CHAPTER I.

BIRTH AND EARLY LIFE OF KAWELO.—HIS CHANGE TO OAHU AND FAME ATTAINED THERE.

Maihuna was the father and Malaiakalani was the mother of Kawelo, who was born in Hanamaulu, [1] Kauai. There were five children in the family. The first was Kawelomahamahaia; the second was Kaweloleikoo. These two were males; after these two came Kaenakuokalani, a female; next to her was Kaweloleimakua and the last child was Kamalama. Kaweloleimakua, or Kawelo is the subject of this story.

The parents of Malaiakalani [the mother] were people who were well versed in the art of foretelling the future of a child, by feeling of its limbs, and by looking over the child, they could tell whether it would grow up to be brave and strong, or whether it would some day rule as king. At the birth of the two older brothers of Kawelo, these old people examined them, but found nothing wonderful about them. This examination was followed by the two on Kawelo, upon his birth. After the examination the old people called the parents of Kawelo and said to them: “Where are you two? This child of yours is going to be a soldier; he is going to be a very powerful man and shall some day rule as king.” Because of these wonderful traits, the old people took Kawelo and attended to his bringing up themselves. It was after this that Kamalama, the younger brother of Kawelo was born.

Shortly after the birth of Kamalama, the grandparents of Kawelo moved over to Wailua, where they took up their residence, taking their grandchild Kawelo along with them. At this time, while Kawelo was being brought up, Aikanaka, the son of the king of Kauai was born, and also Kauahoa of Hanalei. All these three were born and brought up together. [2]

Kawelo as a child was a very great eater; he could not satisfy his hunger on anything less than all the food of one umu to a meal. Kawelo ate so much that his grandparents began to get tired of keeping him in food, so at last they began to search for something to entice Kawelo away from the house and in that way get him to forget to eat. One day they went up to the woods and hewed out a canoe. After it was brought down to the sea shore it was rigged up and given to Kawelo. As soon as Kawelo got the canoe he paddled it up and down the Wailua river, and after this it became an object of great interest to him every day.

When Kauahoa saw Kawelo with his canoe day after day enjoying himself, he got it into his mind to make himself something to enjoy himself with; so he made himself a kite, and after it was completed he flew it up. When Kawelo saw the kite he took a liking to it and so went home to his grandparents and requested them to make him a kite. [3] The grandparents thereupon made Kawelo a kite and after it was completed he took it out and flew it up. When Kauahoa saw Kawelo with a kite he came with his and they flew them together. While they were flying their kites, Kawelo’s kite became entangled with Kauahoa’s kite which caused Kauahoa’s to break away and it was carried by the wind till it landed at Koloa, to the west. The name of the place where the kite landed is known as Kahooleinapea to this day, because of the fall of Kauahoa’s kite there.

After Kauahoa’s kite was broken away, Kawelo looked at Kauahoa with the belief that surely Kauahoa would come and attack him; but since Kauahoa did not come Kawelo said within himself: “Kauahoa will never overcome me if we should ever meet in any future battle.” Kauahoa was a much larger boy than Kawelo, still he was afraid of him. [4]

After flying their kites, they went in swimming and riding down the rapids. In this Kawelo again showed himself to be more skilful than Kauahoa, which caused Kawelo to be more sure in his belief that Kauahoa will never overcome him in the future. Kawelo and Kauahoa were not separated from one another in the matter of their relationship; they were connected, and so was the young chief, Aikanaka. He was connected in blood to the two boys, a fact which made Aikanaka something like an older brother and lord to them. Everything Aikanaka wished was granted to him, whether in stringing wreaths, or other things, they never denied him anything.

While Kawelo and his grandparents were living at Wailua with Aikanaka and the others, Kawelo’s older brothers, together with their grandparents, left Kauai and came to live in Waikiki, Oahu. Kakuhihewa was the king of Oahu at this time. There was living with Kakuhihewa, a very strong man who was a famous wrestler. This man used to meet the older brothers of Kawelo in several wrestling bouts but they never could throw him down. The brothers of Kawelo were great surf riders, and they often went to ride the surf at Kalehuawehe. [5] After the surf ride they would go to the stream of Apuakehau and wash, and from there they would go to the shed where the wrestling bouts were held and test their skill with Kakuhihewa’s strong man; but in all their trials they never once were able to throw him.

