Note 3 — Introductory material (continued 4)

Shortly after this they went to Ku and told him what the boy had told them. Ku then began to think and after a while told the old men: “Yes, it is true that I had a son.” The old men then asked Ku: “Did you not take one to wife and when you parted from her, left with her certain things?” “Yes, I did take one Kaunoa to wife and I left with her certain things; a loin cloth and a spear.” “Then the boy you killed must have been your own son.” “Yes,” said Ku, “it must have been my own son.” Ku then inquired of the old men: “How am I to get my son?” The old men said: “Get a net, surround the house with three thicknesses and on the outside of that place a very fine net.” Late that evening the spirit of the boy returned to the temple as usual and fell asleep. While the spirit of the boy was sleeping the house was surrounded by three thicknesses of net. On the approach of day the spirit woke up and started to return to the sea. As it came out it saw that the house was surrounded by nets. The spirit then began to tear the nets. Daylight, however, found him entangled within the fine net. When the spirit was finally caught it had the form of a rat. It was then worked over until it almost assumed its human form again. A few days after this the daughter of Ku, Ihiawaawa3 by name, came to call on the boy, her half-brother.