Page:Journal of American Folklore vol. 12.djvu/600

 252 yournal of American Folk-Lore.

establish herself on the southeast of the island of Hawaii, the largest of the group, at Paliuli, the dark precipice. 1 The seer does not abandon the pursuit, but continues to move from place to place, continually offering sacrifice and praying to his god. Waka, how- ever, had not effected her retreat without misadventure, for in pass- ing from one island to another, the man paddling the canoe had caught a glimpse of the face of Laieikawai, and admiring her extreme beauty, had besought Waka to bid her lower a little the mantle in which she was muffled, in order that he might see something of her person. Waka replies that it is the girl's own desire to be hid from the sight of men, and that she cannot interfere. This being not at all in accordance with her real inclination, Laieikawai contrives to unveil so much of her charms as to dazzle and astonish the man, who sets out to proclaim everywhere her surpassing charms. The fame of her beauty goes abroad, and suitors go in quest of her from various parts. The legend is chiefly occupied with the account of the pursuit, and the adventures thence arising. 2 I give you such

1 Hulumaniani, the prophet of Kauai, after having observed the rainbow for twenty days, has obtained a canoe and fifteen men from the chief of Wailua, pro- vides himself with a black pig, white fowl, and red fish for sacrifice, and sets sail at the rising of the star Sirius. After the departure of Waka, he ascends Mount Kaala, and sees the rainbow over the island of Molokai ; Waka is finally advised in a dream to remove to Hawaii, and dwell at Paliuli. The seer arrives at Hana, and there erects a shrine for the worship of his patron deity ; in the seventh month of the year he sees the rainbow on the windward side of Hawaii. On the third day of the next month he offers fervent prayer in his oratory, and sees the shadows of Waka and her charge, whom he is informed by his god are living in Paliuli, in the forest of Puna, in a house thatched with the yellow feathers of the 00 j he reaches Kaiwilahilahi, where he remains some years without being able to obtain further information. It is during this sojourn that takes place the episode of the wooing of Aiwohikupua. Such is the course of the story as related in Legends and Myths.

2 While the seer is at Kaiwilahilahi, the king of Kauai returns from his wedding journey and holds a great feast. At this festival he describes his meeting with the princess of Paliuli, and extols her supernatural beauty. The extraordinary circumstances of the visit are related. The king sends his kahu or counsellor with a request for a meeting. The approach of the princess is announced by the singing of the bird iiwipolena. Here the account becomes literal: "Then a shadow fell on the door, and we were enveloped," said the king, " in a thick fog, and when it cleared away, the princess was seen in her glorious beauty, borne on the wings of birds." It is by listening to this story that the interest of Aiwohi- kupua is awakened. Again, when the sisters of the latter have finally reached the bower of Laieikawai, they find her resting on the wings of birds, with two iiivipolenas perched on her shoulders. The sisters are received as her compan- ions, and fed by birds. In the case of the seer, a bird also appears to take the place of a chariot.

According to the glossary of Legends and Myths, kahu signifies " a nurse or guardian of a child." It would seem, therefore, that, as in mediaeval romances, the "governor" (we still say governess) remains with the full-grown lord or lady as servant, adviser, and friend.

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