130 Bernicc P. Bishop Museum — Bulletin 



The woman replied, "Then we must both swim across the great sea so 

 that you can return to live with your father." 



The boy answered, "My father is dead. A big fish swallowed him." 



His mother urged him to leave with her before he was killed by the 

 guards and she quickly led him out of the house. 



Makua asked his guide if he might follow to see what the woman was 

 doing with the boy. The guard told him he might become lost and when 

 the time came for his trial, his examiners would grow weary looking for 

 him. But Makua promised not to wander far off. So he followed the 

 woman and boy and soon recognized them as his wife, long since dead, 

 and his son, whom he had left safe at home. Love for them surged up in 

 liis heart. Tears came to his eyes, but remembering the law of the land, 

 he refrained from weeping. He thought that the gods liad brought his 

 wife to life again, but he feared to speak to her, thinking he might weep, 

 and so he followed far behind them until he came to the beach where the 

 big fish had thrown him upon the sand. 



There he saw his wife trying to force the boy into the sea to swim 

 across the water to his home. Noticing that his wife did not show affec- 

 tion for the boy, the father was about to interfere, but he feared he would 

 be recognized. So the boy was forced into the sea, and when he reached 

 the deep water, he cried out, "Oh, Mother, the sharks will eat me." 

 Instantly, he was caught by a shark who swallowed all but his head, and 

 swam off with him. His wife followed the boy into the water and soon 

 Makua saw the big surf roll her over and over, and heard her cry out, 

 "Oh, Makua, my beloved husband, you are watching me die. If I die, 

 you will never see me again." 



Makua could endure this agony no longer, and as the waves carried 

 the body of his beloved one up on the sand, he lifted it onto dry land and 

 bathed the face. Tears rolled down his cheeks, but he still refrained from 

 loud cries of sorrow, as he did not want his guides to hear him. Wonder- 

 ing what to do with the body, he was surprised to see that there was still 

 life in it. Slowly, his wife grew strong and throwing her arm about his 

 neck, she wept bitterly. Makua then realized that he had failed in his 

 trial and could not live in this land of the gods, — so he led his wife 

 toward the beautiful house. 



When they reached the spot where it had been, they were surprised to 

 find that it had vanished. They rested under the branches of a big tree 

 and there fell aslee]). Soon a voice calling, "Makua, where are you?" 

 awakened him. 



Makua at first could see no one, but he was afraid because he had not 

 been strong enough in the temptation which had come to him. He knew 



