the Kohala people recognized Aiwohikupua, a magician renowned all over the islands. And because the chief came in disguise to Kohala when he fought with Cold-nose, this was why they had not recognized him.

They left Kohala and went to Keaau. Just as they reached there, Laieikawai and the sisters of Aiwohikupua returned to Paliuli.

When Laieikawai and her companions returned, on the day when Aiwohikupua's party arrived, their grandmother had already foreseen Aiwohikupua's arrival at Keaau.

Said Waka, "Aiwohikupua has come again to Keaau, so let the guard be watchful, look out for yourselves, do not go down to the sea, stay here on the mountain until Aiwohikupua returns to Kauai."

When the princess's head guard heard the grandmother's words, then Kahalaomapuana immediately ordered Kihanuilulumoku,[50] their god, to come near the home of the chief and prepare for battle.

As the princess's chief guard, she ordered her sisters to consult what would be the best way to act in behalf of the princess.

When they met and consulted what was best to be done, all agreed to what Kahalaomapuana, the princess's chief guard, proposed, as follows: "You, Mailehaiwale, if Aiwohikupua should come hither, and you two meet, drive him away, for you are the first guard; and if he should plead his cause force him away: and if he is very persistent, because he is a brother, resist him still more forcibly; and if he still insists then despatch one of the guardian birds to me, then we will all meet at the same place, and I myself will drive him away. If he threatens to harm us, then I will command our god, Kihanuilulumoku, who will destroy him."

After all the council had assented they stationed themselves at a distance from each other to guard the princess as before.

At dawn that night arrived Aiwohikupua with his counsellor. When they saw the taboo sign—the hollow post covered with white tapa—then they knew that the road to the princess's dwelling was taboo. But Aiwohikupua would not believe it taboo because of having heard that his sisters had the guardian power.

So they went right on and found another taboo sign like the first which they had found, for one sign was set up for each of the sisters.

After passing the fourth taboo sign, they approached at a distance the fifth sign; this was Kahalaomapuana's. This was the most terrible of all, and then it began to be light; but they could not see in the dark how terrible it was.

They left the sign, went a little way and met Mailehaiwale; overjoyed was Aiwohikupua to see his sister. At that instant Mailehaiwale cried, "Back, you two, this place is taboo."

Aiwohikupua supposed this was in sport; both again began to approach Mailehaiwale; again the guardian told them to go. "Back at once, you two! What business have you up here and who will befriend you?"

"What is this, my sister?" asked Aiwohikupua. "Are you not my friends here, and through you shall I not get my desire?"

Then Mailehaiwale sent one of her guardian birds to Kahalaomapuana; in less than no time the four met at the place guarded by Mailekaluhea, where they expected to meet Aiwohikupua.



CHAPTER XVI

And they were ready and were sent for and came. When Aiwohikupua saw Kahalaomapuana resting on the wings of birds, as commander in chief, this was a great surprise to Aiwohikupua and his companion. Said the head guard, "Return at once, linger not, delay not your going, for the princess is taboo, you have not the least business in this place; and never let the idea come to you that we are your sisters; that time has passed." Kahalaomapuana arose and disappeared.

Then the hot wrath of Aiwohikupua was kindled and his anger grew. He decided at that time to go back to the sea to Keaau, then send his warriors to destroy the younger sisters.

When they turned back and came to Kahalaomapuana's taboo sign, behold! the tail of the great lizard protruded above the taboo sign, which was covered with white tapa wound with the ieie vine and the sweet-scented fern,[51] and it was a terrible thing to see.

As soon as Aiwohikupua and his companion reached the sea at Keaau, Aiwohikupua's counsellor dispatched the chief's picked fighting men to go up and destroy the sisters, according to the chief's command.

That very day Waka foresaw what Aiwohikupua's intention was. So Waka went and met Kahalaomapuana, the princess's commander in chief, and said: "Kahalaomapuana, I have seen what your brother intends to do. He is preparing ten strong men to come up here and destroy you, for your brother is wrathful because you drove him away this morning; so let us be ready in the name of our god."

Then she sent for Kihanuilulumoku, the great lizard of Paliuli, their god. And the lizard came and she commanded him: "O our god, Kihanuilulumoku, see to this lawless one, this mischief-maker, this rogue of the sea; if they send a force here, slaughter them all, let no messenger escape, keep on until the last one is taken, and beware of Kalahumoku, Aiwohikupua's great strong dog;[52] if you blunder, there is an end of us, we shall not escape; exert your strength, all your godlike might over Aiwohikupua. Amen, it is finished, flown away." This was Kahalaomapuana's charge to their god.

