Page:Journal of American Folklore vol. 12.djvu/595

 Laieikawai. 247

different modes of dress. That there is anything in itself indecent or indelicate in either, I cannot see. A more liberal exposure of the person seems only a greater extension of the region we call face, and the conception of this region has been so various among different races and at different times, that it seems to be regulated by fancy rather than by reason. Among the Turks and other Oriental nations it was confined to one eye ; with us it comprehends that part of the head not covered by hair ; but in full dress of women in capital cities apparently extends to about a fourth of the person ; at the same time, a man appearing in a similar state would be considered to offend against decency ; yet the Scotch kilt is admitted to such assemblies, and, as far as my observation goes, the " philabeg aboon the knee " seems rather to attract than repel the fair sex. In the beginning of the last century, a man showing himself in such attire would have been considered odious and speedily expelled.

I conceive, therefore, that the matter of dress is an affair of cli- mate and fashion, and consequently constitutes no legitimate cri- terion of the character of any people. It seems, therefore, unjust by calling the people inhabiting the Pacific islands naked, to assume that they were of necessity savage.

In illustration of what I have said, I am tempted to give you a specimen of what is to be found in the tales, by sketching the merest outline of a story, and citing more at length the parts of the legend having some relation to ancient beliefs known to us through Greek and Hebrew narrative. It is entitled, from the name of the heroine, Lai-e-i-kawai. It must have been composed at least three hundred years ago, taking as the element for this computation the time ne- cessary for the sea to effect the changes of the coast line which have occurred since it was framed. It cannot have a very remote anti- quity, for Tahiti, which was once frequently visited by Hawaiians, had then receded into the region of the supernatural and of fable.

LAIEIKAWAI.

Once on a time, there was a chief living in Oahu, who held the low lands on the north of that island, named Koolauloa and Kaulan- poko. This chief took to himself a wife, and soon after their union, at a favorable moment when they were quite alone, said to her : " Listen, my wife ; as yet we have been living happily together, but there is something more which I have to tell you. Should you have a child, and should that child be a boy, it would be a happy thing ; he would aid us when we are old, cover our bones when we are dead, and portion out our boundaries, and if you had daughters he might protect them. 1 But if a daughter is your first-born she must die, or

1 We see here the reason for the decision of the chief. An unprotected maiden

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