Rice — Hazcaiian Legends 105 



When the sun rose the king hurried out to see who was interfering 

 with his powers. Kana was about to kill him, but was stopped by the 

 king's promise to bring Niheu to life again. 



As soon as Niheu was restored to life, Kana, accompanied by the king, 

 stretched his body and returned to the house of Uli. 



This was the king's first visit to this part of his kingdom, and so he 

 planned to visit all parts of it. A canoe made of white chicken feathers 

 carried him from place to place. So he traveled over the world for two 

 years, conquering all lands. At the end of that time he returned to 

 Hawaii and wcfs deeply grieved to hear that the mighty Niheu and the 

 artful Kana had died. He established his kingdom on the island of 

 Hawaii, and collecting worthy ministers, ruled for many years. 



K.\UAI LEGENDS OF K.\NA 



When Kana came from Oahu, wading through the sea, to Kipukai, 

 Kauai, the turtles were raising up the hill of Haupu. Kana was afraid 

 that it would reach too high, so he stretched himself up until his body was 

 no larger than a spider's web. When he was tall enough, he put his foot 

 on top of the mountain and crushed it down. So, now, three ridges run 

 out from Haupu. He found his brother Niheu starving in Kipukai, and 

 so he said he could relieve his brother's hunger. He lay down and stretched 

 his body until his head reached the place where his grandmother was living, 

 on the hills back of Wahiawa. Then he called to his brother to cut his 

 toe, and when Uli fed Kana poi, it ran through his body, and reached 

 Kipukai, where Niheu sucked it out. Thus he saved his brother's life. 



After Niheu had been fed, Kana found that his grandmother was 

 making tapa, but the sun came up and went down so fast that there was 

 no time for the tapa to dry. So Kana said he could make the days longer. 

 He ordered all the people on the western side of the island to save all the 

 coconut fiber and to braid it into ropes. When plenty of rope had been 

 made, Kana stood on the top of the hill with the ropes coiled near him, and 

 when the sun came up he lassoed it, and broke off some of the spokes. 

 To this day, when the sun comes up, you can see that some of its spokes 

 are shorter than the others, and those are the spokes which Kana broke. 

 The sun then begged him to let it go. Kana said he would if the sun 

 would promise to go slower, so as to make the days longer so that Uli 

 would have time to dry her tapa. The sun agreed, and to this day has 

 kept its promise. So we have to thank Kana for our long days. 



