Page:Journal of American Folklore vol. 12.djvu/599

 Laieikawai. 251

served a rainbow hanging from a particular spot of the island of Oahu. He watched it for a day or two, and saw that it did not depend on the weather, for it was there whether the day was misty or in clear sunshine. To fully satisfy himself, he made another tour of the island, and on returning and again ascending the mountain, saw that the rainbow retained its place. He became convinced by his art that the rainbow marked the abode of some one who was or would become a great alii (king or chief, queen or chieftainess), and on whom his own fortunes would in a great measure depend, lie therefore resolved to visit Oahu, and discover who this alii might be. He does so, and, guided by the rainbow, comes to the deep pond and waterfall. " This," he exclaims, " is no place for an alii to inhabit ; what can be the meaning of what I beheld ? " At this moment he observes in the smooth waters of the pond a swirl like that left by a swimmer or diver, and concludes that such a one had been present, and fled at his approach. He therefore resolves to wait and watch. In reality, Waka had just visited her grandchild, and had reached her by diving under the waterfall, the only passage to her habitation.

I may observe, that according to the ancient belief of the Hawai- ians, a rainbow was an attendant on great chiefs, especially such as were descended from the gods, and that to my mind it seems a probable supposition that the halo with which painters encircle holy persons had its rise from this superstition.

After a while Waka set out on her return ; but while still under the surface of the water, she sees a man on the top of the precipice bordering the pond, and fearing that it was the father of Laieikawai, who had obtained some inkling of the deceit practised on him, she retreats. Toward evening she makes a second essay, but finds that the stranger retains his place, and defers any further attempt until night, when she manages to escape together with her grandchild, and begins a search for a more secure abode. She has a great charge, but by this time Laieikawai has grown to be a young girl of surpassing beauty, and with the Polynesians of that period beauty was all powerful. With them Mr. Darwin's principle of natural selection seems to have reigned supreme. Waka is therefore con- scious that in her grandchild a great treasure has come to her, and when she shall have come to riper years is ambitious to wed her to the head chief of Kauai. In this scheme she is aided by the priest who has undertaken to care for the twin sister. Her first object, therefore, is to find a safe retreat, her second to conceal Laieikawai from all eyes. The seer of Kauai again determines to follow the great alii, in esse or in posse, whom the rainbow has discovered to him. This pursuit Waka dreads, and aided by the priest of Koolau, who appears to her in dreams, manages to throw him out, and to

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