CHAPTER III

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HOW UMI LIVED IN HUMBLE CIRCUMSTANCES.

Umi was very skilful in riding the surf, and he showed this while living in humble life in Laupahoehoe. One day while out surf riding he had a race with Paiea, a man famous in Laupahoehoe as the best surf rider of that place. In this race Paiea crowded Umi up against the rocks, thus bruising his shoulder. Therefore, years after this it was remembered against Paiea, and he was killed by Umi when Hawaii came under his rule.

When the aku season in Laupahoehoe came around, Omaokamau, Piimaiwaa and Koi went out with the people of the place aku fishing, and would come home with aku, adding more joy to the parents of their wives. This, of course, did not help Umi’s cause at all, for his wives’ parents were more disappointed in their son-in-law for not going out to get some aku. So one day the father and mother of the wives of Umi said to their daughters: “If the well-proportioned physique of your husband could only be used paddling a canoe we would have some aku. It was indeed a mistake when you two took him to be your husband.”

Shortly after this Umi was requested by some of the people to go out with them to help paddle their canoe, and Umi, being only too glad to go out, gave his consent and they set out. On this fishing trip Umi showed his great strength, and on their return he was given his share of the catch. In the division Umi saw that the fish given him, although a large one, was taken from under the seat of the paddlers. When Umi saw this he took the fish, but again exchanged it with one of the other paddlers for one that he saw was taken from the middle of the canoe and not from under the seat like the one he had. In asking for the exchange Umi said to the man: “Here, take my aku in exchange for your’s; mine is a larger fish.” The man consented to this and the exchange was made. Umi did not, however, take the fish home to be eaten, but took it and gave it as an offering to his god, Kaili, [148] which was hidden in a crevice in the cliff at Hokuli, in a place which no one but himself knew. Umi after this went out very often to fish for aku, and every time he was given his share he would take some and offer it to Kaili his god at its hiding place.

At about this time people began to see and to wonder at the frequent appearance of a rainbow on the cliff. Kaoleioku, a high priest who was living at this place, also saw the rainbow, and he, too, wondered at its constant appearance; but being of a class well versed in ancient lore, he began a study of the matter and concluded that it must be Umi, for rumors of his disappearance had come to them shortly before this. In order to make sure that his findings were true he decided to test the matter, and so one day he took up a pig and came down to look for Umi. When he entered the house and saw the form of Umi, and how noble and chiefly he looked, he made up his mind that it was indeed Umi. He, however, took the pig and offered it to Umi with a prayer, saying: “Here is the pig, O god, a chief-searching pig.” [149] At the close of his prayer he released the pig and it walked towards Umi. After standing in the presence of Umi for a short time it turned and came back to Kaoleioku. Kaoleioku then asked: “Are you indeed Umi?” “Yes,” said Umi, “it is I.” Kaoleioku then said: “Let us return to my house.” Umi assented and they returned to the home of Kaoleioku. When the father-in-law and mother-in-law as well as the people around the place saw this, they then knew that this young man was the chief Umi, the son of Liloa, the one that they had heard was lost.

Kaoleioku then took Umi and made him his chief and they lived together. As soon as Kaoleioku [150] had finished his preparations for the comfort of his chief, he immediately set his mind to the study of how he could get control of the kingdom for his chief, Umi, for he was well aware that Umi would some day make his mark, and that he would, therefore, receive his share of the benefits. He then began to take to his home all the people that he could find. He also went extensively into the raising of animals, and farming. At the same time he taught the people the use of the spear, built houses where the men were taught everything pertaining to the arts of warfare. It was during this course of education in the arts of warfare that Koi, Omaokamau and Piimaiwaa developed into the great warriors that they proved to be later on.

When Kaoleioku decided to enlist men to help him in gaining his one end, to place Umi as king of Hawaii, he built four large houses for the accommodation of four forties, equal to one hundred and sixty men each. In no time these houses were filled.

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