Rice — Hazuaiiaii Legends 33 



THE MENEHUNE 



A LEGEND OF KAUAI 



The belief of the Hawaiians of ancient times was that there was one 

 great continent, stretcliing from Hawaii, including Samoa, Lalakoa, a'ad 

 reaching as far as New Zealand, also taking in Fiji. And there were some 

 lowlands in between these higher lands. All this was called by one name, 

 that is Ka-houpo-o-Kane, the Solar-Plexus-of-Kane (the great god), and 

 was also called Moana-nui-kai-oo, the Great-Engulfing-Ocean. This is the 

 same that is mentioned in the prayer used by the kahuna ana-ana, who 

 can pray to death, and who can also defend from death, when they pray 

 in these words to ward off the evil that is keeping the sick one down : 



To You, Who are the Breath of the Eighth Night: 



To You, Kane, the Yellow Edge of Night: 



To You Kane, the Thunder that Rumbles at Night : 



To You, Kane, Kamohoalii, Brother of Pole, Sea of Forgiveness : 



To You, Ku, Kane, and all the other Gods that hold up the Heavens : 



And likewise the Ku, the Goddess women that hold up the Night : 



To You, Kane, Who is bristling, to Ku, and to.Lono: 



To You, Lono, Who is awakening as the sun rises : 



To All of You in the Night: Stand up! 



Let the Night pass, and Daylight come to me, the Kahuna. 



Look at our sick one : If he be dying from food eaten in the day, 



Or from tapa, or from what he has said, 



Or from pleasures he has had a part in. 



Or from walking on the high-way. 



From walking, or frotn sitting down. 



Or from the bait that has been taken. 



Or from parts of food that he has left. 



Or from his evil thoughts of others. 



Or from finding fault, or from evils within. 



From all deaths; Deliver and forgive! 



Take away all great faults, and all small faults. 



Throw them all into Moana-nui-kai-oo, the great ocean ! 



If Ku is there, or Hina : Hold back death ! 



Let out the big life, the small life. 



Let out the long life, for all time : 



That is the life from the Gods. 



This is the ending of my pra3'er 

 It is finished; Amaina no iioa. 



This is what they thought in regard to the land of Ka-houpo-o-Kane, 

 which is related in the most ancient tradition, that has been handed down 

 for countless generations, the tradition known as "Ke Kumulipo", "the 

 Tradition that comes from the Dark Aees." 



