CHAPTER XIII

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HOW AUKELENUIAIKU WENT IN SEARCH OF THE WATER OF LIFE OF KANE.

We will here see the power and courage of Aukelenuiaiku on his mission in a strange land in search of the water of life of Kane. The wife then said to her husband: “On this direct line you must go without once departing from it. You must not go towards the right, for you will then be wandering in the sky and die. You must not go to the left of this line, for you will then fall into space and you will be lost. All these instructions you must keep in your mind.” As soon as his wife concluded with her instructions, Aukelenuiaiku took up the box which contained his god Lonoikoualii, put it under his arm and then put on his robe of ashes. When Aukelenuiaiku was ready to proceed on his journey, he fell on his wife’s neck and they kissed each other, and then made his flight toward the rising sun.

After Aukelenuiaiku had been gone about a month, Namakaokahai came out of her dwelling-house and looked about. At the end of another month she again went out and looked, and there she saw her husband still flying. She then remained for another month, at the end of which time she again looked for her husband, but after looking in all directions she was unable to see him. After looking for some time without seeing him, she began to have fears that he must be dead for having gone outside of the straight limits directed him, and therefore he must have fallen into space. [92] She began to weep and wail for her husband, for she loved him much. When her brothers heard the weeping they came to find out the cause. When they came in her presence, they asked her: “Why are you weeping?” “Your brother-in-law is dead.”

We will here say a few words relating to the relatives of Namakaokahai and how they all mourned for Aukelenuiaiku.

After the brothers came to Namakaokahai, she sent them all to get all from above and bring those who were there to mourn for Aukelenuiaiku. These were, the night, the day, the sun, the stars, the thunder, the rainbow, the lightning, the water-spout, the fog, the fine rain, the moon, Kaukihikamalama, [93] the grandfather of Namakaokahai. “Bring them all down,” she said. “If they refuse to come to weep for my husband, I will kill them all.” After ordering her brothers to do this they proceeded on their way, and in course of a very short time everybody came, for they feared death by Namakaokahai.

After the arrival of all these people, Namakaokahai again sent out her brothers to go and bring those who were in heaven. They were, Kuwahailo, Makalii, Kamalanaikuaheahea, Kukuena, Mahuia, Ikuwa and Welehu. “Tell all these people to come down and weep for my husband. If they refuse to come in obedience to my commands, I will kill them all. I also want you to tell my cousin Makalii, that his wife must cease coming on the hands of the people; [94] if he disregards this, I will kill him this day.”

In a very short time this message was delivered and the people all came together and joined in weeping for Aukelenuiaiku, the husband of their queen.

We will now take up again the flight of Aukelenuiaiku.

In this flight, Aukelenuiaiku did not fly within the straight limits given him, so he fell into space and he grew weaker and weaker until he was almost dead. In this long flight, the arm under which the box containing the god was held, became so tired that he changed the box under the other arm; in doing this the god Lonoikoualii saw for the first time that they had departed from the direct line shown them by Namakaokahai. Lonoikoualii then said to Aukelenuiaiku: “We are flying outside of the limits given us and not on the line. The fire is burning there on the earth and I see everybody has gone down below except one person.” Aukelenuiaiku asked: “Who is it that is still up here?” Lonoikoualii, his god, replied: “That thing stationed up there; fly for it and hold it fast, and then we will be saved.”

The object which the god Lonoikoualii referred to was the grandfather of Namakaokahai, Kaukihikamalama, the moon. The reason why he was later than the others in obeying the summons of his granddaughter was because he was delayed in preparation of food for him on the way to the earth. But before he was ready to come he was held by Aukelenuiaiku, and because of this fact we now see the moon not quite as bright as it used to be. It was because Aukelenuiaiku held it so tightly. Anyway, that is the reason given in this story.

When Aukelenuiaiku and Lonoikoualii landed on the moon, the moon in disgust asked of Aukelenuiaiku: “Whose conceited child are you? My back has never been climbed by my own grandchild, Namakaokahai, and here you have done it.” “I am your own child.” “Mine by whom?” Aukelenuiaiku replied: “Yours. I am the child of Kapapaiakea with Iku.” Kaukihikamalama then said: “Are you the ward of Kapoino and Kamooinanea?” “Yes, I am he.” The moon replied: “You came near being killed, my lord.” This conversation, in the heaven between Aukelenuiaiku and Kaukihikamalama, was overheard by Namakaokahai, who then knew for the first time that her husband was no other person than Aukelenuiaiku, because the name by which she knew him was Kanakaokai. Therefore she said to her father and brothers: “How strange this is! I thought that this person was somebody else altogether, but I now see it is Aukelenuiaiku, the son of Kapapaiakea with Iku, and the ward of Kapoino [95] and Kamooinanea.”

