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 calledThe-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 atAiwohikupua'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.
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 ofawaroot 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 ofKeaau.
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 theoobird, 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.
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.
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 atkonaneand 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 theoobird, 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.
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."
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 lookInto the eyes of our parents, sayWe 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 onesOf 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 NualoloThe 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 lookLook, 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 usIn 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.
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 atileaf[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 hertileaf 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 scarletiiwibirds were perched on the shoulders of the princess and shook the dew from redlehuablossoms 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 hertileaf 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.
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.