While living separated from each other, the older brothers of Kawelo being in Oahu, their grandparents, who were with Kawelo in Wailua, after a while, began to long for a sight of the other grandchildren, so one day they sailed for Oahu, bringing Kawelo with them, and they landed at Waikiki where they were met by the older brothers of Kawelo. After deciding to make their home in Waikiki, Kawelo took up farming and also took unto himself a wife, Kanewahineikiaoha, the daughter of Kalonaikahailaau, and they lived together as husband and wife.

While Kawelo was one day working in his fields, he heard some shouting down toward the beach, so he inquired of his grandparents: “What is that shouting down yonder?” The grandparents answered: “It is your brothers; they have been out surf riding and are now wrestling with Kakuhihewa’s strong man. One of them must have been thrown, hence the shouting you hear.” When Kawelo heard this he became very anxious to go down and see it; but his grandparents would not consent. [6] On the next day, however, Kawelo went down on his own account and saw his older brothers surf riding with many others at Kalehuawehe. He asked for a board which was given him and he swam out with it to where his brothers were waiting for the surf, and they came in together. After the surf riding, they went to the stream of Apuakehau and took a fresh water bath; and from there they went to the shed where the wrestling bouts were to be held. Upon their arrival at the shed Kawelo stood up with the strong man to wrestle. At sight of this Kawelo’s older brothers said to him: “Are you strong enough to meet that man? If we whose bones are older cannot throw him, how much less are the chances of yourself, a mere youngster.” Kawelo, however, paid no heed to the remarks made by his brothers, but stood there facing the strong man. At this show of bravery the strong man said to Kawelo: “If I should call out, ‘Kahewahewa, it is raining’, [7] then we begin.” Kawelo then replied in a mocking way: “Kanepuaa, he is biting, wait awhile, wait awhile. Don’t cut the land of Kahewahewa, it is raining.” [8] While Kawelo was having his say, the strong man of Kakuhihewa was awarded the privilege of taking the first hold; and using his whole strength he attempted to throw Kawelo. Kawelo was almost thrown, but through his great strength and skill he was not. Kawelo, after mocking the man, took his hold and threw the strong man, who was thrown with Kawelo on top of him. This delighted the people so much that they all shouted.

When the older brothers of Kawelo saw how the strong man was thrown by their younger brother they were ashamed, and they returned home weeping and tried to deceive their grandparents. When they arrived at the house the grandparents asked them: “Why these tears?” They replied: “Kawelo threw stones at us. We are therefore going back to Kauai.” After the brothers of Kawelo had returned to Kauai, Kawelo and his wife and younger brother Kamalama lived on at Waikiki.

Not very long after this Kawelo began to learn dancing, but being unable to master this he dropped it and took up the art of war under the instruction of his father-in-law, Kalonaikahailaau. Kamalama also took up this art as well as Kanewahineikiaoha. After Kawelo had mastered the art of warfare, he took up fishing. Maakuakeke of Waialae was the fishing instructor of Kawelo.

Early in the morning Kawelo would get up and start out from Waikiki going by way of Kaluahole, Kaalawai, and so on to Waialae where he would chant out:

Say, Maakuakeke, Fishing companion of Kawelo, Wake up, it is daylight, the sun is shining, The sun has risen, it is up. Bring along our hooks Together with the fishing kit As well as our net. Say, Maakuakeke, The rattling paddles, The rattling top covering, The rattling bailing cup, wake up, it is daylight.

While Kawelo was chanting, Maakuakeke’s wife heard it, so she woke her husband up saying: “Wake up, I never heard your grandparents chant your name so pleasingly as has Kawelo this morning. No, not even your parents. This is the first time that I have heard such a pleasing chant.” Maakuakeke then woke up, made ready everything called out by Kawelo in the chant, went out, boarded the canoe and they set out. As they were going along, Maakuakeke called out to Kawelo in a chant as follows:

Say, Kawelo-lei-makua, stop. Say, offspring of the cliffs of Puna, The eyes of Haloa are above, My lord, my chiefly fisherman of Kauai.

“Yes, yes,” [9] replied Kawelo.

Maakuakeke then said to Kawelo: “Here is the place that we used to fish; and when the fish were caught we went shoreward, together with the wife and the child.” Kawelo replied: “This is not the fishing ground. The place for fish is at the cape of Kaena.” Kawelo also told Maakuakeke to sit securely in the canoe, lest he might be pitched over. With one stroke of the paddle by Kawelo, they passed outside of Mamala; [10] with the second stroke they were at Puuloa; [11] and on the third stroke they arrived at Waianae. When they arrived off Waianae, Kawelo picked up the kukui nuts, [12] chewed them and then blew it on the sea to calm it, so that the bottom could be seen, as they were fishing for the uhu. They fished from shallow to deep water and caught a number of fishes. On this going out into deep water, Maakuakeke knew that they would come to the place of Uhumakaikai [13] (a marvelous fish); therefore Maakuakeke said to Kawelo in chant, as follows:

O Kaweloleimakua, hearken! O offspring of the cliffs of Puna! The eyes of Haloa are above, My lord, my chiefly fisherman of Kauai.

