36 Bcrnice P. Bishop Museum — Bulletin 



At OIK- time the Mcnehune hollowed out a huge stone, and carried it to 

 Waimea, where the head Mcnehune fisherman used it as a house. It was 

 called Papa-ena-ena, from his name. He sat in this house, and watched his 

 men fish. 



It was their custom to place in the streams big stones on which to 

 pound their food. One of these big stones is to be seen far up the Hanalei 

 River. Another was carried from Mahaulepu across Kipukai to Huleia. 

 Still another was placed near the mountain of Maunahina in a little brook, 

 above Wainiha, where to this day, natives leave offerings of lehua branches 

 to the Kupua. or demi-god, of the locality. On this stone, Lahi and his 

 son lived, after Lahi had been defeated in Waimea. His story is told in 

 the legend of "The Bird Man." From his life came the saying, "Tear the 

 bird, the water is rippling." The explanation of this proverb is that if 

 anyone stepped into the brook, the ripples could be seen along its whole 

 course. Therefore, when the water rippled, the boy knew that someone 

 was wading through the stream,, and said, "Tear the bird." meaning, "Eat 

 at once," so that they would be prepared, in case it were the enemy 

 approaching. 



At one time the Meneliune built two canoes of koa in the mountains 

 near Puu-ka-Pele. As they were dragging them down to the lowlands, 

 they were caught by a heavy rain-storm, and were forced to leave the 

 canoes across a little valley. The storm covered the canoes with debris, 

 and later, a road was built across them, over which all the materials to 

 build the village of Waimea were hauled. 



While these canoes were being placed in this valley one of the Mcne- 

 hune broke a law, and was condemned to die. He was turned into a 

 stone which is still called Poha'-kina-pua'a, and can be .seen on the Waimea 

 Canyon road, not far below Puu-ka-Pele. As the stone was being placed, 

 such a shout was raised that it frightened the ducks on the Kawainui pond 

 near Kailua, on Oahu. At Mahaulepu, on Kauai, another Menehune was 

 turned to stone for stealing watermelons. The Menehune regarded a 

 thief with great contempt, and the penalty for such a crime was death by 

 being turned into stone. 



It is believed that this happened before the Menehune left Kauai 

 and journeyed to New Zealand. When a son, Ola, was born to the king 

 of Waimea, the headman, Kuahi-nui-pauku-moku-moku, hastened to the 

 far-lying islands of New Zealand, and brought the Menehune back to Kauai. 



After their return the Menehune built the wall of the Alakoko fish 

 pond at Niumalu. Standing in two rows they passed the stones from hand 

 to hand all the way from Makaweli to Niumalu. Daylight came before 



