CHAPTER I

.

AUKELE AND HIS UNKIND BRETHREN.

This legend of Aukelenuiaiku [62] is one of the most noted of all the legends of Hawaii nei, having its origin in the land of Kuaihelani. [63] Iku was the father, a great chief, and Kapapaiakea was the mother, from whom twelve children were born. Kuaihelani was the country in which they lived. The names of the children [64] were: Kekamakahinuiaiku, Kuaiku, Nohoaiku, Heleaiku, Kapukapuaiku, Heaaiku, Lonoheaiku, Naaiku, Noiaiku, Ikumailani and Aukelenuiaiku, all males; and Kaomeaaiku, a female. This legend deals with Aukelenuiaiku.

From the first-born child to the one just ahead of Aukelenuiaiku, Iku never took them up in his arms, never spoke of leaving the kingdom to any of them, nor did he make much of any of them. But at the birth of Aukelenuiaiku, Iku took the greatest interest in him, took care of him, took him up in his arms, and to him he willed all his honor and glory and the kingdom. Because of this show of favoritism on their father’s part toward Aukelenuiaiku, his brothers and sister hated him and they tried to devise some way of getting rid of him. Said the oldest of the children, Kamakahinuiaiku: [65] “Yes, our father is indeed strange; although I am the first-born, still our father did not promise to leave me his honor and glory, and not even the kingdom, but here with the last son he has promised to leave these things to him.”

The main pastime indulged in by the brothers of Aukelenuiaiku was wrestling, boxing and other manly games that were known at that time. In these games they became famous in all the land of Kuaihelani as being the strongest, and furthermore, these boys went around the whole country without being beaten. On one of the trips around Kuaihelani the fame and the strength of Kealohikikaupea, a strong man of Kauai, reached these boys. The main deed of strength participated in by this man which made him famous was the great ease he had in breaking a man in two. [66] When the boys from Kuaihelani arrived in Kauai, one of them met this strong man and with one blow laid him low. They then made a complete circuit of Kauai without meeting any challenger. While they were in Kauai word came to them of three strong men on Oahu. Their names were, Kaikipaananea, Kupukupukehaikalani and Kupukupukehaiiaku. There were none stronger than these three men. Upon the arrival of the champions of Kuaihelani on Oahu they met in contest, and with one blow the said men of Oahu were defeated, after which the Kuaihelani champions left Oahu and went to Maui. Kakaalaneo was the king of Maui at this time, and in a contest he was vanquished by them.

While the Kuaihelani champions were making a circuit of Maui the fame of Kepakailiula for his great strength and daring came to them. It was said that he could break [in pieces] any man who opposed him, and he was the greatest warrior of the whole island of Hawaii. When the Kuaihelani champions heard of the feats of strength performed by Kepakailiula, they became afraid and returned to Kuaihelani. Upon their arrival at their home in Kuaihelani they gave exhibitions of all the sporting games known to them, such as wrestling, boxing, to wrestle on all fours, to hide a pebble under piles of kapas, to dance, to roll the stone disk, to jump from high cliffs into the water, to make the spear glide, and various other games. In getting up these games they were instigated by the desire of drawing their youngest brother to them, when they would kill him, for Aukelenuiaiku was kept under Iku’s fostering care all the time, and was accorded all the honors due to a king, and was jealously guarded.

While Aukelenuiaiku was thus guarded, he one day heard the yells and shouts of the people who were gathered at the games being held by his brothers, so Aukelenuiaiku asked of Iku his father: “What is the cause of the shouting down below?” The father replied: “They are holding some wrestling matches.” “How is that game played?” “It is played by two persons. They stand up facing each other and each one tries to throw the other one down to the ground. When one is thrown the people would shout, expressing their joy. That is the cause of the shouting that you hear.” Aukelenuiaiku then said: “How I wish to see it!” He therefore questioned his father relating to the various games. After hearing how they were played, he asked that he be allowed to go down and look on, but his father refused, saying: “You cannot go down.” Aukelenuiaiku then asked him: “Why not?” The father replied: “You will be killed by your brothers, for they hate you.” Aukelenuiaiku then further asked his father: “What is the cause of the hatred?” The father replied: “There is a reason. It is because I have given you all the honors and the kingdom. Therefore you must not go down, for if you do you will be killed by your brothers.”

