CHAPTER V.

RELATING TO KAHAKALOA.—HIS DEATH BY KAWELO.

While Kaehuikiawakea was speaking with Aikanaka, the warrior Kahakaloa, stood up and chanted his boast that Kawelo will never escape him; continuing, he said: “When did Kawelo ever learn the arts of warfare? While he was here living with us before he sailed for Oahu, where he married the daughter of Kalonaikahailaau, he knew nothing about fighting. If the strokes of the war club learned by him are those of his father-in-law, then he will never escape me, because I have fought against his father-in-law and our clubs only tapped one another; he was not killed and I was not killed.” When he finished boasting, he proceeded on down the hill with two hundred men, and when they reached the bottom, the fighting began. Kamalama then slew all the men with the exception of Kahakaloa whom he did not tackle. When Kawelo saw Kahakaloa, he chanted as follows:

The great haka; [47] the small haka; the long haka; The haka for the putting up of calabashes; Perhaps on this day, it shall be done.

Kahakaloa then said to Kawelo: “My name was not given me as a place to hang up calabashes. Kahaka, chief of Kauai, is my name.” Soon after this, they both stood up, Kawelo with his war club, Kuikaa, and Kahakaloa with his war club. They both raised their war clubs together. Kahakaloa swung his war club sideways, hitting Kawelo in the middle, staggering him. Kawelo then raised his club with a swirl from the ground, cutting the small toe, the small finger and the tip of the ear off the same side. Kawelo then fell to the ground and laid there. As Kawelo was lying on the ground, Kaehuikiawakea said to Kahakaloa: “Strike him another blow, so as to kill him, for I see his eyes staring at us.” When Kahakaloa heard this, he answered by chanting the following lines:

He is dead, for it is the blow from the young; The young makes but one blow to kill, Else he will go down to Milu [48] And say that he was struck twice [49] by Kahakaloa. Thus was Kawelo the great soldier killed.

Kahakaloa then said to Kaehuikiawakea: “Let us return and partake of some food and when our hunger is satisfied, then I will come down and kill my opponent.” [50] The two then returned. Upon their arrival on the top of Nounou hill, Kahakaloa said: “I have downed Kawelo. I have returned to have something to eat, and when I have satisfied my hunger, I will then return and kill my opponent.” When Aikanaka heard this, he ordered his two chief stewards, Kapinaonuianio and Nioiwawalu, to cook [51] a chicken for Kahakaloa. When Aikanaka saw that the small toe of one of Kahakaloa’s feet was cut off, he asked: “Why is your small toe cut?” Kahakaloa replied: “Such a thing is bound to be cut off sooner or later, for it sticks out so.” Aikanaka again asked: “And your small finger, what has become of it?” “Such a thing too is bound to be cut off, for it projects out so.” “And your ear?” “That also is bound to be cut off, for it curves out so at the top.”

After the chicken was cooked, Kahakaloa proceeded to have his meal and he ate thereof until he was satisfied. After finishing the food in the calabash, he took the empty calabash and placed it over his head and started on down the hill. When he reached the bottom, Kamalama saw him and so he informed Kawelo of the fact saying: “Here comes a bald-headed man down the hill; his forehead is awfully shiny.” Kawelo then said to Kamalama: “That is not a bald-headed man, it is Kahakaloa. He went on back to have something to eat, and, after finishing the food that was in the calabash, he has taken the calabash and put it on his head. That is the reason it is so shiny.”

Upon the arrival of Kahakaloa in the presence of Kawelo, he discovered that Kawelo was sitting up. Kaehuikiawakea then said to Kahakaloa: “Kawelo has come to life again, therefore you the soldier will be killed. I cannot be killed, for I am a runner.”

When Kawelo saw Kahakaloa approaching, he stood up and prepared for the conflict. Kahakaloa was also preparing himself and stood on the defensive. Kawelo then raised his club and tapped the forehead of Kahakaloa, and forcing the calabash down over his eyes; before Kahakaloa could uncover his eyes, Kawelo again raised his club Kuikaa and struck Kahakaloa, killing him.

After the death of Kahakaloa, Kaehuikiawakea returned to the top of the hill to report to Aikanaka the death of Kahakaloa. Upon his arrival in the presence of Aikanaka, Aikanaka asked him: “Where is Kahakaloa?” “He is dead.” Aikanaka then said: “How could it be possible for a man that was maimed [52] as he was to live? I suppose he was allowed to come back so that I could see for myself that it was the king’s pig, [53] for his ear was cut off.”