32 Bcniicc P. Bishop Muscinii — Bulletin 



THE STONES OF KANE 



A LKGEND OF KAUAI 



In the beginning, a woman and her two brothers, Pohakiiloa and Pohakii. 

 in the form of stones, came through the water from distant lands. When 

 they reached the reef off Haena the sister wanted to stay there, but one of 

 the brothers urged her to go on, saying, "If you stay here the Hmii will 

 cover 3'ou, the opihi will cling to you, and the people coming to fish will 

 climb over you." 



To this the sister replied, "If you go into the mountains the birds will 

 light on you and the lizards will crawl over you." 



So the sister stayed in the sea where at low tide she is still to be 

 .seen. The Hawaiians call the rock O-o-aa, the Fast-Rooted. The brothers 

 swam towards land. When about two hundred yards inland from the 

 shore one became tired and lay down to rest, and there he can be seen 

 to this day lying, covered with moss, among the ptiltala trees. He is 

 called Pohakuloa, Long-Stone. The sand beneath Pohakuloa was used 

 as a burial place for common people. The other brother went on and 

 began to climb up the steep mountain side. The great god, Kane, saw him 

 and, taking pity on him, threw him up on the top of the ridge where he is 

 today known as the Stone of Kane, Pohaku-o-Kane. 



