Rice — Ha7i'aiiaii Legends 111 



MANO-NIHO-KAHI 



A LEGEND OF OAHU 



Near the water hole in Malae-kahana, between Laie and Kahuku, Hved 

 a man called Mano-niho-kahi, who was possessed of the power to turn 

 himself into a shark. Mano-niho-kahi appeared as other men except that he 

 always wore a tapa cloth which concealed the shark's mouth in his back. 



Whenever he saw women going to the sea to fish or to get Ii)iiH lie 

 would call out, "Are you going into the sea to fish?" 



Upon hearing that they were, he would hasten in a roundabout way to 

 reach the sea, where he would come upon them and, biting them with his 

 one shark's tooth, kill them. 



This happened many times. Many women were killed by Mano-niho- 

 kahi. At last the chief of the region became alarmed and ordered all the 

 people to gather together on the plain. Standing with his kahuna, the chief 

 commanded all the people to disrobe. All obeyed but Mano-niho-kahi, 

 Shark-with-One-Tooth. So his tapa was dragged off and there on his 

 back was seen the shark's mouth. He was put to death at once and there 

 were no more deaths among the women. 



