Rice — Haivaiian Legends 123 



Seeing the grand time his friends were having, Makua decided to 

 hurry home to prepare himself for diving. 



At home he found his son looking very happy because he had been 

 to the farm and had found that everything which had been planted with 

 the 0-0 stick had grown rapidly and was ready to be harvested. The sugar 

 cane had grown so high, it had fallen over and had grown up again. 



Makua told his son not to be surprised at such blessings, for they 

 would receive them continually, if they followed the gods' instructions. 

 Then he explained all the gods had told him about the use and care of the 

 sticks. The boy promised to follow these instructions and Makua was very 

 much pleased, saying, "Blessings will follow you, my son. You will not die. 

 nor yet grow old." 



Makua was anxious to see for himself how the farm looked, so he 

 forgot for the time being about the fish, and went to the farm. There 

 standing by his door, he saw two very strange and beautiful men. No one 

 in Koolau could equal them. One held a malo-piiakai, the red-dyed loin- 

 cloth for surfing, the other a knina-ka pa-papa' it, the thick bed-covering of 

 many colors. Makua gave them his aloha, yet he was filled with fear, 

 for he thought that they must be great chiefs from the island of Hawaii, 

 for they wore the cloaks of beautiful feathers from Hawaii. Makua feared 

 that he would make mistakes in their presence. The strangers saw all that 

 was passing in his mind. 



Makua had thought that he would always be able to recognize his gods, 

 having seen them once, but he did not know them now and took them for 

 chiefs. 



The men asked for food. Makua told his son to bring the aiva. He 

 quickly got it from the pile and prepared three cups of it as he was very 

 .skillful. He also prepared three joints of cane and three bananas. 



When Makua saw these things being prepared which belonged to his 

 gods, he cried out, "Did you pray to our gods?" 



"No, I did not," answered the boy, "because I am very hungry. Not 

 since the day of my birth have I so longed for food." 



"As a punishment for this crime I must put you to death, and sacrifice 

 you to my gods, or the penalty will fall on me," sadly replied Makua. 



He began to prepare a big fire for the sacrifice. Aleanwhile, the 

 strangers were watching and gave the boy power to speak. 



He asked, "Will you kill me in that fire?" 



"No, I shall kill you first by means of a stone adz, and then when you 

 are dead, I shall throw vou into the fire !" 



