CHAPTER I.

SEARCH FOR A SUITABLE WIFE.

Kepakailiula was one of the strongest of the sons of Hawaii, who traveled and conquered all those who opposed him on Hawaii, Maui, Oahu and Kauai. He was so fearless and strong that he fought against multitudes who opposed him and won out in all his battles. Kepakailiula [499] was from a hen’s egg. The land of his birth was Keaau, Puna, Hawaii. The father was Ku and the mother Hina. Kiinoho and Kiihele [500] were the adopted parents of Kepakailiula and he was brought up in the land of Paliuli. [501]

When Kepakailiula reached the age of twenty years, it was seen that he was very handsome and pleasant to look upon. He was without blemish; he was perfect from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head. Because of this great beauty, Kiinoho sent Kiihele to travel around Hawaii in search of a wife for Kepakailiula.

Kiihele was a very fast runner and could make three complete circuits of the island of Hawaii in one day. Starting from Paliuli he went first through the district of Hilo, where he found Kukuilauania, a very beautiful woman, but her eyes bulged out, so he left her and continued on his way to Hamakua; then on to Waimea and then to Kohala. From this point he retraced his steps and returned to Paliuli in Puna. When he arrived home his older brother, Kiinoho, asked him: “How was your journey? Have you not found a wife in all your journey?” “No, not one,” said Kiihele. Kiinoho then said to him: “You go toward the rising of the sun, toward Puna.” Kiihele assented to this and started out. All this was on the same day.

On his journey through Puna, he met a very beautiful woman, Kahala by name. She was indeed beautiful; her eyes were beautiful and her form was beautiful to look upon; but she had one fault, her posterior was covered with large lumps, like the kind of hala seeds seen today. Kiihele left Puna and entered into the district of Kau where he found Manienie, another beautiful woman; but her one defect was that her hips were deformed so that she crawled about on her hands and feet, like the manienie [grass] that is now growing. Kiihele then left Kau and entered into Kona, where he found Makolea, a very beautiful woman and very pleasant to look upon. She was without blemish and was so beautiful that she was like the full moon. [502]

Makolea was living with her parents, who were the ruling chiefs of the whole district of Kona. The father’s name was Keauhou and the mother was Kahaluu. [503] Makolea was engaged to marry Kakaalaneo, the king of Maui, because Kakaalaneo was greatly feared by all the chiefs in those days, he being a very powerful man and was very skilful in the use of the spear.