212 Fornaiidcr Colirrtioii of Haivaiian Folk-lore. 



We will now recall the incident of the snrf-board race which was held between 

 Paiea and Umi, while Umi was living in Laupahoehoe, mentioned in Chapter III, the 

 details of which were not fully described. 



While Umi was living in humble circumstances in Waipunalei, Hilo, he and 

 Koi one day went down to the beach at Laupahoehoe, the great bathing place in those 

 days, where they saw Paiea and several people of the place out surf riding. While 

 looking on they often heard praises of Paiea and his great skill in the use of the surf 

 board. Umi approached one of the people of the place and whispered to him : "Is that 

 the best Paiea can do, just to rise up with the surf and fall back again? That is not 

 the way surf is ridden in our land. One must ride clear to the edge of the beach be- 

 fore he can be called an expert." When the fellow heard this he went over to Paiea 

 and repeated to him what he had heard. Upon hearing this expression of criticism 

 against his skill as a surf rider, he called Umi to come to him. When Umi came up 

 to Paiea, he was asked: "Is it true that you passed the remark that has been reported 

 to me by this man?" Umi replied: "It was only a casual remark on my part; I did 

 not think that he would take it seriously." Paiea then said to Umi: "Let us have a 

 race surf riding. If you beat me I will be your servant, and if I beat you, you will be 

 mine." Umi accepted the challenge and wager. Not satisfied with this wager, Paiea 

 further put up two double canoes and one single canoe against Umi's whale's tooth 

 necklace. Again Paiea offered four double canoes thinking to wager them against the 

 bones of Umi,' but a young man belonging to Laupahoehoe stepped in and helped 

 Umi by matching four double canoes against the four offered by Paiea. This young 

 man was very wealthy, but Paiea's stock of wealth was already exhausted. Because 

 of this assistance to Umi b}^ the young man, Paiea said to him: "If your intention was 

 to conspire against me I would have been killed, for you have very many relatives." 

 Paiea was but a petty chief under Liloa, while the young man was a high chief, a resi- 

 dent descendant of the soil of Hilo and Hamakua. 



After the bets had been decided on, Umi and Paiea swam out to the point where 

 the surf rose before breaking and there floated waiting for a surf to form. After they 

 were in position, Paiea upon seeing the first surf called out to Umi: "Let us take this 

 one." But Umi said, "No". On the approach of the second surf, Paiea again called 

 out to Umi: "Let us take this one." Again Umi refused to take it. On the approach 

 of the third surf, Umi called out: "Let us take this one." "Yes," said Paiea and they 

 then caught the svirf at the same time and away they came in on the same surf. As 

 they neared a rock that was in their way, Umi was crowded by Paiea against this rock. 

 When Umi saw his predicament he made a turn, passing the coral rock on the inside, 

 and rode clear to the edge of the beach, beating Paiea. As Umi stepped on to the 

 beach, Koi saw the bruise on the shoulder of Umi, so he went up to him and whispered: 

 "After you have become the king of the land I shall slay Paiea." 



In this defeat of Paiea by Umi he lost all his property to the young man who 

 backed Umi, except the canoes that were wagered against Umi's whale's tooth necklace. 



'A not uncommon wager in those days. 



