Page:Journal of American Folklore vol. 12.djvu/601

 Laieikawai. 253

fragmentary portions as seem more particularly illustrative of the beliefs and manners of the time.

Aiwohikupua, a chief of the island of Kauai, had vowed never to form any intimate connection with a woman of the islands, inasmuch as he had been deceived in those on which he had already entered, and concluding from information which he had received about her that Laieikawai must be from Tahiti, this was one great motive for his desire to form a union with her. Her reported beauty was the other. He therefore selects one of his followers as counsellor and companion, and embarks in a double canoe with a crew of twenty to make the voyage. They arrive at Kipahulu on the island of Maui, where he lands, and determines to proceed by land to Hana, a dis- tance of about twelve miles.

His counsellor accompanies him, while the canoe goes on by sea. As he walks along, his great personal beauty attracts all eyes, and gathers round him a throng of followers. Arrived at Haneoo, at that time the harbor of Hana, which has since been laid open by the encroachments of the sea, they find all the people engaged in the sport of hunalu, "gliding on the waves," which they generally do on surf-boards. Among the players is a lovely girl, the daughter of a chief, Hinaikamalama by name. While they are admiring her, the counsellor whispers to his chief that it would be better to withdraw a little, lest they be entangled by her charms into some adventure prejudicial to their main enterprise, but when they are about to do so, Hinaikamalama, who seems to have been fascinated by the manly beauty of Aiwohikupua, calls the two distinguished strangers to join in the sport, and afterwards partake the hospitality of her father's house. This they consent to do, and when the hunalu is over, Hi- naikamalama invites the chief to play with her a game of chance called Kanane. Before beginning, she asks him what the stakes shall be. He proposes to venture his double canoe ; she objects and says : " Here is an easily managed stake, our persons. If I gain them, you must do whatever I command, that is not inconsistent with pro- priety. If I lose, then I shall be in like manner under your com- mand. He agrees. They play, and he loses. Finding himself in difficulty, he endeavors to escape by speaking as follows (but I abridge his words) : "lam well pleased with the issue of our wager, but I cannot now remain and be your servant, for I am under oath to make the circuit of the island of Hawaii before entering into any engagement with any woman. When I return, I will be your ser- vant. Until then, I require of you to keep yourself secluded from all intercourse with men, else I shall hold that you have forfeited your claim on me." He then takes his leave, and on the day after arriving at Kauhola on Hawaii, he sees a great concourse of people

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