After this, Namakaokahai called out to Kaukihikamalama to come to her with his grandson Aukelenuiaiku. When Aukelenuiaiku was returning to the earth, Namakaokahai commanded that all the different lights return to their respective stations in the heaven so as to give Aukelenuiaiku light by which to return to earth; these being the sun, the daylight, the lightning and the fire. When Aukelenuiaiku again reached the earth the people all cried for joy. After the weeping, Kuwahailo, Makalii, Kamalanaikuaheahea, Kaukihikamalama and the others prepared to return to heaven.

After the return of their friends, Aukelenuiaiku and Namakaokahai for a long time remained by themselves, as husband and wife. After this, however, Namakaokahai said to her husband: “You must make another search for the water of everlasting life of Kane.” Aukelenuiaiku agreed to this. Namakaokahai then said to him: “I want you to watch the course you are to go by. From the door of our house in a straight line to the rising sun, and I want you to remember this: that you must go over this course from one end to the other, and you must not go outside of these limits, for if you do you will die.” At the close of the instructions, Aukelenuiaiku again began his second flight toward heaven. At the end of the long flight he stood on the edge of a hole, in the bottom of which was kept the water of everlasting life of Kane. The journey was only completed, however, after a flight of six months.

As Aukelenuiaiku stood on the edge of the hole he saw Kanenaiau, the guard who was placed there by Kamohoalii to keep away all intruders. When Aukelenuiaiku saw him he flew and lit on the back of the guard. While Aukelenuiaiku was perched on his back, he asked in anger and hatred: “Say, you are awfully conceited! Whose conceited child are you? My back has never been climbed by my grandchild Kamohoalii, and here you have come and done it.” Aukelenuiaiku replied: “Your own.” “Mine by whom?” “I am the child of Kapapaiakea and Iku.” “Are you the grandchild of Kapoino and Kamooinanea?” “Yes,” said Aukelenuiaiku.

When the guard heard these words from Aukelenuiaiku, he greeted him, saying: “My greetings to you, my lord. What has brought you here?” Aukelenuiaiku replied: “I have come for the water of everlasting life of Kane, for my nephew and my brothers.” Kanenaiau then asked: “Isn’t it all gone?” Aukelenuiaiku replied: “No, it is not all gone.” Kanenaiau said: “Look at my middle.” While Aukelenuiaiku was looking at the middle of Kanenaiau, he was instructed as to the course by which he was to fly, as follows: “Where art thou, don’t fly on this side, for you will strike the bamboo growing in this place; if you strike the bamboo, the sound will reach the ears of your cousin, and the water will be covered up and you will not get it. You must therefore fly on this side and you will be able to get the water of everlasting life of Kane.”

At the end of these instructions Aukelenuiaiku continued on his flight. After flying for some time he saw and lit on Hawewe, when the same questions were asked relating to Aukelenuiaiku’s connections to him. Hawewe asked: “My lord, what is your object in coming here?” “I have come in search of the water of life of Kane.” Hawewe then answered: “You must not fly on the left side, else you will strike the lama trees, and the sound will reach the ears of your cousin below, and you will never be able to get the water of life of Kane. You must therefore fly on this side, then you will get what you wish.” These two men were the granduncles of Aukelenuiaiku on the side of his mother, Kapapaiakea. The time consumed by Aukelenuiaiku in his flight from the first man to the second man was two months.

After the conversation which was held between him and Hawewe, Aukelenuiaiku flew until he lit on Kanenaenae. At the end of the questions and answers relating to the parents of Aukelenuiaiku, Kanenaenae then knew that he was connected to Aukelenuiaiku, and he therefore fell on him and wept. At the end of the weeping he asked Aukelenuiaiku: “What has brought my lord here?” Aukelenuiaiku answered: “I have come for the water of everlasting life of Kane, for my nephew and brothers.” Kanenaenae then asked: “Is it not all gone?” “No, it is not all gone.” “Yes, you shall have it. Look straight at my middle.” [96] While Aukelenuiaiku was looking, Kanenaenae said: “You must not fly on this side, for you will strike the loulu palm leaves and the sound will travel to your cousin there below, and the water of life of Kane will be closed and you will not be able to get it. You must therefore fly along this way. In this flight downward you will meet your grandfather who will direct you how to get to this water of life.”