“I am here, yes, I am here,” responded Kawelo.

Maakuakeke then said: “Let us return, it is late.” They then returned and in a short time they arrived at Waialae. Kawelo then took up two uhus, [14] one for Kamalama and one for his wife, Kanewahineikiaoha, and he came on home to Waikiki. Upon his arrival, he entered the Apuakehau stream and had a bath. After his bath, he returned to the house and then called out to his chief steward, Puikikaulehua, for food and meat. The chief steward then brought forty calabashes of poi and forty small packages of baked pork and placed them before Kawelo, who then began his meal. But these were not sufficient, and he again called for some more. The chief steward again brought the same quantity as before, [15] which amount satisfied his hunger.

As the sun was nearing the horizon, Kawelo would then call to his wife, Kanewahineikiaoha, as follows:

Say, Kanewahineikiaoha, Bring the mat of Halahola And the pillow of Kaukekeha, And the kapa of Maakuiaikalani And let us look at the small pointed clouds [16] of the land; For the small pointed clouds, Kamalama, denote oppression, For I feel the cold anticipation of coming danger entering within me. Consumed, for Kauai is consumed by fire! Consumed, for Haupu is consumed by fire! Consumed, for Kalanipuu is consumed by fire! Consumed, for Kalalea is consumed by fire! Consumed, for Kahiki is consumed by fire! Consumed, for the eel has ceased moving, being consumed by the fire! For love has brought the fond remembrance Of Maihuna, parent of Kawelo; Possibly my parents are dead.

Kanewahineikiaoha then replied to Kawelo: “How quickly you have gone to Kauai and back again, Kawelo, and seen that your parents are dead!” Kawelo then made reply by chanting:

If your parents were dead instead, You would weep for love of them, And the water would run from your nose. But alas, it is my parents that are dead— The parents of Kawelo.

Kawelo slept that night until daylight, when he again set out for Waialae to his instructor in the art of fishing, Maakuakeke, and they again set out on a fishing cruise.

On this trip they went as far as the Kaena point, at Waianae. Upon arriving at this fishing ground, they immediately began fishing; and in a short time Kawelo got so busy pulling up the uhu that they were overtaken by a rain and wind-storm. When Maakuakeke saw the storm, he urged upon Kawelo to return, for he knew that when the rain and wind are encountered, that it was the sure sign of the coming of Uhumakaikai. Knowing this, he urged upon Kawelo to return, but Kawelo would not consent to it. Kawelo, on the other hand, knew that they were to meet the great fish, Uhumakaikai, so he insisted on looking down at the bottom of the sea and blowing chewed kukui nut over the surface of the sea. While he was busily doing this, Uhumakaikai passed by. When Kawelo saw it, he reached for his net and made ready to catch the great fish. As Uhumakaikai came nearer, he was caught in the net and immediately they were towed out to mid-ocean by this fish. When they looked behind them, they saw that the houses and the line of surf at Waianae had disappeared. At seeing this Maakuakeke called out to Kawelo:

Say, Kaweloleimakua, Let us land. Say, offspring of the cliffs of Puna, The eyes of Haloa [17] are above, My lord, my chiefly fisherman of Kauai.

Kawelo answered back: “Yes, I am here, yes.” Maakuakeke said: “Cut away our fish and let us return.” Kawelo replied: “Why should we cut away the fisherman’s opponent?”

The fish in the meantime kept on towing them away until the Kaala mountain disappeared. As the sea was coming in over the sides of the canoe, for they were traveling at a very great rate of speed, Kawelo laid down over the open canoe and in this way kept out the sea from entering it. When next Maakuakeke looked behind, he saw that Oahu had disappeared, and he began to fear death.

