48 B entice P. Bi^hol> MuseiiDi — Bulletin 



come up was the king. He recognized the boy as his own son and begged, 

 "Give me Hfe in the name of your mother!" 



Lahi therefore spared his life. The king thanked him with these 

 words, "I will return to Waimea and there build a house for you. When 

 it is finished, I shall send for you to come to me." 



Returning to Waimea, the king ordered his men to dig a very deep 

 hole. Over it, he had them erect an oblong-shaped house with only one 

 entrance. Then he stretched a mat over the hole, and seated his subjects 

 all around the edges to hold it taut. This done, he sent for his son, whose 

 death he was seeking. 



As the boy drew near the entrance, his father, from within the liouse, 

 called to him to enter. Suspicious, Lahi thrust his spear through the mat 

 and discovered the treachery. So, quickly closing the door, he set fire 

 to the house, and destroyed his treacherous father and all his faithless 

 subjects. Then Lahi became king. 



