CHAPTER I.

Of Pupukea and Makakuikalani.—Kamalalawalu and Lonoikamakahiki Surf-Riding.—Pupukea’s Promptness.—Dialogue Between Makakuikalani and Pupukea.

Pupukea was the younger brother of Lonoikamakahiki, [567] the renowned king of Hawaii, who was of royal ancestry, consequently Pupukea was indeed a high chief of Hawaii. His body was stout, yet wiry and muscular. Notwithstanding, however, he was a very celebrated warrior. Because of his bravery and strength in battles, therefore he was famous from Hawaii to Niihau.

On account of Pupukea’s boldness, Lonoikamakahiki entrusted the whole of Hawaii into Pupukea’s hand. [568] It was his to dispossess or to reinstate the chiefs, and to do with as he pleased; and as to Lonoikamakahiki, his was only to exercise royal authority.

When Lonoikamakahiki and Pupukea sailed and arrived at Lele, which is Lahaina, on Maui, Kamalalawalu, [569] the great king of Maui, was living at Keawaiki, in Lele, with his younger brother Makakuikalani.

OF MAKAKUIKALANI.

Makakuikalani [570] was the younger brother of Kamalalawalu, the famous king of Maui, and Makakuikalani was, moreover, a chief throughout Maui. He was a very courageous soldier and a most distinguished warrior of all Maui. Owing to his dauntless spirit and his strength, Kamalalawalu assigned all of Maui to his control. It was his to disfavor and to award according to his desire; and concerning Kamalalawalu, he simply held kingly sway over Maui.

KAMALALAWALU WITH LONOIKAMAKAHIKI SURF-RIDING.

They slept until the night was passed, when Kamalalawalu said to Lonoikamakahiki: “Let us swim out for surf-riding.” Lonoikamakahiki consented. They swam out and, reaching outside of Keawaiki, they commenced to surf; and when the sun was directly overhead (which is the middle of the day) they returned to land, bathed in [fresh] water, then spread out the wet loin cloth to dry, and repaired to the house, and there remained.

During this retirement, Kamalalawalu’s stewards prepared food, meat, awa, and a water basin. [571] Wherefore, Lonoikamakahiki [572] asked Pupukea: “Where is our food and fish; and where is our awa?” Pupukea answered: “They are near by. The meat is chicken, but it is not yet cooked. And as to the awa, it has not been masticated.”

Whereat, Lonoikamakahiki, infuriated by Pupukea, sprang forward and slapped his cheek. Pupukea then took the awa and chewed it. Again Lonoikamakahiki sprang forward and struck Pupukea’s cheek. Pupukea said to Lonoikamakahiki: “What! is the striking first? Why not first speak, and when the narrow openings of the ear hear the charge, then it will be just to slap?”

PUPUKEA’S PROMPTNESS IN THE PREPARATION OF LONOIKAMAKAHIKI’S FOOD.

While Pupukea was chewing the awa in his mouth, he reached forth one of his hands and seized the chicken (one that belonged to Lonoikamakahiki from Oahu [573] here). He tore the leg apart, salted it, and placed it over a charcoal fire, as also the other leg of the chicken and the entire body. Pupukea baked the chicken with the feathers which had not been pulled off, [574] but, when turned over the feathers were consumed by the fire. With the mastication of four mouthfuls of awa, the chicken was cooked. Pupukea squeezed out the awa juice into the awa cup and placed it before Lonoikamakahiki who drank it. Having finished drinking, he ate the chicken; [575] and having completed the meal, Lonoikamakahiki was intoxicated and slept.

At these wonderful performances of Pupukea, an appreciation and strong desire entered Kamalalawalu’s mind, because of the skill and promptness of Pupukea in the preparation of the food, and because of the very short time required by the meal; therefore, Kamalalawalu entreated of the king of Hawaii as follows: “O Kalani! King of Hawaii, it is better that I have our [576] steward, for I highly value his efficiency and promptness.” Lonoikamakahiki replied: “You can not be favored, inasmuch as he is my property-holder of Hawaii. It is his to dispossess, to retain, and to favor the chiefs and the men; to withhold; to fight or not to fight. My part is simply to reign on Hawaii. He is the one that governs the land.”

THE BANTER BETWEEN MAKAKUIKALANI AND PUPUKEA.

Following Lonoikamakahiki’s answer to Kamalalawalu, Makakuikalani remarked regarding Pupukea, as follows: “A low shelf is reached by the rat.” [577] Pupukea answered Makakuikalani, saying: [578]

The short mature [one] is the sphere Who shall sweep the plain entirely; The resistant white sugar-cane of Kohala, That injures your mouth when eaten.

After these words, Lonoikamakahiki inquired of Kamalalawalu: “Where is your land administrator?” Kamalalawalu responded: “There he is, Makakuikalani, the tall man standing yonder.” And when Kamalalawalu had finished speaking to Lonoikamakahiki, relative to his young brother, Makakuikalani, Pupukea answered his taunting words, as follows: [579]

A spider, struck by the kona wind, overturns; A banana bunch, attacked by a wind gust, falls.

By this speech of Pupukea’s, Makakuikalani retorted with his boasting words, as follows:

A shrivelled banana of Kaea, Which ripens not in ten days.

In this dialogue of theirs, one was claiming that he was the more powerful; as also the other. Furthermore, in this banter between them, the words were planted in their minds until the period wherein Kamalalawalu fought against Lonoikamakahiki at Waimea, on Hawaii. There the words of Makakuikalani and Pupukea were carried into effect.

At this point, let us discontinue their narrative and touch upon Kauhiakama, Kamalalawalu’s son, the one that was dispatched to Hawaii to spy.