The great fish Uhumakaikai did not cease pulling all that day and night until the next morning when, after paddling for some time they came to the west of Niihau and in time passed Manawaikeao; they next passed off Hulaia, Kauai. When they reached there Maakuakeke said to Kawelo: “Say, there is a large land above us. What land is it?” Kawelo replied: “It is Kauai.” Maakuakeke again said to Kawelo: “If after this we should ever come and make war on Kauai and should win, let me have Kapaa as my land.” Kawelo replied: “It shall be yours.” They continued on until they were off Hanalei, when Maakuakeke again inquired: “What land is this?” Kawelo replied: “It is Hanalei.” Maakuakeke again asked: “Let me also own Hanalei.” After this they turned and made for Oahu, and Maakuakeke began to think that they were safe. On nearing the place where Uhumakaikai was caught in the net, Kawelo stood up and prayed as follows:

Of the first night, of the second night, Of the third night, of the fourth night, Of the fifth night, of the sixth night, Of the seventh night, of the eighth night, Of the ninth night, they have all gone. The numerous nights, The innumerable nights.

The curly hair was born, The straight hair was born, The one with the cut hair was born, The reproachful one was born.

Wake up and inquire. You are caught, You are killed by the double stranded fish line, The fish-line of my grandmother; By her was it braided. Let the rain return to the eyes of the lehua, Let the small pointed clouds return to Kahiki Where they shall indeed remain.

At the close of the prayer offered by Kawelo, he pulled Uhumakaikai out of the sea; it was dead by his prayer. After Kawelo had caught hold of the great fish, he pulled it along the side of the canoe and it extended from the bow to the stern.

At about this time, when the great fish was dead, a couple of messengers who had been sent to bring Kawelo arrived from Kauai and landed at Waikiki. They had been sent by the sister of Kawelo—they were Kaweloikiakoo [18] and Kooakapoko—to bring Kawelo to Kauai, because the great strength of Kawelo had become famous all over Kauai, and it was thought that with this strength a successful war could be waged against Aikanaka, who had taken unto himself all the lands owned by the parents of Kawelo at Hanamaulu. When Aikanaka took possession of the lands, he left them without land to cultivate or sea to fish in; in fact, they were left destitute. Their one food was head lice and nits.

At about the time Uhumakaikai was caught by Kawelo, Kaweloikiakoo and his companion, when they set out from Kauai, brought with them one of Kawelo’s gods, Kulanihehu by name, also four lice apiece as food for their journey. Reaching mid-channel of Kaieiewaho, between Kauai and Oahu, they took up their lice and ate them. In eating their meal, they forgot to offer them first to the god, consequently, shortly after they had finished eating, they were overtaken by a severe storm, which greatly delayed them. Early the next morning, they began to study the cause of this storm, and they found that it was because they had neglected the god when they partook of their evening meal, so they sued for forgiveness by offering the following prayer:

Of the first night, of the second night, Of the third night, of the fourth night, Of the fifth night, of the sixth night, Of the seventh night, of the eighth night, Of the ninth night, the nights are all gone.

At the close of the prayer, the storm abated and they continued on their way. Early the next day, they saw the top of the Kaala mountain, and they felt assured of their arrival in Oahu. That morning, before the heat of the sun could be felt, they landed at Waikiki. Upon their arrival, they met Kamalama and asked for Kawelo. Kamalama replied: “He has gone out fishing and has been away all of yesterday and all of last night and has not yet returned.” The messengers then said to Kamalama: “We have come for him, for his parents are about to die from starvation, their only food being head lice and nits, for Aikanaka has taken away all their lands in Hanamaulu, all the food and the fish and they are without anything. We have therefore come for Kawelo to go to Kauai.” Kamalama then sent two certain men, Kalohipikonui and Kalohipikoikipuwaawaa, to go for Kawelo. These two were very loud-voiced men; if they called from Waikiki, they could be heard at Ewa; and if they called from Ewa, they could be heard at Waianae. It was because of this that these two men were sent by Kamalama to go for Kawelo. Before they started out, Kamalama instructed them saying: “You two must remember the names of these two men from Kauai, so that in case Kawelo should ask you who they are you would be able to tell him their names. When you see Kawelo, keep at some distance away from him and then inform him of your errand; don’t on any account get near him.”

When the two men started out, their canoe was overturned, and, in righting their canoe and in bailing and paddling it, they forgot the names of the two men from Kauai. When they at last saw Kawelo, they called out: “Say, Kawelo, your uncles have arrived from Kauai.” Kawelo asked: “Who are they?” They replied: “We were told their names, but on our way we were overturned and in righting our canoe, and, in the bailing and paddling of it, we forgot their names. But you know they are your uncles, and you can think for yourself who they are, for we are going back.” At this Kawelo answered by a chant as follows:

Hikiula is however sailing off, With Hikikea, as the canoe sails on its way. The Ohiki [19] digs its own hole, The aama [20] runs on the dry land, The paiea [21] lives in the cracks, The lobster lives in a large hole, The eel plays on the waves, The opule [22] fish go in schools on a cloudy day. The teeth of the halahala [23] fish show like a cross dog. I now fondly remember of Auau, of Apehe, My companions of Ulalena; For my breast is beating, ye two, As I remember of our childhood days. O, how close we were in those days!