That night the ten men chosen by the chief went up to destroy the sisters of Aiwohikupua, and the assistant counsellor made the eleventh in place of the chief counsellor.

At the first dawn they approached Paliuli. Then they heard the humming of the wind in the thicket from the tongue of that great lizard, Kihanuilulumoku, coming for them, but they did not see the creature, so they went on; soon they saw the upper jaw of the lizard hanging right over them; they were just between the lizard's jaws; then the assistant counsellor leaped quickly back, could not make the distance; it snapped them up; not a messenger was left.

Two days passed; there was no one to tell of the disaster to Aiwohikupua's party, and because he wondered why they did not return the chief was angry.

So the chief again chose a party of warriors, twenty of them, from the strongest of his men, to go up and destroy the sisters; and the counsellor appointed an assistant counsellor to go for him with the men.

Again they went up until they came clear to the place where the first band had disappeared; these also disappeared in the lizard; not a messenger was left.

Again the chief waited; they came not back. The chief again sent a band of forty; all were killed. So it went on until eight times forty warriors had disappeared.

Then Aiwohikupua consulted with his counsellor as to the reason for none of the men who had been sent returning.

Said Aiwohikupua to his counsellor, "How is it that these warriors who are sent do not return?"

Said his counsellor, "It may be when they get to the uplands and see the beauty of the place they remain, and if not, they have all been killed by your sisters."

"How can they be killed by those helpless girls, whom I intended to kill?" So said Aiwohikupua.

And because of the chief's anxiety to know why his warriors did not come back he agreed with his counsellor to send messengers to see what the men were doing.

At the chief's command the counsellor sent the Snipe and the Turnstone, Aiwohikupua's swiftest messengers, to go up and find out the truth about his men.

Not long after they had left they met another man, a bird catcher from the uplands of Olaa;[53] he asked, "Where are you two going?"

The runners said, "We are going up to find out the truth about our people who are living at Paliuli; eight times forty men have been sent—not one returned."

"They are done for," said the bird catcher, "in the great lizard, Kihanuilulumoku; they have not been spared."

When they heard this they kept on going up; not long after they heard the sighing of the wind and the humming of the trees bending back and forth; then they remembered the bird catcher's words, "If the wind hums, that is from the lizard."

They knew then this must be the lizard; they flew in their bird bodies. They flew high and looked about. There right above them was the upper jaw shutting down upon them, and only by quickness of flight in their bird bodies did they escape.



CHAPTER XVII

As they flew far upward and were lost to sight on high, Snipe and his companion looked down at the lower jaw of the lizard plowing the earth like a shovel, and it was a fearful thing to see. It was plain their fellows must all be dead, and they returned and told Aiwohikupua what they had seen.

Then Kalahumoku, Aiwohikupua's great man-eating dog, was fetched to go and kill the lizard, then to destroy the sisters of Aiwohikupua.

When Kalahumoku, the man-eating dog from Tahiti, came into the presence of his grandchild (Aiwohikupua), "Go up this very day and destroy my sisters," said Aiwohikupua, "and bring Laieikawai."

Before the dog went up to destroy Aiwohikupua's sisters the dog first instructed the chief, and the chiefs under him, and all the men, as follows: "Where are you? While I am away, you watch the uplands. When the clouds rise straight up, if they turn leeward then I have met Kihanuilulumoku and you will know that we have made friends. But if the clouds turn to the windward, there is trouble; I have fought with that lizard. Then pray to your god, to Lanipipili; if you see the clouds turn, seaward, the lizard is the victor; but when the clouds ascend and turn toward the mountain top, then the lizard has melted away; we have prevailed.[54] Then keep on praying until I return."[55]

After giving his instructions, the dog set out up the mountain, and Aiwohikupua sent with him Snipe and Turnstone as messengers to report the deeds of the dog and the lizard.

When the dog had come close to Paliuli, Kihanuilulumoku was asleep at the time; he was suddenly startled from sleep; he was awakened by the scent of a dog. By that time the lizard was too late for the dog, who went on until he reached the princess's first guardian.

Then the lizard took a sniff, the guardian god of Paliuli, and recognized Kalahumoku, the marvel of Tahiti; then the lizard lifted his upper jaw to begin the fight with Kalahumoku.

Instantly the dog showed his teeth at the lizard, and the fight began; then the lizard was victor over Kalahumoku and the dog just escaped without ears or tail.