After receiving these instructions, Aukelenuiaiku continued on his flight and flew along until he lit on Kuemanu. After the several questions had been asked and the usual answers given, Aukelenuiaiku said: “I am your own offspring.” The guard then asked: “Mine by whom?” “I am the child of Kapapaiakea and Iku.” When Kuemanu heard this he wept over Aukelenuiaiku and then asked: “Are you the grandson of Kapoino and Kamooinanea?” Aukelenuiaiku assented, saying: “Yes, I am their grandchild.” Kuemanu then asked: “What thing of such importance is it that has brought you here?” Aukelenuiaiku replied: “I have come in search of the water of everlasting life of Kane, for my nephew and brothers.” “Yes, you shall get it. You must go down to your grandaunt, who is down there at the base of the cliff, Luahinekaikapu, who is blind. When you come to her, you will find her roasting bananas, four in number. When she reaches out to take one up, you also reach and take one; do this until the last ones are taken. Then when she reaches out for the others and fails to find them and asks, ‘What mischievous fellow is this that has come?’ and receives no reply, she will take up the ashes and sprinkle them to her right; you must then run over to her left side. And when she sprinkles the ashes on her left side, you must run to her right side. After this you want to watch her as she takes up the ashes and smells of it. If she should do this, then she will discover you; then be very careful or the old woman will kill you. Look out for another attack, for she will then take up one of her clubs which is used for beating kapas and strike at you with it, when you must run to her left side; and when she strikes to her left, run to her right. After you have overcome all these things, then you must run and climb on to her back and sit there.”

We will not take up the meeting of Aukelenuiaiku and his grandaunt, and how he overcame all her attacks by strictly following the advice of his granduncle, but we will speak of what took place after Aukelenuiaiku won over the old woman.

After the old woman had exhausted all her attempts to dispose of her opponent, Aukelenuiaiku then climbed on to her lap, when she asked: “Whose conceited child art thou?” Aukelenuiaiku replied: “Your own.” “Mine by whom?” “I am the child of Kapapaiakea and Iku.” When the grandaunt heard this, she again asked of Aukelenuiaiku: “Are you, then, the grandchild of Kapoino and Kamooinanea?” Aukelenuiaiku assented to this, saying: “Yes.” The grandaunt then asked: “What has brought my lord here?” “I have come for the water of everlasting life of Kane, for my nephew and brothers.” The grandaunt then asked him: “Is it not all gone?” “No.” She then said: “My grandchild, look at me. I have no eyes; I am blind; I cannot see. I may not be able to give you the water of everlasting life of Kane.” By these words of his grandaunt, Aukelenuiaiku began to be doubtful about getting what he wished, and for a moment he did not know what to do. At last he said to his grandaunt: “Let us go outside.” When she heard this she assented and she was led out by Aukelenuiaiku and was made to lie down under a coconut tree. Aukelenuiaiku then climbed up the coconut tree and picked off two young shoots of the coconut, and then called to his grandaunt: “Say, Luahinekaikapu, turn your face toward the sky.” When the old woman heard this she turned her face up as directed. Aukelenuiaiku then threw with much force the two young shoots at the eyes of Luahinekaikapu.

When these struck her in the eyes, she jumped up and cried with a loud voice: “Oh! I am killed.” Aukelenuiaiku then called out to her: “Don’t cry, be quiet; rub your eyes, they may open up and you will then be able to see.” When the old woman heard this call from her grandchild, she began rubbing her eyes. After doing this her sight was restored and she was able to see as before. Aukelenuiaiku then called out to her: “How are your eyes?” “I can see now.” After this Aukelenuiaiku climbed down the tree.

Luahinekaikapu then said to Aukelenuiaiku: “I want you to go and bring me some pohuehue and akoko.” Aukelenuiaiku procured these things and brought them to his grandaunt. She then took and pounded them together with some charcoal, kukui nut and dirt, until the whole mess became soft. The old woman then said to her grandchild: “We will now proceed to fix you up.” By this the old woman meant that she was to paint or rub the stuff prepared by her on the hands of Aukelenuiaiku so as to make them look like the hands of Kamohoalii.

After these things the hands of Aukelenuiaiku were painted black so that they looked like the hands of Kamohoalii, for the guards who had the keeping of the water of life of Kane knew that the hands of Kamohoalii were black. The water of life of Kane was being watched by certain men, and any hands that reached down that were not black would not be able to receive the water.

After the hands of Aukelenuiaiku had been blackened the grandaunt said to him: “We will sit here until the preparation of the awa is finished, when you must approach the opening. When you get to the opening, reach in with your hands. The first gourd they will give you contains the bitter water; throw that away and reach in again, and when they hand you the second gourd, that one contains the water of life of Kane; bring that with you.” Aukelenuiaiku then followed these instructions and approached the opening of the place in which the water of life of Kane was kept. After waiting for a moment Aukelenuiaiku reached in with his hands. When the guards saw these hands reaching in they were surprised, for they had never seen such a thing before. Being surprised, they hesitated for a while to study what they should do. The guards then took up some food and placed it into the hands of Aukelenuiaiku, but the hands dropped the food; they then placed some fish in the hands, and still the fish was dropped. The guards then wondered what the hand was reaching for. Finally one of the guards said: “Perhaps the hands are after the water of life of Kane.” One of the other guards thought that this was possible, so the gourd called Huawaiakaula, which held the water of life of Kane, was taken up and placed into the hands of Aukelenuiaiku.

