Rice — Hawaiian Legends 79 



Ku-a-paakaa was anxious to know when the king would pass by, and 

 his father told him that when the sun rose the king would come in a double 

 canoe. On the pola of the canoe would be seen a large house for the 

 king's god, Kaili, the Snatcher ; a small one for himself, and a still smaller 

 one for the women. 



At last the king's canoe appeared and Paakaa called out, "As you pass 

 by hold up your paddle, Lapakahoe." 



These words were told to the king by his messenger and the pilots 

 received orders to approach Paakaa's canoe. As they neared Paakaa, he 

 told his son to ask them to come ashore as a storm was coming. He also 

 bade the boy ask them whom they were seeking. To this question some 

 one answered, "We seek Paakaa, a servant of the king." 



This answer surprised Ku-a-paakaa, who said to his father, "They say 

 that you are a servant. You told me you were a chief." 



Paakaa told his son to ask the question again, and this time he re- 

 ceived this answer from the king, "He is not a real servant. He is a 

 kahili bearer and my backbone." 



This answer made Ku-a-paakaa very happy and he sang a inelc in 

 which he said that these canoes must be made from the great Hawaii of 

 Kane, where the sun rises from the point of Haehae bringing aloha to the 

 king, a friend in days of want when there is no food on the land. 



The prime minister answered the boy's mele in these words, "Do you 

 not see, O boy. that these are the canoes of Ku and Lono, of Kane and 

 Kanaloa, and all the multitude of gods? These canoes came from Hilo, 

 the land of heavy rain, which makes the leaves fall from the trees. The 

 land where leis are made from the hah' blossoms of Hapae." 



Now Ku-a-paakaa began to sing mele urging the canoes to come 

 ashore as the clouds brought by the winds from Ha-o and Ha-ea were 

 gathering on Kawainui, above Wailau, which foretold a storm. 



But the king's pilot answered, "Why should we listen to this boy? If 

 we go ashore the canoes will be cracked and we will take the boy's bones 

 to stop the leaks." 



Paakaa told his son to reply in this manner, "No one fills the cracks 

 of canoes with the bones of a boy. Everyone takes a stone adz and cuts 

 down a tree. When the tree is felled he cuts ofif the branches and then 

 hews out the canoe. The bones of a dog or a pig are used to give polish 

 to the canoe." 



The king's companions were surprised to hear the boy answer so wisely. 

 Thinking that he probably knew the weather signs of his own island, the 

 prime minister asked him to tell them. 



