Rice — Hatn'anan Legends 51 



KAMAPUAA 



A LEGEND OE KAUAI 



Kamapuaa came to Kipukai, on the southeast coast of Kauai, in the 

 form of a large fish called by the Hawaiians hmnuhmnu-a-puaa. This is 

 a black fish, with a long snout like that of a hog. As soon as Kamapuaa 

 had landed at Point Kipu-ike he changed himself into a hog, and rooted 

 in the sand to get a drink of water. At low tide fresh water is still to be 

 found at Point Kipu-ike. 



After Kamapuaa had rested a while, he tried to climb a small, steep 

 cliff nearby, but was unable to do so. When darkness hid him, he ate all 

 the sweet potatoes and sugar-cane belonging to the natives. Then he 

 crossed over to a big rock on the side of the hill to the west, and lay 

 down to sleep. 



When the natives wakened in the morning, they found their sugar-cane 

 and potatoes gone. Seeing in the fields the tracks of a large hog, they 

 followed them with their dogs until they came upon the hog, fast asleep. 

 They quickly tied his feet together with strong ropes. He was so large 

 that twenty men had to carry him to the village, where they prepared an 

 imn in which to cook him. 



When the imu was red hot, the men brought a rope to strangle their 

 victim. Then the hog stretched himself, breaking the ropes, and walked 

 away as a man. The men were so astonished that they did not dare to 

 follow. Even in the form of a man, Kamapuaa retained something of the 

 hog. Although his face was very handsome, he still had stiff black bristles 

 down his back. However, he always wore a cape to cover the bristles. 



Kamapuaa went on until he came to the hidden spring of Kemamo, over 

 which two kupua kept watch. Being thirsty, the stranger asked for water. 

 When the kupua refused to give him any, he turned himself into a hog 

 again, and rooted in the earth until he found a spring. Then he seized 

 the kupua and threw them across the valley, where they were turned into 

 two large rocks, which can be seen to this day. The water of this spring 

 was very famous for its sparkle, and in the old days, it was taken in gourds 

 to the other islands for special occasions. 



Later, Kamapuaa found another spring, in which he lay down and 

 went to sleep. The water of this spring is still so bitter that no animal 

 will drink it, and it is still called Wai-a-ka-puaa, the Water-of-the-Pig. 

 While Kamapuaa was sleeping, the giant Limaloa, Long-Arm, from 

 Kekaha, saw the huge creature lying in the mud, and so he put his back 

 to a large boulder to roll it down on the hog and crush him. As the stone 