When the gourd was given to Aukelenuiaiku, he came up with it; then he broke off the neck and poured the water into his own gourd; then he proceeded and broke the network of strings that held the gourd. This network was called Paleaikaahalanalana. [97] After doing all this, Aukelenuiaiku began on his flight out of the hole, flying in a direction away from his grandaunt, Luahinekaikapu. But the grandaunt saw all this, and so she wept for her sister, Kamooinanea and her brother Lonoikoualii. She then recited the following mele, one of love for her sister:

“I thought it was at Napili, On the road by which Kanemakua came, The lord, the crown [98] of Kuliliikaua. Lono is human indeed, For he has at times caught Ulaula, the fire, And has fought against Kuluheiua, Killed the heavy rain And routed the rain drops, The fine rain, The continuous rain That fell constantly at Kamakalana, Adjoining the forest belt [99] of Maui, Headwaters [100] of Ikumailani. There is a season, a season of endearment, A season, a season when they become parted. Cut the navel and its cord is severed. Art thou the one? Awake, O Lono! The earth above here is thine, O Kane, Where the waters are drawn up from the ocean, And are again sprinkled by Lonowaimakua. O ye rains! O ye rains!! How I grieve for you two as you drift by, How I long for the wind that blows the fine rain of Kuaihelani.”

While she was weeping and chanting the mele, Aukelenuiaiku was still flying. On this return flight he got tangled in the lama trees and the sound of the broken lama was carried below to the ears of Kamohoalii. When Kamohoalii heard the sound he woke up from his sleep and listened, trying to ascertain the cause of the sound, but after listening for two months no further sound reached him there below. Aukelenuiaiku on the other hand continued on with his flight until he again got tangled up with the loulu palm leaves, and again the sound was carried down below to Kamohoalii. After getting out of the loulu grove he continued on with his flight until he got into the bamboo grove, and the sound of the breaking of the bamboo was carried down to Kamohoalii. By this time Aukelenuiaiku had reached the top of the hole.

We will here pause for a moment in speaking of Aukelenuiaiku and let us take up Kamohoalii. When Aukelenuiaiku entered the lama grove and he became entangled with the trees, the sound of the breaking lama was carried to the ears of Kamohoalii, but not being certain as to the direction from which the sound came, he listened for two months. At the end of the two months he heard the sound of the breaking of the loulu palm leaves, so Kamohoalii knew that the person who had entered these groves was traveling from the bottom of the hole upwards. This he was quite sure, because the sound of the loulu palm leaves was like the sound of thunder; the lama was like the sound of a shell, and the sound of the bamboo was like the beating of the waves against a cliff. By these different sounds and the rotation in which they sounded, Kamohoalii was able to know that the person was on his way out of the hole. Therefore he enquired of those who were guarding the water-gourd, Huawaiakaula: “Where is the water-gourd and the net outside of the gourd?” The guard replied: “You came and took it some time ago.” Kamohoalii then said to them: “I did not come for it.”

After this Kamohoalii flew up until he met Kuemanu, one of the guards on the way up, and asked him: “Have you seen the mischievous man?” Kuemanu replied: “I saw him coming up from below; he is your cousin Aukelenuiaiku, who came for the water of life of Kane for his nephew and older brothers.” When Kamohoalii heard this, he said: “He is a wicked fellow. That is not the proper thing for a cousin to do; he should have come and seen me on the matter, and not steal it. I don’t blame him for taking the water of life, but he has ill-used our grandmother, Huawaiakaula, and our grandfather Paleaikalanalana.” This was because Aukelenuiaiku had broken off the neck of the water gourd, and also pulled to pieces the network of strings that served as the covering.

At the end of the conversation with Kuemanu, Kamohoalii used his greatest efforts in flying, with the idea of overtaking Aukelenuiaiku, when he would fight him. When Kamohoalii reached the top of the hole, he asked of the guard, Kanenaiau: “Have you seen the man that came up from below?” “I have seen him, and it was Aukelenuiaiku, your cousin.” “How long ago since he passed here?” “One year and six months.” When Kamohoalii heard this he seized Kekuaokalani’s stick, Hoolehelehekii, and returned to the bottom of the hole.

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