XXVIII.— THE HULA MUTT-MU'U 



The conception of this peculiar hiihi originated from a pathetic 

 incident narrated in the story of Hiiaka's journey to bring Prince 

 Lohiau to the court of Pele. Haiika. standing with her friend 

 Wahine-oma'o on the heights that overlooked the beach at Kahaku- 

 loa, jNIaui, saw the figure of a woman, maimed as to hands and feet, 

 dancing in fantastic glee on a plate of rock by the ocean. She sang 

 as she danced, pouring out her soul in an ecstacy that ill became her 

 pitiful condition; and as she danced her shadow-dance, for she Avas 

 but a ghost, poor soul! these Avere the words she repeated: 



AinvO, ;iii\v('. iiio' kirii liniii ! 

 Auwe. iUiwe, iiio" ku'ii lima ! 



[Translation] 



Alas, alas, inainied ;ire iiiy hands ! 

 Alas, alas, inaiuied are my hands! 



Wahine-oma'o. lacking spiritual sight, saw nothing of this; but 

 Iliiaka, in downright pit}^ and goodness of impulse, plucked a hala 

 fruit from the string about her neck and threw it so that it fell 

 before the poor creature, who eagerly seized it and with the stumps of 

 her hands held it up to enjoy its odor. At the sight of the woman's 

 pleasure Iliiaka sang: 



Lea wale hoi ka wahine linia-liuia ole. \A'a\vae olo, 

 E ha ana i kana i'a. kn'i-kn"i ana i kana opilii. 

 AVa"n-wa'u ana i kana limn. Mana-mana-ia-kalu-6-a. 



I 'rraiislntlonl 



How i)leased is the girl maimed of hand and foot, 

 (iropinjx for fish, jioundini;: shells of oi)ilii. 

 Kneading her moss. Mana-mana-ia-kaln-ea ! 



The answer of the desolate creature, grateful for Hiiaka's recogni- 

 tion and kind attention, was that pretty mele appropriated by hula 

 folk as the wreath-song, already given (p. 5(')), which will bear re[ie- 



tition : 



Ke lei mai la o Ka-nla i ke kai, e-e! 

 Ke malamalama o Niihau, na malie. 

 A nialie, pa ka Inn-wai. 

 Ke inn mai la na hala o Xane i ke kai. 

 "( No Xaue ka hala, no I'nna ka wahine, 

 No ka lua uo i Kilanea. 

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