At the beginning of the fight the messengers returned to tell Aiwohikupua of this terrible battle.

When they heard from Snipe and his companion of this battle between the lizard and the dog, Aiwohikupua looked toward the mountain.

As they looked the clouds rose straight up, and no short time after turned seaward, then Aiwohikupua knew that the lizard had prevailed and Aiwohikupua regretted the defeat of their side.

In the evening of the day of the fight between the two marvelous creatures Kalahumoku came limping back exhausted; when the chief looked him over, gone were the ears and tail inside the lizard.

So Aiwohikupua resolved to depart, since they were vanquished. They departed and came to Kauai and told the story of the journey and of the victory of the lizard over them. (This was the third time that Aiwohikupua had been to Paliuli after Laieikawai without fulfilling his mission.)

Having returned to Kauai without Laieikawai, Aiwohikupua gave up thinking about Laieikawai and resolved to carry out the commands of Poliahu.

At this time Aiwohikupua, with his underchiefs and the women of his household, clapped hands in prayer before Lanipipili, his god, to annul his vow.

And he obtained favor in the presence of his god, and was released from his sinful vow "not to take any woman of these islands to wife," as has been shown in the former chapters of this story.

After the ceremonies at Kauai, he sent his messengers, the Snipe and the Turnstone, to go and announce before Poliahu the demands of the chief.

In their bird bodies they flew swiftly to Hinaikamalama's home at Hana and came and asked the people of the place, "Where is the woman who is betrothed to the chief of Kauai?"

"She is here," answered the natives of the place.

They went to meet the princess of Hana.

The messengers said to the princess, "We have been sent hither to tell you the command of your betrothed husband. You have three months to prepare for the marriage, and in February, on the night of the seventeenth, the night of Kulu, he will come to meet you, according to the oath between you."

When the princess had heard these words the messengers returned and came to Aiwohikupua.

Asked the chief, "Did you two meet Poliahu?"

"Yes," said the messengers, "we told her, as you commanded, to prepare herself; Poliahu inquired, 'Does he still remember the game of konane between us?'"

"Perhaps so," answered the messengers.

When Aiwohikupua heard the messengers' words he suspected that they had not gone to Poliahu; then Aiwohikupua asked to make sure, "How did you two fly?"

Said they, "We flew past an island, flew on to some long islands—a large, island like the one we first passed, two little islands like one long island, and a very little island; we flew along the east coast of that island and came to a house below the hills covered with shade; there we found Poliahu; that was how it was."

Said Aiwohikupua, "You did not find Poliahu; this was Hinaikainalama."

Now for this mistake of the messengers the rage of Aiwohikupua was stirred against his messengers, and they ceased to be among his favorites.

At this, Snipe and his companion decided to tell the secrets prohibited to the two by their master. Now how they carried out their intrigue, you will see in Chapter XVIII.



CHAPTER XVIII.

After the dismissal of Snipe and his fellow, the chief dispatched Frigate-bird, one of his nimble messengers, with the same errand as before.

Frigate-bird went to Poliahu; when they met, Frigate-bird gave the chief's command, according to the words spoken in Chapter XVII of this story. Having given his message, the messenger returned and reported aright; then his lord was pleased.

Aiwohikupua waited until the end of the third month; the chief took his underchiefs and his favorites and the women of his household and other companions suitable to go with their renowned lord in all his royal splendor on an expedition for the marriage of chiefs.

On the twenty-fourth day of the month Aiwohikupua left Kauai, sailed with 40 double canoes, twice 40 single canoes, and 20 provision boats.

Some nights before that set for the marriage, the eleventh night of the month, the night of Huna, they came to Kawaihae; then he sent his messenger, Frigate-bird, to get Poliahu to come thither to meet Aiwohikupua on the day set for the marriage.

When the messenger returned from Poliahu, he told Poliahu's reply: "Your wife commands that the marriage take place at Waiulaula. When you look out early in the morning of the seventeenth, the day of Kulu, and the snow clothes the summit of Maunakea, Maunaloa, and Hualalai,[56] clear to Waiulaula, then they have reached the place where you are to wed; then set out, so she says."

Then Aiwohikupua got ready to present himself with the splendor of a chief.

Aiwohikupua clothed the chiefs and chiefesses and his two favorites in feather capes and the women of his household in braided mats of Kauai. Aiwohikupua clothed himself in his snow mantle that Poliahu had given him, put on the helmet of ie vine wrought with feathers of the red iiwi bird. He clothed his oarsmen and steersmen in red and white tapa as attendants of a chief; so were all his bodyguard arrayed.

