Part 10 (2/2)

Then Maui was angry and hastily leaped over the mountains, which are nearly fourteen thousand feet in alt.i.tude. In a half dozen strides he had crossed the fifty or sixty miles from his home to the place where the kite lay. He could pa.s.s over many miles with a single step. His name was Maui-Mama, ”Maui the Swift.” When Maui returned with his kite he was more careful in calling the winds to aid him in his sport.

The people watched their wise neighbor and soon learned that the kite could be a great blessing to them. When it was soaring in the sky there was always dry and pleasant weather. It was a day for great rejoicing.

They could spread out their kapa cloth to dry as long as the kite was in the sky. They could carry out their necessary work without fear of the rain. Therefore when any one saw the kite beginning to float along the mountain side he would call out joyfully, ”E! Maui's kite is in the heavens.” Maui would send his kite into the blue sky and then tie the line to the great black stones in the bed of the Wailuku river.

Maui soon learned the power of his kite when blown upon by a fierce wind. With his accustomed skill he planned to make use of his strong servant, and therefore took the kite with him on his journeys to the other islands, using it to aid in making swift voyages. With the wind in the right direction, the kite could pull his double canoe very easily and quickly to its destination.

Time pa.s.sed, and even the demi-G.o.d died. The fish hook with which he drew the Hawaiian Islands up from the depths of the sea was allowed to lie on the lava by the Wailuku river until it became a part of the stone. The double canoe was carried far inland and then permitted to petrify by the river side. The two stones which represent the double canoe now bear the name ”Waa-Kauhi,” and the kite has fallen from the sky far up on the mountain side, where it still rests, a flat plot of rich land between Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa.

X.

THE OAHU LEGENDS OF MAUI.

Several Maui legends have been located on the island of Oahu. They were given by Mr. Kaaia to Mr. T. G. Thrum, the publisher of what is well known in the Hawaiian Islands as ”Thrum's Annual.” He has kindly furnished them for added interest to the present volume. The legends have a distinctly local flavor confined entirely to Oahu. It has seemed best to reserve them for a chapter by themselves although they are chiefly variations of stories already told.

MAUI AND THE TWO G.o.dS.

This history of Maui and his grandmother Hina begins with their arrival from foreign lands. They dwelt in Kane-ana (Kane's cave), Waianae, Oahu.

This is an ”ana,” or cave, at Puu-o-hulu. Hina had wonderful skill in making all kinds of tapa according to the custom of the women of ancient Hawaii.

Maui went to the Koolau side and rested at Kaha-luu, a diving place in Koolaupoko. In that place there is a noted hill called Ma-eli-eli. This is the story of that hill. Maui threw up a pile of dirt and concealed rubbish under it. The two G.o.ds, Kane and Ka.n.a.loa, came along and asked Maui what he was doing. He said, ”What you see. You two dig on that side to the foot of the pali, (precipice) and I will go down at Kaha-luu. If you two dig through first, you may kill me. If I get through first I will kill you.” They agreed, and began to dig and throw up the dirt.

Then Maui dug three times and tossed up some of the hills of that place.

Kane and Ka.n.a.loa saw that Maui was digging very fast, so they put forth very great strength and threw the dirt into a hill. Meanwhile Maui ran away to the other side of the island. Thus by the aid of the G.o.ds the hill Ma-eli-eli was thrown up and received its name ”eli,” meaning ”dig.” ”Ma-eli-eli” meant ”the place of digging.”

HOW THEY FOUND FIRE.

It was said that Maui and Hina had no fire. They were often cold and had no cooked food. Maui saw flames rising in a distant place and ran to see how they were made. When he came to that place the fire was out and some birds flew away. One of them was Ka-Alae-huapi, ”the stingy Alae”--a small duck, the Hawaiian mud hen. Maui watched again and saw fire.

When he went up the birds saw him coming and scattered the fire, carrying the ashes into the water; but he leaped and caught the little Alae. ”Ah!” he said, ”I will kill you, because you do not let me have fire.” The bird replied, ”If you kill me you cannot find fire.” Maui said, ”Where is fire?” The Alae said, ”Go up on the high land where beautiful plants with large leaves are standing; rub their branches.”

Maui set the bird free and went inland from Halawa and found dry land taro. He began to rub the stalks, but only juice came out like water. He had no red fire. He was very angry and said, ”If that lying Alae is caught again by me I will be its death.”

[Ill.u.s.tration: Bay of Waipio Valley.]

After a while he saw the fire burning and ran swiftly. The birds saw him and cried, ”The cooking is over. Here comes the swift grandchild of Hina.” They scattered the fire, threw the ashes away and flew into the water. But again Maui caught the Alae and began to kill it, saying: ”You gave me a plant full of water from which to get fire.” The bird said, ”If I die you can never find fire. I will give you the secret of fire.

Take a branch of that dry tree and rub.” Maui held the bird fast in one hand while he rubbed with the other until smoke and fire came out. Then he took the fire stick and rubbed the head of the bird, making a place where red and white feathers have grown ever since.

He returned to Hina and taught her how to make fire, using the two fire sticks and how to twist coconut fibre to catch the fire when it had been kindled in wood. But the Alae was not forgotten. It was called huapi, ”stingy,” because it selfishly kept the knowledge of fire making to itself.

MAUI CATCHING THE SUN.

Maui watched Hina making tapa. The wet tapa was spread on a long tapa board, and Hina began at one end to pound it into shape; pounding from one end to another. He noticed that sunset came by the time she had pounded to the middle of the board. The sun hurried so fast that she could only begin her work before the day was past.

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