Rice — Hazmiian Legends 77 



When a son was born to Hikauhi, Paakaa named him Ku-a-paakaa, 

 Standing-in-the-Place-of-Paakaa, for his father and his grandfather. This 

 child was brought up very carefully. His father taught him all the mele 

 he had made for the king of Hawaii, for he believed that in time the king 

 would miss him and would send for him, and he wanted the boy to be 

 preparecl- He also taught the boy the names of all the winds of the 

 islands as his mother, Laamaomao had taught him long before. 



In the meantime things were not going very smoothly with the king of 

 Hawaii. At first his new servants had taken very good care of him but 

 soon they became careless. After Paakaa had been gone several months, 

 the king realized that these men were working only for themselves and 

 were neglecting him sorely. He was patient as long as he could be, but 

 ait last he decided to go in search of his faithful Paakaa. Summoning his 

 soothsayers, his kahuna, and his diviners he asked them where to find 

 Paakaa. They communed with the spirits of their ancestors and learned 

 that Paakaa was still living, but his dwelling place was not known to them. 

 They urged the king to delay his departure until a large fleet of canoes had 

 been hewn out. 



So the king ordered all his people to join the canoe cutters and to hurry 

 to the mountains. All those who were not able to go must prepare the 

 food supply. The king hoped that these preparations could be easily and 

 quickly made. He was doomed to disappointment. 



As soon as the first tree had been cut, two birds flew upon the branches, 

 which was a sign that the tree was hollow. A second tree was cut, and 

 again it was seen to be hollow. The cutters went from tree to tree, always 

 with the same result. 



Then the king sent for the skilled sling throwers and the net catchers 

 and the gum catchers but they were all unable to catch the two birds 

 who were, in fact, ancestors of Paakaa, and who were trying to prove the 

 king's aloha for the boy. 



At last from Kauai came Pikoi-a-kaalala, the Ambitious-One, the 

 most skilled of all in shooting the bow and arrow. He could shoot off 

 the head of a flower. He never missed a bird on the fly. 



The king greeted Pikoi warmly and made known to him the trouble 

 he was having with the birds. Taking his bow and arrow, the skillful 

 hunter hurried to the forest where the trees were being cut down and 

 shot both birds. In vain he looked for the bodies of the troublesome birds. 

 However, with the shooting of them, all difficulty was removed and two 

 beautiful canoes were soon prepared for the king, and others were made 

 ready for his retainers. 



