Rice — Haivaiian Legends 57 



throw the second spear directly at the stomach of his brother. Again 

 Kawelo dodged it and this time it flew beyond the surf. 



When the messengers from Kauai had seen Kawelo's skill in dodging 

 spears, they marvelled at his strength and declared that he would be the 

 conqueror of the islands. After so much exercise Kawelo hurried to his 

 bath and then sat down to eat his forty calabashes of poi and forty 

 latilcm of pig. As before, his hunger was not satisfied until he had been 

 served the same amount again. Then, calling the messengers to him, he 

 inquired what had brought them from Kauai. 



They answered, "Kawelo, we have come to take you home to your 

 parents, who are in sore need. They have been driven from their homes 

 and have nothing to eat. You must return to fight with x^i-kanaka, the 

 cruel prince." 



Without replying to them, Kawelo ordered his wife to secure from her 

 father spears, bows and arrows used for shooting rats, and the ax that 

 he used for hewing out canoes. All these things he would need on Kauai. 



After his wife had crossed the stream and walked beyond the coconut 

 trees, Kawelo told Kamalama to follow her, concealed, and to listen to the 

 words of her father. 



When Kanewahine came to her father's house she found that he had 

 gone to prepare awa for the gods. Now the building where he was work- 

 ing was kapH for women, so the mother approached as near as she dared 

 and then wailed loudly to attract his attention. Ceasing his prayers to 

 the gods, the father hurried to his daughter, and asked, "What great thing 

 has brought you here? Are you not afraid of the akua which hover 

 about?" 



Kanewahine answered, "I came to get the spears, the bows and arrows, 

 and the ax for my husband who must go to Kauai to do battle." 



Her father began to berate his son-in-law in these words: "Your hus- 

 band is a plover with small feet. He is a bird that runs along the beach 

 and is overthrown by the beating surf. He is like a banana tree without 

 strength; he is like a puhala tree growing with its roots out of the ground. 

 He is not strong like me, your father, large from head to feet, whom 

 neither the Kona storms nor the wind from the mountains can harm." 



"Be careful how you speak of my husband," warned Kanewahine. "He 

 will know whatever you say." 



"What wonderful ears he must have!" jeered the angry father. "He 

 is on the Kona side and we are at Koolau." 



His daughter replied, "My husband's powerful god, Kalanikilo, has 

 heard your words and he will tell. My husband knows everything. Noth- 

 ing is hidden from him." 