The two men then said: “There was nothing like aa in their names; the names sounded differently.” Kawelo then chanted again as follows:

Kila arrived in the evening; The thin pig was killed, And sacrifices were offered to Kaneikapualena The all powerful god of my grandfather. The rain and the wind ceased, Which calmed the raging sea and the rising tide. They sailed out to sea. The messengers had crabs for their food, Kaweloikiakoo and Kooakapoko, Younger brothers of my mother. Are they the ones that arrived?

The two men replied: “Yes, you have their names and also the name of your god, Kulanihehu.” Because they spoke of his god, Kawelo became very angry and wanted to kill the two men, in order that they be used as sacrifice for his god. He therefore chased after them, and they were almost caught, when they pointed their canoes and made for the shoals within the line of breakers along the Waianae coast. When Kawelo saw this, he followed right along behind the two. In doing this, Kawelo forgot about his fish and it got stranded, so he made again for deep water. While he was doing this, the two men arrived at Waikiki, where they told of their narrow escape from death. Kamalama then said: “I warned you not to get too near to him.” While they were talking, Kawelo, Maakuakeke and the great fish arrived; and Uhumakaikai was put ashore. As Kawelo landed, Kauluiki, Kaulunui, Kauluwaho, Kaulukauloko, Kauluikialaalaa, Kauluaiole and Kaulupamakani, [24] came up all armed with their spears. These men were very skilful in the use of the spear. When they came up to Kawelo, they began throwing their spears at him, which Kawelo warded off, for they were as mere playthings [25] to him. When the men were throwing their spears at Kawelo, the messengers from Kauai said to Kawelo: “Say, you will surely get hit and be killed, and you will not be able to get to Kauai.” Kamalama replied: “They are but as a bath to him.”

After this Kaeleha and Kalaumeki came up and threw their spears at Kawelo. After they were through, Kawelo called out to Kamalama in a chant as follows:

Say, little Kamalama, My younger brother, my younger brother, Bring out our small spears, Our sharp pointed ones.

Kamalama then picked out Kapuaokekau and Kapuaokahooilo, two spears, and said to Kawelo:

Set your eyes at my spear, Wink and you will be pierced through.

Kamalama then poised himself with firmness and threw a spear at Kawelo. At this throw, the spear struck the breast of Kawelo glancingly, and it flew up and into the sea beyond the further line of breakers. Kamalama then took up the second spear and threw it at Kawelo, when Kawelo chanted forth:

The points of the spears of Kamalama passed very near to my navel; Perchance it is the sign of land possession.

At the close of the spear throwing, Kawelo proceeded to the Apuakehau stream and had his bath; after his bath, he returned to the house and ordered his chief steward, Puikikaulehua to bring him some food and meat. The chief steward then brought him forty calabashes of poi and forty packages of baked pork, and Kawelo began his meal. But this did not satisfy him, so another like amount was brought, which at last satisfied him.

After this meal, Kawelo turned and asked of his two uncles from Kauai: “What has brought you here to Oahu?” The uncles answered: “We have come for you. Your parents have been driven away to a different place, having neither food nor fish. Their one food is head lice and nits. As your strength has been voiced all over Kauai, your parents have sent us to come and request of you to go and make war on Aikanaka. That is the mission that has brought us here. Let us therefore sail.”

After Kawelo had heard the message from the men from Kauai, he called for his wife, Kanewahineikiaoha, to go to their father in Koolau, Kalonaikahailaau, and procure from him a certain stroke [26] of the war club. He said: “Go and ask for the stroke called Wahieloa.” Kanewahineikiaoha consented to do this. Kawelo then continued: “Also ask for the bow and arrows that are used for shooting rats, and also bring the axe used for hewing out canoes, for I need them as weapons to fight Aikanaka with.” At the conclusion of Kawelo’s instructions to his wife, she started out. After she had passed by the stream of Apuakehau and the coconut grove of Kuaakaa, Kawelo then said to Kamalama: “Follow after your sister-in-law so that you will be able to hear the unkind remarks of my father-in-law.” [27]