Page:Pele and Hiiaka; a myth from Hawaii (IA pelehiiakamythfr00emeriala).pdf/84



Hiiaka repeated her demands in varying form with no other effect than to make the toll-keepers more stubborn in their ridiculous demands. Not even when Hiiaka, as if to cap the climax of their absurdity, ended her demand with this ironical request:

Hiiaka now openly denounced the two sorcerers as being simply mo'o in disguise, entirely wanting in those generous feelings that belong to godhood. "These creatures are simply mo'o. If I attack them, they will run for their lives."

The people, failing to recognize Hiiaka as their deliverer, spiritless from long habituation to the fraudulent dominion of these imposters, fearful also of their vengeance, stoutly opposed Hiiaka, affirming that Pili-a-mo'o and Noho-a-mo'o were gods in reality, having great power and capable of doing many wonderful things. They declared their readiness to back their opinion with their property, yes, with their lives. They were at length persuaded, however, to accept as decisive the test proposed by Hiiaka, namely, that, if they fled when attacked, they should cease to be regarded as gods and should be dealt with as imposters.