Rice — Hawaiian Legends 97 



For four days Niheii wandered here and there in the woods, hunting 

 for Uli's home. At last UH came upon him and asked : "Why have you 

 wandered in the forest so long?" 



Niheu replied, "You will soon see why I am here. I am going to kill 

 you now." 



To these words of her grandson, Uli replied, "Is death the gift you 

 bring to me? I have done you no wrong. Why did you not come to me 

 and tell me that you needed canoes? I would have told you how to build 

 them. It is not I, but your forefathers, the first builders of canoes, who 

 are now in the nether world, who will not allow you to fell the trees for 

 canoes until they have been appeased. Kill me, if you wish, but then 

 you will never be able to build canoes. Spare me, come home with me, 

 and eat and drink. Then you shall go home and find a black pig without 

 any white hairs. While you are gone, I shall prepare the azva root, the 

 large calabash, and the grass to strain the awa. Thus with my help you 

 can succeed." 



These words appeased Niheu and he followed his grandmother into 

 her house. While he was eating, he looked about for his new found 

 brother, Kana, but did not see him. As soon as he was refreshed, he 

 hurried home and, finding the things Uli had mentioned, he brought them 

 back and laid them at her feet. Then Uli told him to search in the forest 

 until he found two lehua trees. After having felled and topped these, he 

 should return to her. 



Niheu followed his grandmother's instructions. Then she gave him 

 the aura root and the black pig, which he carried to the place where the 

 trees were lying. Flaving built an iniu he killed and cooked the pig and 

 prepared the azva. When all was ready Niheu called his ancestors to come 

 and eat the food he had prepared for them. Then Niheu concealed him- 

 self under the branches of the trees. 



Soon he saw his strange looking forefathers gathering around the table. 

 After they had eaten the food one of their number, Kaikupakee by name, 

 tried to put the tops of the trees onto the trees again. Niheu caught him 

 and held him, saying that he was going to kill him. Kaikupakee answered 

 that if he were killed Niheu's canoe would never be finished. So he was 

 released and at once called out, "I will not build your canoes!" 



Poor Niheu was very much discouraged, and hurried to his grand- 

 mother to tell her his troubles. Uli comforted the boy with these words : 

 "Your canoes will be finished. Take this flag to the place where the trees 

 lie, and with it mark out the size you wish the canoes to be." 