On the high seat of the double canoe in which the chief sailed was set up a canopied couch covered with feather capes, and right above the couch the taboo signs of a chief, and below the sacred symbols sat Aiwohikupua.

Following the chief and surrounding his canoe came ten double canoes filled with expert dancers. So was Aiwohikupua arrayed to meet Poliahu.

On the seventeenth day, the day of Kulu, in the early morning, a little later than sunrise, Aiwohikupua and his party saw the snow begin to hide the summits of the mountain clear to the place of meeting.

Already had Poliahu, Lilinoe, Waiaie, and Kahoupokane arrived for the chief's marriage.

Then Aiwohikupua set out to join the woman of the mountain. He went in the state described above.

As Aiwohikupua was sailing from Kawaihae, Lilinoe rejoiced to see the unrivaled splendor of the chief.

When they came to Waiulaula they were shivering with cold, so Aiwohikupua sent his messenger to tell Poliahu, "They can not come for the cold."

Then Poliahu laid off her mantle of snow and the mountain dwellers put on their sun mantles, and the snow retreated to its usual place.

When Aiwohikupua and his party reached Poliahu's party the princess was more than delighted with the music from the dancers accompanying the chief's canoe and she praised his splendid appearance; it was beautiful.

When they met both showed the robes given them before in token of their vow.

Then the chiefs were united and became one flesh, and they returned and lived in Kauai, in the uplands of Honopuwai.

Now Aiwohikupua's messengers, Snipe and Turnstone, went to tell Hinaikamalama of the union of Aiwohikupua with Poliahu.

When Hinaikamalama heard about it, then she asked her parents to let her go on a visit to Kauai, and the request pleased her parents.

The parents hastened the preparation of canoes for Hinaikamalama's voyage to Kauai, and selected a suitable cortege for the princess's journey, as is customary on the journey of a chief.

When all was ready Hinaikamalama went on board the double canoe and sailed and came to Kauai.

When she arrived Aiwohikupua was with Poliahu and others at Mana, where all the chiefs were gathered for the sport between Hauailiki and Makaweli.

That night was a festival night, the game of kilu and the dance kaeke being the sports of the night.[57]

During the rejoicings in the middle of the night came Hinaikamalama and sat in the midst of the festive gathering, and all marveled at this strange girl.

When she came into their midst Aiwohikupua did not see her, for his attention was taken by the dance.

As Hinaikamalama sat there, behold! Hauailiki conceived a passion for her.

Then Hauailiki went and said to the master of ceremonies, "Go and tell Aiwohikupua to stop the dance and play at spin-the-gourd; when the game begins, then you go up and draw the stranger for my partner to-night."

At the request of the one for whom the sports were given the dance was ended.

Then Hauailiki played at spin-the-gourd with Poliahu until the gourd had been spun ten times. Then the master of ceremonies arose and made the circuit of the assembly, returned and touched Hauailiki with his maile wand and sang a song, and Hauailiki arose.

Then the master of ceremonies took the wand back and touched Hinaikamalama's head and she arose.

As she stood there she requested the master of the sports to let her speak, and he nodded.

Hinaikamalama asked for whom the sports were given, and they told her for Hauailiki and Makaweli.

And Hinaikamalama turned right around and said to Hauailiki, "O chief of this festal gathering (since I have heard this is all in your honor), your sport master has matched us two, O chief, to bring us together for a little; now I put off the match which the master of ceremonies has chosen. But let me explain my object in coming so far as Kauai. That fellow there, Aiwohikupua, is my reason for coming to this land, because I heard that he was married to Poliahu; therefore I came here to see how he had lied to me. For that man there came to Hana on Maui while we were surf riding. The two of them were the last to surf, and when they were through, they came home to play konane with me. He wanted to play konane. We set up the board again; I asked what he would bet; he pointed to his double canoe. I said I did not like his bet; then I told the bet I liked, our persons; if he beat me at konane, then I would become his and do everything that he told me to do, and the same if he lost to me, then he was to do for me as I to him; and we made this bargain. And in the game in a little while my piece blocked the game, and he was beaten. I said to him, 'You have lost; you ought to stay with me as we have wagered.' Said that fellow, 'I will wait to carry out the bet until I return, from a touring trip. Then I will fulfill the bet, O princess.' And because of his fine speeches we agreed upon this, and for this reason, I have lived apart under a taboo until now. And when I heard that he had a wife, I came to Kauai and entered the festal gathering. O chief, that is how it was."