Legend of Palila. 



KALUAOPALENA and Mahinui, the daug-hter of Hina, were the father and 

 mother of Pahla, who was born in Kaniooloa, in Koloa, Kauai ; but he was 

 brought up in the temple of Humuula. Pahla at his birth was in the form of 

 a piece of cord' and was therefore thrown away in a pile of rubbish, the parents not 

 knowing that it was a child, and furthermore they were disappointed upon seeing the 

 cord. When Palila was born, Hina [the grandmother] was living in the temple of Hu- 

 muula up in the mountains ; but through her supernatural powers she saw the birth of 

 Palila, so she came down to Mahinui and Kaluaopalena and asked them: "Where is the 

 child that was born a short time ago?" Mahinui and Kaluaopalena replied: "There 

 was no child, it was a piece of cord; it is lying there in that rubbish pile." Hina went 

 over to the place and took up the piece of cord from amongst the rubbish and bundled it 

 up in a jjiece of white ka]ja and returned to her home. 



After Hina arrived at her home in the temple of Humuula, away up in the moun- 

 tains in a very lonely spot, she unwrapped the bundle of Palila and ]iut it into another 

 piece of white kapa. This was done at three different times, when it began to assume 

 human form. After the lapse of a full period of ten days, the body of Palila was com- 

 plete in its form. Hina then built a shelf from the iihtlic fern and placed the child upon 

 it. After the child had reached the age when it could take food, it was given nothing 

 but bananas. 



Alanapo was another very sacred place; it was also a temple and was located in 

 the land of Humuula. It was the resort of spirits and a place noted for the strength 

 and braveness of the people brought up in it. When Hina saw that the child was full 

 grown she took him to the temple of Alanapo and brought him up with the spirits, 

 where he was educated in the arts of warfare and in all the training- proper for the de- 

 velopment of great strength. After the years of training his two hands were equally 

 developed and could deal out death to all his enemies. In his daily life and bringing 

 ui), he had a twofold character; that of a spirit and of a human being. 



One half of Kauai at this time was under the control of Namakaokalani, who was 

 constantly at war with Kaluaopalena [the father of Palila, the ruler of the other half of 

 Kauai]. Three battles had already I)een fought by the two and there remained but one 

 more when Namakaokalani, if victorious, would conquer the whole island of Kauai. 



It was Hina's usual custom to go down to observe the progress of the contending 

 parties ; she did this every time there was a battle. On this occasion Hina went down 

 and arrived before the commencement of hostilities; she felt" that Palila was coming- 

 down to see the battle, so ui)on meeting Kaluaopalena she said to him : "You must be on 

 the watch this day. The first warrior who will come to you will be Namakaokalani 



'Cord for braiding calabash or other nets for carrying erally a "blood rope" or cord, or a piece of cord as 



burdens, from wliich it takes tlie name koko. Cord for used in making a calabash net, also called kolco. 



lish nets is dim, and for iish lines alio. Some doubt 'ilaVmlia, the rising of a fond recollection of a per- 



prevails as to tlie kaula koko referred to, whether lit- son is in tliis case a premonition. 

 (136) 