After ten days had gone by the shouting and yelling at the games were again heard, but Aukelenuiaiku did not let his father know of the renewal of the games. He then got up and secretly went down to look at the games, without the knowledge of his father. In going Aukelenuiaiku took an arrow with him. When Aukelenuiaiku arrived near the house where his brothers were holding the games, he shot the arrow into the building. On the arrow entering the building, the brothers took it up and said: “How strange! our arrows are in joints, but this one is twisted!” While they were discussing the matter one of them took it and after looking it over said: “This is not a stranger’s arrow; this is the arrow belonging to our brother Aukelenuiaiku.” While this brother was saying this, Kekamakahinuiaiku, he of the bad temper, took it and broke it into pieces. Shortly after this Aukelenuiaiku approached the building and stood on the outside of the wall which surrounded the building. While Aukelenuiaiku was standing there, all the brothers looked at him. They marveled at his handsome appearance: his skin was like the ripe banana and his eyeballs were like the bud of a banana at its first appearance; his body was straight and faultless, and he was without equal.

When the people who were gathered there saw Aukelenuiaiku, they expressed words of praise at his great comeliness. While the people were praising Aukelenuiaiku, the oldest brother became very angry and his face changed. He then sent out one of his younger brothers to go and ask Aukelenuiaiku the reason of his coming. The name of the brother that was sent was Kuaiku. When he had come into the presence of Aukelenuiaiku, he asked him: “What has brought you here?” Aukelenuiaiku answered: “To enjoy the games.” Kuaiku returned to their angry brother and told him. When he heard this, he again sent Kuaiku, saying: “Go and strike him once.” When Kuaiku came up to Aukelenuiaiku, he struck at him, but he did not knock him down nor did he hurt him. On the first blow he broke his own right arm, then he tried his left and that too was broken. When Kuaiku saw that his two arms were broken he turned to proceed back to the house. At this Aukelenuiaiku reached out and took hold of his brother by the arms, bundled him up, and threw him to the edge [67] of the sea. When the people saw the great strength of Aukelenuiaiku, they gave a mighty shout, and said: “That is the only man that has been able to throw and break the arms of Kuaiku.” After this another of the brothers came out with the intention of killing Aukelenuiaiku. This brother was the greatest wrestler and could break a man in arms; but when he met Aukelenuiaiku, he was unable to throw him down or hurt him. When he found that he was unable to throw Aukelenuiaiku, he turned with the intention of going back to the house, but Aukelenuiaiku reached out, held him up and threw him into the sea. This made the people shout again.

Aukelenuiaiku thus met each brother, beating them all until there remained but the oldest brother, the one with the bad temper. When this brother saw that all his younger brothers had been defeated by Aukelenuiaiku he went up full of anger, bent on throwing Aukelenuiaiku into the sea, but in this he proved a failure, for his youngest brother overmatched him. While they were fighting and pushing each other, Aukelenuiaiku held his ground so well that the oldest brother became exhausted, and in time gave up all idea of fighting, and he left Aukelenuiaiku and turned with the intention of going back to the house. At this Aukelenuiaiku reached out, took hold of him, and threw him bodily into the sea. When he dropped into the sea his desire of killing Aukelenuiaiku vanished and he began to show signs of regret and pretended to be friendly. When he came up to Aukelenuiaiku he said: “Let us cease the conflict and all hatred and let us be friends, since this is only a fight between brothers.” He then invited Aukelenuiaiku to go to the house, which invitation was accepted by Aukelenuiaiku, believing it to be sincere. When they entered the house the oldest brother uncovered the deep pit of Kamooinanea, and took hold of Aukelenuiaiku and threw him down into it, where the brothers thought Aukelenuiaiku would die.

##